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Everything to Know About Booking a bluefin tuna fishing charter
What are the best bluefin tuna fishing 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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What types of bluefin tuna fishing charters are common?
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.
How much do bluefin tuna fishing charters cost?
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.
When is the best month to go bluefin tuna fishing?
The most popular season for bluefin tuna fishing is fall, and most anglers book their trips 54 days in advance.
Do I need a fishing license for bluefin tuna and what are the bag limits for bluefin tuna?
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.
What is a Bluefin Tuna?
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.
How big do Bluefin Tuna get?
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.
What's the biggest Bluefin Tuna ever caught?
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.
Where is the best place to catch Bluefin Tuna?
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.
When should I catch Bluefin Tuna?
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.
How do you catch Bluefin Tuna?
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.
Are Bluefin Tuna good to eat? What are the best Bluefin Tuna recipes?
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!
More Fishing Trips
Other Species to Target
- African Pompano
- Albacore Tuna
- Alligator
- Alligator Gar
- Almaco Jack
- Amberjack
- Arctic Char
- Atlantic Mackerel
- Atlantic Salmon
- Barracuda
- Bigeye Tuna
- Black Drum
- Black Duck
- Black Grouper
- Black Marlin
- Black Seabass
- Black-Bellied Whistling Duck
- Blackbelly Rosefish
- Blackfin Tuna
- Blacktip Shark
- Blue Catfish
- Blue Marlin
- Blue Shark
- Blue-Winged Teal
- Bluebill
- Bluefish
- Bluegill
- Bonefish
- Bonito
- Bonnethead Shark
- Bowfin
- Bream
- Brook Trout
- Broomtail Grouper
- Brown Trout
- Bufflehead
- Bull Shark
- Bull Trout
- Bullhead Catfish
- Burbot
- Calico Bass
- California Corbina
- California Sheephead
- Canada Goose
- Canvasback
- Carp
- Cero Mackerel
- Channel Catfish
- Chinook Salmon
- Chum Salmon
- Cichlid
- Cinnamon Teal
- Clown Knifefish
- Cobia
- Cod
- Coho Salmon
- Common Goldeneye
- Common Merganser
- Crab
- Crappie
- Cubera Snapper
- Cutthroat Trout
- Dolly Varden
- Dove
- False Albacore
- Flathead Catfish
- Florida Pompano
- Flounder
- Fluke
- Freshwater Drum
- Gadwall
- Gag Grouper
- Garfish
- Giant Trevally
- Golden Dorado
- Golden Trout
- Goliath Grouper
- Great White Shark
- Green-Winged Teal
- Grunt
- Guadalupe Bass
- Haddock
- Halibut
- Hammerhead Shark
- Hardhead Catfish
- Hog
- Hogfish
- Hooded Merganser
- Horse-eye Jack
- Hybrid Striped Bass
- Iguana
- Jack Crevalle
- Kingfish
- Ladyfish
- Lake Trout
- Lane Snapper
- Largemouth Bass
- Lemon Shark
- Leopard Shark
- Lingcod
- Lionfish
- Lobster
- Mahi Mahi
- Mako Shark
- Mallard
- Mangrove Snapper
- Mexican Duck
- Mottled Duck
- Mullet Snapper
- Muskie
- Mutton Snapper
- Needlefish
- Northern Pike
- Northern Pintail
- Northern Shoveler
- Nurse Shark
- Peacock Bass
- Perch
- Permit
- Pink Salmon
- Pink Snapper
- Pollock
- Porbeagle Shark
- Queen Snapper
- Rainbow Runner
- Rainbow Trout
- Ray
- Red Grouper
- Red Snapper
- Red-Breasted Merganser
- Redfish
- Redhead
- Ring-Necked Duck
- Rio Grande Cutthroat Trout
- Rockfish
- Roosterfish
- Sailfish
- Sauger
- Scallop
- Scamp Grouper
- Sculpin
- Scup
- Shad
- Sheepshead
- Shrimp
- Skate
- Skipjack Tuna
- Smallmouth Bass
- Smallmouth Buffalo
- Snook
- Snow Goose
- Snowy Grouper
- Sockeye Salmon
- Spadefish
- Spanish Mackerel
- Spearfish
- Specklebelly Goose
- Speckled Trout
- Spotted Bass
- Steelhead
- Stingray
- Strawberry Grouper
- Striped Bass
- Striped Marlin
- Sturgeon
- Sunfish
- Swordfish
- Tarpon
- Tautog
- Thresher Shark
- Tiger Shark
- Tigerfish
- Tilapia
- Tilefish
- Triggerfish
- Tripletail
- Vermillion Snapper
- Wahoo
- Walleye
- Warsaw Grouper
- Weakfish
- White Bass
- White Marlin
- White Seabass
- Whiting
- Wigeon
- Wood Duck
- Yellowfin Tuna
- Yellowtail Amberjack
- Yellowtail Snapper
Other Techniques to Try
- Artificial Lure Fishing
- Blind Hunting
- Bottom Fishing
- Bowfishing
- Calling
- Cut Bait Fishing
- Decoy Hunting
- Deep Dropping
- Drift Fishing
- Fly Fishing
- Gigging
- Heavy Tackle Fishing
- Hunting With Dogs
- Ice Fishing
- Jigging
- Kayak Fishing
- Kite Fishing
- Light Tackle Fishing
- Live Bait Fishing
- Management Hunting
- Rifle Hunting
- Scalloping
- Shotgun Hunting
- Sight Casting
- Spearfishing
- Surf Fishing
- Topwater Fishing
- Trolling
- Wading
Other Types of Fishing
States
Cities
- Atlantic Beach, North Carolina
- Big Pine Key, Florida
- Bourne, Massachusetts
- Canso, Canada
- Cape May, New Jersey
- Chatham, Massachusetts
- Dana Point, California
- Destin, Florida
- Galveston, Texas
- Hampton Bays, New York
- Hatteras, North Carolina
- Highlands, New Jersey
- Jaco, Costa Rica
- Long Beach, California
- Manteo, North Carolina
- Montauk, New York
- Mount Pleasant, South Carolina
- Neos Marmaras, Greece
- Newport Beach, California
- Orleans, Massachusetts
- Plymouth, Massachusetts
- San Diego, California
- Sandys, Bermuda
- Sealevel, North Carolina
- Tierra Verde, Florida
Countries
Other Featured Cities
- Aransas Pass, TX
- Austin, TX
- Biloxi, MS
- Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
- Cancun, MX
- Cape Coral, FL
- Charleston, SC
- Clearwater, FL
- Corpus Christi, TX
- Crystal River, FL
- Dauphin Island, AL
- Daytona Beach, FL
- Delray Beach, FL
- Destin, FL
- Fort Lauderdale, FL
- Fort Myers. FL
- Fort Walton Beach, FL
- Freeport, TX
- Galveston, TX
- Gulf Shores, AL
- Hilton Head Island, SC
- Islamorada, FL
- Jacksonville, FL
- Jupiter, FL
- Key Largo, FL
- Key West, FL
- Kona, HI
- Marathon, FL
- Marco Island, FL
- Miami, FL
- Naples, FL
- New Orleans, LA
- Orange Beach, AL
- Panama City Beach, FL
- Pensacola, FL
- Port Aransas, TX
- Port O'Connor, TX
- Rockport, TX
- San Diego, CA
- San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Sarasota, FL
- South Padre Island, TX
- St. Augustine, FL
- St. Petersburg, FL
- Tampa, FL
- Tarpon Springs, FL
- Tulum, Mexico
- Venice, LA
- Virginia Beach, VA
- Wilmington, NC