I observed many local tuna fishermen in Cape Cod use light line (50 lbs) and light drag (14-15 lbs) for them though majority of bft this year is around 100 lbs or bigger. I suggested on the other site that heavier lines and more drag are desirable to catch a tuna over 100 lbs. They think it is norm to catch a 100 lbs tuna taking over 40 - 60 minutes. I like to use light stuffs for tuna jigging. I was criticized to use 3/0 size reel with long rod for big tuna jigging in the past, but I always used 80 lbs with 22- 25 lbs drag for them.
When school blufin showed up in Cape Cod a few years ago, charter boats enjoyed to catch them with light spinning tackles or fly rods as they are about in 30 - 50 lbs range, which influenced many fishermen who started to catch school bluefin there. However they got bigger each year and we saw 100 plus lbs bft this year, but many guys don't change their gears for them.
When popping, they tend to use light line to increase casting distance. You lose a little casting distance with 80 lbs braided line instead of 50 - 65 lbs braided line, but you still can cast 60 - 80 yards with 80 lbs which is good enough mostly.
I can land a 100 lbs bft with 80 lbs braided line and 25 drag in 15 minutes. 15-20 minutes is enough time you enjoy fighting. Besides, tuna quality decreases if you fight 40 - 60 minutes for 100 lbs tuna. When you cut tuna, you'll notice meat get mushy when you fight long.
As the regulation of bft is only one between 47 inch and 73 inch, you have to release all bft once you landed one. There is no reason to fight long with light drag which could kill tuna even though you release them.
They are talking about no damage of gear or knot they use even fighing a 100 lbs tuna. With 14 - 15 lbs drag, you don't see much problem no matter what gears you use or what knots you use.
This post is not intended to offend anyone who enjoys light tackles, but I just want to express my personal opinion as I believe right tackles are needed to land a 100 plus tuna within reasonable time.
I'll be a speaker of jigging sessions at Canyon Runner's fishing seminar at three different locations on the East Coast next winter and I plan to talk about this issue at the seminars.
When school blufin showed up in Cape Cod a few years ago, charter boats enjoyed to catch them with light spinning tackles or fly rods as they are about in 30 - 50 lbs range, which influenced many fishermen who started to catch school bluefin there. However they got bigger each year and we saw 100 plus lbs bft this year, but many guys don't change their gears for them.
When popping, they tend to use light line to increase casting distance. You lose a little casting distance with 80 lbs braided line instead of 50 - 65 lbs braided line, but you still can cast 60 - 80 yards with 80 lbs which is good enough mostly.
I can land a 100 lbs bft with 80 lbs braided line and 25 drag in 15 minutes. 15-20 minutes is enough time you enjoy fighting. Besides, tuna quality decreases if you fight 40 - 60 minutes for 100 lbs tuna. When you cut tuna, you'll notice meat get mushy when you fight long.
As the regulation of bft is only one between 47 inch and 73 inch, you have to release all bft once you landed one. There is no reason to fight long with light drag which could kill tuna even though you release them.
They are talking about no damage of gear or knot they use even fighing a 100 lbs tuna. With 14 - 15 lbs drag, you don't see much problem no matter what gears you use or what knots you use.
This post is not intended to offend anyone who enjoys light tackles, but I just want to express my personal opinion as I believe right tackles are needed to land a 100 plus tuna within reasonable time.
I'll be a speaker of jigging sessions at Canyon Runner's fishing seminar at three different locations on the East Coast next winter and I plan to talk about this issue at the seminars.
