Cape Cod sportfishing’s most desired thrill is to battle with a giant tuna. For many, the drive to catch a huge tuna borders on obsession. The tuna’s beauty, the potential for big bucks, along with the fish’s sheer size have driven many fishermen to spend thousands of dollars, and invest many years of their lives to the hunt for world’s most respected fish.
Tuna in Massachusetts Bay can grow to an overall length of nearly ten feet, and weigh over 1,000 pounds. These enormous tunas are designed for reaching speeds of over 40 mph. The tuna's incredible power and unmatched level of endurance, make giant tuna the world’s toughest fish to tame-even aided by the heaviest of tackle.
For the weekend warrior Fishing Cape Cod, catching an enormous bluefin tuna may seem a lot more like a pipedream than reality. A small boat, restricted budget and limited length of time on the water do certainly affect one’s odds of bagging a giant. However with the correct gear and plan, catching an enormous tuna from a small boat is feasible.
Tuna in Massachusetts Bay can grow to an overall length of nearly ten feet, and weigh over 1,000 pounds. These enormous tunas are designed for reaching speeds of over 40 mph. The tuna's incredible power and unmatched level of endurance, make giant tuna the world’s toughest fish to tame-even aided by the heaviest of tackle.
For the weekend warrior Fishing Cape Cod, catching an enormous bluefin tuna may seem a lot more like a pipedream than reality. A small boat, restricted budget and limited length of time on the water do certainly affect one’s odds of bagging a giant. However with the correct gear and plan, catching an enormous tuna from a small boat is feasible.
The Gear
Targeting giant bluefin tuna from a small boat means it is time to show away the spinning rods and conventional stand-up gear. Implementing swivel rod holders together with 80 or 130 class conventional reels makes wrangling the big boys much easier.
Swivel rod holders, unlike typical rod holders found on smaller boats, allow a rod and reel setup to rotate 360 degrees. Therefore there is no need to ever remove the rod and reel setup from the swivel rod holder. The fisherman fights the giant by using the boat, instead of his or her body.
Preferably the swivel rod holder would be installed on the bow of the vessel. The fact is that installing the swivel rod holder on the bow is not realistic for many smaller boats. The second best position would be at the corner of the stern.
Great communication between the fisherman and the captain is essential when fighting a giant bluefin from a swivel rod holder. It is often necessary to steer the boat in accordance with the bluefin's death circles. A highly trained skipper should be able to predict boat maneuvers according to the angle of the rod and line.
Nonetheless having the angler and helmsman on the same page is absolutely essential to catching a giant tuna.
An 800 pound bluefin puts amazing strain on the swivel rod holder, especially when the bluefin is straight up and down beneath the boat. Having a brute of a giant beneath the vessel is the ultimate test for the rod holder. A poor job installing the swivel rod holder will result in heartbreaking equipment breakdown. Backing plates are essential and if you are unsure as to what you are doing, it is best to ask an experienced veteran before ever dropping a bait in the water.
We typically employ Penn International 80 or 130 setups when Fishing Cape Cod and targeting behemoth. Many anglers also opt for comparable rods and reels from companies such as Shimano or Okuma.
Bent butt rods are an absolute must have for fighting fish from a swivel rod holder. The bent butt positions the rod nicely at around a 45 degree angle from the swivel holder.
