Blackfin Tuna Fishing Charters

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Recently Booked Blackfin Tuna Fishing Charters

Deep Sea Fishing Charter in Miami

Offshore Big Game Trip

100% (15)
36 ft 1 - 6 People From $117 / person

Deep Sea Fishing Charter in South Padre Island

South Padre Island Deep Sea

92% (12)
35 ft 1 - 6 People From $206 / person

Deep Sea Fishing Charter in Islamorada

Offshore Thrills

100% (12)
40 ft 1 - 6 People From $175 / person

Deep Sea, Nearshore Fishing Charter in Fort Lauderdale

Unforgettable Day Offshore

89% (9)
45 ft 1 - 6 People From $142 / person

Deep Sea, Nearshore Fishing Charter in Stock Island

Key West Nearshore/Offshore Trip

100% (1)
63 ft 1 - 12 People From $167 / person

Deep Sea Fishing Charter in Port Aransas

Into The Depths- Captain Daniel

100% (1)
36 ft 1 - 6 People From $333 / person

Most Popular Types of Blackfin Tuna Trips

“Our Damn Good Guides go above and beyond to provide you an incredible trip, and we’ve handpicked every single one. We’re passionate about the outdoors and about empowering people to find the perfect-match guide for the trip of a lifetime, every time.”

Jonathan and Attison   |   Co-founders   |   Austin, Texas

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More Blackfin Tuna Fishing Charters

Captain Mark will guide you on a thrilling adventure through the waters of Key West, Florida! You’ll be fishing aboard Captain Mark’s 36-foot sportfisher, which is equipped with two 750 HP engines that will get you out to your destination quickly and seamlessly. She can accommodate up to 6 adventurous anglers and has a GPS, fishfinder, live bait well, and ice box. On this 4, 6, 8, 10, or 12-hour trip, you’ll be targeting a wide variety of species, including Billfish, like White Marlin and Sailfish, Mahi Mahi, Mutton Snapper, and Amberjack. You might also catch a few sharks. Prepare yourself to feel the intense power of this apex predator as you reel it in. The longer you go, the farther out you can travel, and the farther out you travel, the bigger the fish get! Don’t forget to bring a cooler to take home your day’s catch, food and drinks for the day (no glass), sunscreen, and a hat. Captain Mark will provide all rods, reels, tackle, and fishing licenses. Let go of your daily responsibilities and have some fun fishing with Captain Mark! Read More

Deep Sea, Nearshore Fishing Charter in Key West

Key West Fishing Slam

NEW
36 ft 1 - 6 People From $175 / person

Climb aboard with Captain John and experience an action-packed day of fishing in Key West, Florida. If you have never been to Key West before, you’re missing out! And if you’re looking for a knowledgeable charter captain to take you out, Captain John is a great choice. As a 5th generation fisherman in Key West, Captain John knows exactly where the fish bite. Test your casting accuracy as you target Amberjack, Cobia, Goliath Grouper, African Pompano, Sailfish, Bull SharkYellowtail Snapper, Swordfish, Blackfin Tuna, and many more species. You’ll be fishing aboard Captain John’s 33-foot center console equipped with two 300 HP engines. She also has a GPS, fishfinder, flybridge, live bait well, outriggers, and tuna tubes. Captain John will provide Spearfishing Equipment and Snorkeling equipment free of charge if you’re interested. He welcomes 6 anglers on these 4, 6, and 8-hour adventures. Make sure you bring food and drinks for the day (preferably no glass) as well as a hat and sunscreen. Captain John will provide all licenses, rods, reels, lures, and tackle. He will also prepare live bait before the trip, although you can catch the bait during the trip if you’d like. For the 6-and 8-hour trips, a first mate will be on board to help you at all times. They will help you clean and fillet your fish at the end of the trip. Whatever your skill level, there is a fish out here with your name on it. Come and join Captain John for an exciting day of fishing! Read More

Deep Sea Fishing Charter in Key West

Key West Offshore Action

86% (7)
33 ft 1 - 6 People From $150 / person
Damn Good

Calling all thrill-seekers and fishing enthusiasts! Are you ready to embark on an epic offshore fishing adventure out of Hollywood, Florida? Look no further than Captain David and his 48' Stapleton sportfisher! On this trip, you'll be reeling in some of America's most exciting and sought-after offshore species, including Sailfish, Barracuda, Mahi Mahi, Groupers, and Snappers. Captain David is an extremely experienced captain who knows these waters like the back of his hand, and he'll take you to all the best spots to make the catch of a lifetime. But it's not just about the fishing! On board his luxurious 48' Stapleton sportfisher, you'll be able to relax and enjoy the comfortable experience. With a spacious deck and all the latest fishing technology, you'll be equipped to catch even the most elusive fish. Captain David has kitted her out with a fighting chair, Tuna Tubes for your live bait, outriggers, live wells, and more-all to enhance your experience and give you the best shot at massive success! Captain David is passionate about fishing and loves nothing more than sharing his knowledge and expertise with his clients. Whether you're a seasoned angler or a beginner, he'll provide expert guidance and support to ensure that you have an unforgettable experience on the water. Gather your friends or family and book your offshore fishing trip with Captain David today! Read More

Deep Sea, Nearshore Fishing Charter in Hollywood

World Famous Sportfishing - Large Group

100% (3)
48 ft 1 - 17 People From $106 / person

Hop on board with Captain Michael on an action-packed adventure! You can expect to go 20-70 miles offshore with the possibility of catching Amberjack, Black Grouper, Blackfin Tuna, Cobia, Mahi Mahi / Dorado, Red Snapper (depending on the season), and Wahoo. Michael runs a top-tier 35' Sea Hunter center console, decked out with gear and amenities and sporting twin 300-HP Yamaha engines. She's a fast vessel and can get you dock to dock in a hurry! Captain Michael will provide all of the fishing bait and tackle. All you need to bring is a Texas saltwater fishing license for those over 16 years of age, sunscreen, as well as some food and drinks. Let your mind escape from daily responsibilities and just have fun fishing! Read More

Deep Sea Fishing Charter in Galveston

Going Deep - 35' Sea Hunter

100% (2)
35 ft 1 - 6 People From $342 / person

Head out for a fun-filled action-packed charter with Captain Chuck aboard his Ocean Yacht for an epic Key West fishing experience! For most trips, you will be trolling the nearshore and close offshore waters for Bonito, Mackerel, Wahoo, Mahi Mahi, and whatever else emerges from the beautiful waters off the southernmost point of the United States! The longer the trip, the more species you can expect to catch (and the bigger the fish!) Captain Chuck fishes aboard a well-maintained 55 foot Ocean Sport Fisher. She is fully equipped to fish, outfitted with a Furuno electronics package and all the tackle you will need for your Key West Fishing Adventure. With dual 725 horse power Detroit Diesel engines powering this vessel, you can get from the dock to prime fishing spots quick to allow you to begin fishing faster! You're welcome to be as involved as you'd like as well, for those who just want to cool off and watch the action from inside the air-conditioned cabin, we have a luxurious space for them to relax until the next big fish gets on the hook. Read More

Deep Sea, Nearshore Fishing Charter in Key West

Legendary Fishing In Key West

100% (5)
55 ft 1 - 6 People From $183 / person

Captain Mark will guide you on a thrilling adventure through the waters of Key West, Florida! You’ll be fishing aboard Captain Mark’s 40-foot Luhrs sportfisher, which is equipped with two 750-HP Caterpillar engines that will get you out to your destination quickly and seamlessly. She can accommodate up to 6 adventurous anglers and has a GPS, fishfinder, live bait well, and ice box. On this trip, you’ll be targeting a wide variety of species, including Billfish, like White Marlin and Sailfish, Mahi Mahi, Mutton Snapper, and Amberjack. You might also catch a few sharks. Prepare yourself to feel the intense power of this apex predator as you reel it in. The longer you go, the farther out you can travel, and the farther out you travel, the bigger the fish get! Don’t forget to bring a cooler to take home your day’s catch, food and drinks for the day (no glass), sunscreen, and a hat. Captain Mark will provide all rods, reels, tackle, and fishing licenses. Let go of your daily responsibilities and have some fun fishing with Captain Mark! Read More

Deep Sea, Inshore, Nearshore Fishing Charter in Key West

Key West Deep Sea Run - 40' Luhrs

100% (4)
40 ft 1 - 6 People From $233 / person
See All Blackfin Tuna Trips

Everything to Know About Booking a blackfin tuna fishing charter

What are the best blackfin tuna fishing charters?

Our Damn Good Guides currently offer 313 blackfin tuna trips, and the most popular trips are Offshore Big Game Trip guided by Bryan, South Padre Island Deep Sea guided by Emilio, and Offshore Thrills guided by Paul.

Our guides are rated a 4.79 out of 5 based on 2408 verified reviews on Captain Experiences.

All guides on Captain Experiences are licensed, insured, and vetted by our team. You can access their reviews, click through trip photos, read bios to get to know them, and preview trip details like species, techniques, group sizes, boat specs and more.

Looking for kid friendly blackfin tuna guides? Check out our beginner and family friendly blackfin tuna guides.

What types of blackfin tuna fishing charters are common?

Deep Sea fishing is the most popular for blackfin tuna as well as nearshore fishing, inshore fishing, and jetty fishing.

The most common fishing techniques are trolling, bottom fishing, and heavy tackle fishing but live bait fishing and light tackle fishing are popular as well.

How much do blackfin tuna fishing charters cost?

for blackfin tuna prices can range anywhere from an affordable $69 to $3,000 and up, but the average price for a half day trip for blackfin tuna is $1,108. The average price for a full day trip for blackfin tuna is $2,363.

What month is best for blackfin tuna fishing?

The most popular season for blackfin tuna fishing is spring, and most anglers book their trips 69 days in advance.

Do I need a fishing license for blackfin tuna and what are the bag limits for blackfin tuna?

See here for more information on blackfin tuna fishing licenses, blackfin tuna bag limits, and fishing season regulations for blackfin tuna. When in doubt, your fishing guide will always know the right blackfin tuna rules and regulations.

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 of Captain Experiences

  • ★★★★★
    Everything was top notch, Great communication from start to finish. Capt and 1 Mate were both professional and knowledgeable and put me on fish. Only down side was when I lost a Sailfish 🙁 but landed this nice Barracuda off a Tripple set of Barracudas 🤷‍♂️😂

    John C. with Thomas D. of Key West, Florida

  • ★★★★★
    Had a fantastic trip with Captain John in July of 2023. Went for a morning trip on our honeymoon, caught tons of fish, had a lot of fun. John and his first mate were very competent, personable, and provided an excellent experience. The boat was well outfitted, John knew several spots with lots of fish, and gave us more time than we'd paid for. Great experience, will absolutely book again next time we're in the keys.

    Clare D. with John G. of Key West, Florida

  • ★★★★★
    Captain Hunter was great , knowledgeable, and well disciplined. Weather did not permit a full day so we will plan another trip with Captain Hunter. Thanks John

    John G. with Hunter L. of Key West, Florida

  • ★★★★★
    Great time

    Leo M. with Antonio E. of Key West, Florida

  • ★★★★★
    I have been fishing the keys for 10 years but learned a ton fishing with Captain Troy and first mate James. We caught a 2 man limit of nice sized yellow tail in 1.5 h. Very friendly folks made for a great day ! Highly recommend!

    Thomas J. with Troy W. of Islamorada, Florida

  • ★★★★★
    Great day fishing! I highly recommend fishing with these experts!

    Chet B. with Nel M. of Key Biscayne, Florida

  • ★★★★★
    Excellent trip with John. Good guys, on fish all day and had a great time. Definitely would book again!

    Kevin V. with John G. of Key West, Florida

  • ★★★★★
    Great fishing trip, memorable experience, would refer John and partner to anyone interested charting fishing trip in KeyWest!

    Rob R. with John G. of Key West, Florida

  • ★★★★★
    Our guide Nick is top notch, he is friendly, knowledgeable and certainly knows great spots to fish. We caught fish all day, brought home three very large mutton’s, some other mutton’s and good size yellow tail. We caught and released fish all day, hogfish, large groupers and other assorted fishes. Thanks Nick .

    Chris B. with Paul H. of Key West, Florida

  • ★★★★★
    Captain Tommy was a great guide and great company, and knew all the best spots. We caught a mahi, which Tommy filleted for us, and a barracuda! We saw sea turtles and dolphins as well - a really incredible trip overall!

    Ethan S. with Rick S. of Riviera Beach, Florida

  • ★★★★★
    We had a blast fishing with Captain Troy and his crew! They did everything possible to provide us an exciting adventure during our vacation. We caught a variety of fish and enjoyed grilling them up that evening. We highly recommend Captain Troy for your Florida Keys fishing adventure.

    Patrick G. with Troy W. of Islamorada, Florida

  • ★★★★★
    I have been on several guided trips in Mexico and Florida. I can say hands down this was the best. Yes, we caught a bunch of fish, more so, the guys worked their asses off and we’re fun to be around! Thanks Mike!

    Steve O. with Mike M. of Fort Lauderdale, Florida

  • ★★★★★
    We had a fantastic time with captain Brad. We tried different techniques and despite being a rough choppy day we still have out with a lot of fish. We all enjoyed it and highly recommend him to anyone!

    Shai K. with Brad S. of Key West, Florida

  • ★★★★★
    Great charter. Awesome Captain and First Mate

    Robert P. with Joel B. of Marathon, Florida

  • ★★★★★
    Michael is an awesome guide!! He went out of his way to show us some of his personal Fishin spots. Definitely will book him again!!

    Miguel A. with Michael O. of Fort Lauderdale, Florida

  • ★★★★★
    I hate reviews that don’t give you all the info you need. Emilio and his crew hand did a great job they brought us to a few spot that put us on 5-10 fish at a time the boat got us where we needed to go 5-10 miles out from the docks the squid bate was decent the rods were all usable there was a restroom on board In all especially for the price I would definitely take this charter again during the summer!!! Timing matters when fishing!

    Brayden L. with Emilio S. of South Padre Island, Texas

  • ★★★★★
    Great captain and first mate.

    Robert D. with Eric R. of Miami Beach, Florida

  • ★★★★★
    He was great. Tons of experience and knew right where the fish were. Would go again with him for sure. Jonathan was lots of fun !

    Zach G. with Jonathan K. of Fort Pierce, Florida

  • ★★★★★
    Captain Tony was top notch! He communicated well prior to the trip, was ready to go when we arrived, got us on some great fish, and was just a good guy and fun to go fishing with.

    Jc F. with Tony Y. of Islamorada, Florida

  • ★★★★★
    Great day! Our captain Hunter was very knowledgeable, and on top of where the fish were and how to catch them. Highly recommend him.

    Michael D. with Hunter L. of Key West, Florida

What's biting?

View Blackfin Tuna Fishing Reports from our damn good guides.

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