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Blackfin Tuna Fishing Charters

Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Deep Sea Fishing in Galveston

Ocean Strike Trip

100% (5) Guided by Chris
33 ft 1 - 6 People From $2,400
Hot Trip
people are viewing this trip.
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Deep Sea Fishing in Aransas Pass

50-Miler Trip

96% (25) Guided by Mike
33 ft 1 - 12 People From $1,650
Damn Good
Certified Damn Good Guides offer 10/10 trips. Guides earn this badge through quality reviews, quick and responsive communication, and low cancellation rates.
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Deep Sea Fishing in Miami Beach

Full Day Off Shore Deep Sea Fishing

100% (41) Guided by Ralph
45 ft 1 - 6 People From $850
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Deep Sea Fishing in Islamorada

Full Day Mahi Mahi Trip

NEW Guided by Jeff
23 ft 1 - 3 People From $1,000
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Deep Sea Fishing in Rincon

Tuna Marlin And More

NEW Guided by Pepi
35 ft 1 - 6 People From $850
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin
Fishing in Destin

Deep Sea, Nearshore Fishing in Key Largo

Key Largo Offshore

100% (7) Guided by Bill
22 ft 1 - 4 People From $675
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Everything to Know About Booking a blackfin tuna fishing charter

What are the best blackfin tuna fishing charters?

The best blackfin tuna fishing charters are:

What is a Blackfin Tuna?

Blackfin tuna - the youngest brother of yellowfin and bluefin tuna - is the smallest member of the tuna family but this doesn’t mean you should count them out as a fun gamefish and a tasty meal. They can be found throughout the western Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico in deep water, often staying in schools closer to the surface.

They are similar in appearance to a mini bluefin, with oval shaped bodies, black backs, and silver sides and underbelly. They generally swim together, and when you’re on a group of blackfin you can get a number in the boat - they have a strong bite and run in packs. They prefer warmer waters (over 68 degrees) although they are known to swim north or south somewhat with the seasons.

How big do Blackfin Tuna get?

Blackfin tuna are a fast-growing, short-lived species. They reach sexual maturity at around 2 years and will spawn for another 2-3 years before dying.

They are the smallest tuna of their genus Thunnus, and will grow to a max size of about 40 inches and just over 40 pounds (compared this to a bluefin, which can grow to 1500 pounds). A good day is a haul of blackfin from 15 to 25 pounds. An average fish caught might be somewhere in the 7-10 pound range. 


What's the biggest Blackfin Tuna ever caught?

The all-tackle world record blackfin tuna is 45 pounds 8 ounces caught off the coast of Florida.

Where is the best place to catch Blackfin Tuna?


While most tuna species have a broad range, that of the blackfin tuna is a bit more limited. They only inhabit tropical and sometimes temperate waters in the western Atlantic Ocean, mostly remaining south of Virginia and north of Brazil, inhabiting everything in between including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea.

Within this range, blackfin can be somewhat migratory depending on the water temperature and season, but htey always prefer deeper water with plenty of nutrients. They can often be found on offshore structure like oil rigs or current rips, or in areas where underwater structure like reefs or humps can push nutrients up to them. 


When should I catch Blackfin Tuna?

Blackfin are migratory depending on the season and try to stick with waters close to 70 degrees, so in the summer they can move to more temperate waters. The season is always open in the US with no bag limit or size limit, and anglers can catch blackfin year-round if they can find them.


### How do you catch Blackfin Tuna?

Tuna are generally low-light feeders who spend the majority of their time below the surface hunting squid (their large eyes help here). While blackfin are not terribly different, they can often spend more time near the surface than some other tunas. They are known to migrate vertically throughout the water column in order to feed, so a good angler will try a few different depths to get on them. Early morning and late afternoon are when they are most likely to be close to the surface, although the bigger blackfin will usually stay deeper.

The best way to catch smaller blackfin can be just trolling the surface, but if you want bigger fish you can chunk bait, and it can be good to try to bring the bigger fish up towards the surface with a free snack in the form of free swimming bait. Otherwise vertical jigging at different depths can be helpful until you can mark the fish and find them.

Blackfin are predators and will each fish, squid, shrimp, crabs, and all manner of amphipods and other smaller sea critters. This means they eat a wide variety of food, but because their eyesight is so good your presentation also needs to be, and it can be good to scale down your leader and hooks for blackfin. Great choices for bait are ballyhoo or mullet, but you can also use jigs and other lures.

Are Blackfin Tuna good to eat? What are the best Blackfin recipes?

Blackfin tuna are great to eat, second only to their larger tuna cousins the yellowfin and bluefin. Many anglers talk in relative terms and will catch a yellowfin and blackfin and discard the blackfin in favor of the yellowfin. While yellowfin is probably the better of the two, blackfin is certainly something to write home about in its own right. It is great to eat raw, seared, or baked. And an insiders secret: while not the sexiest, boiled fresh tuna will make the best tuna salad you will ever have - you’ll never go back to store-bought stuff.

Recent Reviews

  • ★★★★★
    I can only highly recommend Hunter - we booked a spearfishing trip out West and had an absolutely great time. Hunter knew the area inside out, is a great captain with lots of experience, had high quality gear, and we saw (and shot) a lot of fish, mostly grouper. Highly recommend and will be back!

    Raimund R. | June 8, 2025

    Trip: Full Day Offshore - 30' Seahunter

  • ★★★★★
    Mike was AMAZING!! The real deal. Felt very safe and taken care of! He sure knew where to find the fish! We caught 31 Mahi and 4 large red snapper! If you want to go out with the best, book with Mike. We loved his deck hand Payton as well, very smart and fun guys!! We will be back!!

    Ashley K. | June 5, 2025

    Trip: Going Deep - 35' Sea Hunter

  • ★★★★★
    The trip was amazing. Had a lot of fun with the captain and Ryan. They were a great team and worked very well together.

    Skyler B. | May 27, 2025

    Trip: Key West Fishing Slam

  • ★★★★★
    Captain Bill and Chris were great on the water. Tough wind, tough current, storm front moving in and wave conditions made fishing tough. Captain worked incredibly hard to get us on fish and we did get on them. Great attitudes and determination to find fish are the best way to describe Captain Bill and Chris.

    Jeffrey A. | May 23, 2025

    Trip: Big Boat Mixed Bag

  • ★★★★★
    Amazing experience! Great guides and definitely know how to put you on fish of all species! Definitely will be back

    Bryant D. | May 20, 2025

    Trip: Unforgettable Day Offshore

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