The Best Bluefin Tuna Charters

Our Damn Good Guides currently offer 46 bluefin tuna trips, and the most popular trips are Gitana Fishing - Half Day Offshore guided by Gabriels, Big Fish Luxury Charter guided by Bentley, and Gulf Stream Deep Run guided by Mike.

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Deep Sea fishing is the most popular for bluefin tuna as well as nearshore fishing and inshore fishing.

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

for bluefin tuna prices can range anywhere from $590 to $3,000 and up, but the average price for a half day for bluefin tuna is $1,048. The average price for a full day for bluefin tuna is $2,680.

The most popular season for bluefin tuna fishing is fall, and most anglers book their trips 54 days in advance.

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

Bluefin Tuna (Thunnus thynnus) are the largest of the tunas. They are torpedo-shaped, strong and fast swimmers, and are dark blue, fading to silver on their bellies. Being such a popular fish for both sport and food, they have acquired many nicknames such as bluefin tunny and squid hound.

There are three species of bluefin, the Atlantic, Pacific, and Southern. All are tremendous predators and have the sharpest vision of any bony fish. Though they are fierce hunters, they can also be victims to killer whales, sharks, and parasites, as well as overfishing, leading to extinction and trading bans in certain countries and seas.

The average bluefin lives for about 15 years, growing to an average of 78 inches long, and around 500 pounds. However, they can grow up to 180 inches long and almost 1,500 pounds, over a period of up to 50 years. These measurements rival black and blue marlin, as well as swordfish.

On October 26th, 1979, Ken Fraser caught the record 1,496 pound bluefin tuna, as recognized by the International Game Fish Association. He spent just 45 minutes bringing the tuna to gaff after it latched on to a trolled mackerel in Aulds Cove off Nova Scotia, Canada.

Bluefin tuna can be found spread through the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and it’s adjacent seas, with a high concentration in the North Atlantic. Some excellent places to catch these incredible sportfish are in Massachusetts and California. Typically, they will be within 500 to 1,000 meters deep in these areas.

Due to their wide distribution, and the fact that they are highly migratory, it is difficult to lock down the best season for bluefin tuna fishing worldwide, but it is necessary rather to look at peak season in the area you would like to fish. Florida, for example, peaks from May to September. In California it is recommended to go in July to August, and in Texas autumn, winter, and spring are the best.

The best way to catch bluefin is to troll natural bait like herring, mullet, mackerel, bonito, or squid. You can also use artificial bait, such as plugs, jigs, or feathers. Flies and poppers can also be used, especially by chumming to bring them closer to the surface.

Due to their great fight and muscular nature, it is recommended to use heavy tackle, and a sturdy fishing belt, as well as a fairly stiff rod that can handle the impact of this brute of a fish smoking it and running.

Bluefin is appreciated worldwide as an excellent food fish, selling on the Japanese market for up to $45,000 for a single fish, due to it’s popularity in sushi and sashimi. If eating tuna raw does not interest you, try a seared or baked tuna steak!

Just add some light oil and seasoning, and then sear on a frying pan, or bake in the oven. Then serve with a salad with vinaigrette dressing, roasted lemon potatoes, or baked sweet potatoes!