Fishing for Yellowfin

[mako2000]

As a fairly newish member here I read a lot of posts asking for tips and locations for catching Yellowfin Tuna. Although I no longer fish for Gamefish and are content to catch a feed in the rivers here are some tips from 25+ years of Gamefishing and catching plenty of Tuna, Marlin and Sharks off the NSW coast but mainly from Port Hacking.

1.Position.. Why does everyone have to head to Browns Mountain, Heatons Hill, 12 mile etc....find your own water....There may be fish on Browns, but with 25-100 other boats fishing there as well theres only so many fish to go around, head out to 80 fathoms and start trolling between 80 and 400, watch water colour, temp and for bait on the surface and sounder. If the water quality doesnt improve head south or north until you find better water. ( As a side thing we never used to bother trolling when looking for good Tuna or Shark water, weather permitting we would run around for anything upto 4 hours to find the best water at full speed). Its amazing how sometimes with a southbound current you will still find better water the further you head south. If you still have to fish Browns Mountain for some reason, dont stop on top of it...head down current 4-5 miles where all those burley trails from those who are fishing on top of the mountain are heading. Water quality is number one in my opinion when it comes to finding yellowfin off Sydney.

2. Burley...a couple of blocks of pillies aint gonna do it, you may get lucky but a steady trail for 5 or 6 hours is going to take a lot of work and a lot of pillies...bank on a minimum of 60kg to be succesful regularly, more if the current is pushing hard. Depending on the size of the pillies cut them into 1/4 or 3rds..about an inch long is perfect in my opinion and keep them going, as soon as one is out of sight time for the next one. A slow trickle of mush from the pot is in my opinion also esential, not just to fill in the gaps when the cube man gets lazy for a few seconds but it also adds another layer to your burley trail.

3. Baits...Its always nice to have a couple of livies swimming around in the trail, but the biggest yellowfin are more often than not caught by the bloke...(sorry fisherperson) who is working that fresh pillie down the trail non stop. If your Burley pilchards are cheap soft mushy ones at least make sure you have a block or two of quality ones for baits. Tuck that rod under your arm and drift the pilchard down the trail keeping slack in the line at all times with just enough drag on the spool to prevent an overrun when you get a hit. If that bait starts looking a bit sad, guts are torn etc...change it for a fresh one, its amazing how often as soon as you put a fresh bait on it gets hit.

4. Gear...If your content with catching schoolies and trying to get lucky with with the occasional quality fish TLD's, spinning gear etc will do the job most of the time, If you really want to put that 60kg+ fish on the deck regularly..50 Tiagras, Internationals etc on quality rods with quality fresh line is what is needed in my opinion. Nothing like a big Tuna will sort your gear out and show any inadequacies in it. Quality Rod buckets and harnesses are also a must especially when you are hooked up to your 1st monster yellowfin and its been circling beneath the boat for the last hour and a half.

Thats enough for tonight and I will try and add some more Tommorow, please dont take this as a definitive, must do way to fish for Tuna, its just whats worked for me over the years. Feel free to ask any questions and I will try and answer them when possible.

Edited May 24, 2012 by mako2000

[Plumb]

Cheers heaps of info there. I'm hoping to venture out on a few trips this year and land my 1st YFT.

I've recently got a tld 50 spooled with 80lb mono, specifically for this. I recon that should do the trick? But I bet one of the little 25s goes off.....

Cheers Luke

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[mako2000]

No Probs Luke...good luck, feel free to ask anything you want to know, just trying to give something back to all the Fishraiders that I have learnt so much from.

[mako2000]

Well done mate on putting a lot of effort in and now your topic is pinned for all to see

Thanks heaps,

Admin

Cheers Boss.,

as I said Ive learnt so much here on my new endevour of getting back to basics in the rivers I thought it time to spread some of my old game fishing knowledge.

Edited May 24, 2012 by mako2000

[mako2000]

That is great advice and until u catch a 50 kg plus yellowfin , you will really have missed out....the best point made is to try new spots I have been lucky to fish with some great captains and have spent many hours looking for good new water..... I have witness on 2 or 3 occasions a huge school of yellowfin punching the bait in the middle of nowhere....

What got me started is everyone saying they are heading to browns for the day to try and catch a Fin, I could count on 3 fingers the times ive actually fished it, and all were midweek when there were 1 or 2 other boats there, other than that in MY OPINION its a waste of time.

[Nick1987k]

Can u fish with braid for the fin with a Stella 20000 ! 50lb braid

Nick

Barcrusher 610î‡

[mako2000]

Can u fish with braid for the fin with a Stella 20000 ! 50lb braid

Nick

Barcrusher 610î‡

Nick, im sure you can, but to be successful regularly on BIG tuna, (say it again...IN MY OPINION) standard game tiagras, internationals etc will catch you more, hurt you less and let you down less often.

[Nick1987k]

Good point ! I'm only jus starting out in offshore fishing as the new boat allows tp venture out ! Appreciate all ur information . When u say look for better water Is that jus like a colour change or temp break !!

Nick

Barcrusher 610î‡

[mako2000]

Good point ! I'm only jus starting out in offshore fishing as the new boat allows tp venture out ! Appreciate all ur information . When u say look for better water Is that jus like a colour change or temp break !!

Nick

Barcrusher 610î‡

Normally i go off colour and clarity, nice clean ...good looking water...if that cant be found a temp break or a thermocline on the sounder...but clean good looking water will beat a temp change any day of the week

[Slink]

Thanks for all this info guys !!! I will be watching this thread like a hawk. I am still yet to get a decent YFT , only caught 2 at 20 kg each and that was not here . When I go out to around 80 fathoms and the water is that nice bright deep blue colour I normally put out 3 lures , a mixture of skirts and hard bodies. That is pretty much all I do , then troll around looking for birds , current lines ect. Sometimes I will run all hardbodies or all skirts and a feather style on the shotgun .

What else should I be trying ? I am in a 17 foot boat with no outriggers atm , but I am really trying to get that magic day when we have them at the boat. Went to browns twice last year and cubed for hours for zeros. Normally launch at bayview so am thinking of heading east from there and going blind in search of fish , its hard work so any help would bring on confidence.

Thanks fellas.

Brad.

[fish2relax]

Great write up Mako and thanks for the tips so far.

A couple of more questions,what hook and leader size do you prefer when cubing and what type of connection to mainline and hook would you recommend?

With thanks,

Ben

[mako2000]

It's is funny though my PB yellow fin is 80 kg caught in the early 90's fishing the Port hacking comp... The weather way crap and the water terrible but we put the lures in in about 65 fathoms and planned to zip zag the shelf.. I was putting the 15kg shot gun in the clip with an elastic band when it snapped right out of my hand.... Fight on!!! Only problem this yellowfin had been dining out on green toads and was basically stoned ... It fought but nothing like it should!!!!! It did eat very well... But with gamefishing I think sometimes there is no rules.... Just a determination to spend to time on the water!!!

Rough weather and Big Yellowfin in close seem to come together, got a 70kg model on 15 in atrocious conditions in the PH100 myself about 1982 (rough guess on the year) trolling over the Marley wreck. Same fight about 15 minutes. Time on the water always improves your odds.

[mako2000]

Thanks for all this info guys !!! I will be watching this thread like a hawk. I am still yet to get a decent YFT , only caught 2 at 20 kg each and that was not here . When I go out to around 80 fathoms and the water is that nice bright deep blue colour I normally put out 3 lures , a mixture of skirts and hard bodies. That is pretty much all I do , then troll around looking for birds , current lines ect. Sometimes I will run all hardbodies or all skirts and a feather style on the shotgun .

What else should I be trying ? I am in a 17 foot boat with no outriggers atm , but I am really trying to get that magic day when we have them at the boat. Went to browns twice last year and cubed for hours for zeros. Normally launch at bayview so am thinking of heading east from there and going blind in search of fish , its hard work so any help would bring on confidence.

Thanks fellas.

Brad.

Slink...bayview is a long run to the shelf for you guys at a start....from Broken Bay, in good conditions and fuel and all $$ consideratiins taken into account, you guys have some of the best bait holding canyons north of you.....but its a long run ....otherwise take the shortest run to the shelf (120degrees from memory?) and start heading north, doing the 80-400fathom zig zag to find good water. Weather forecast is always to be taken as a factor as well...if its going to blow a 15knt southerly after lunch..you may want to head south. We all have days with Zeros...but spending the time and finding you own water will pay dividends.

[mako2000]

Great write up Mako and thanks for the tips so far.

A couple of more questions,what hook and leader size do you prefer when cubing and what type of connection to mainline and hook would you recommend?

With thanks,

Ben

l

Ben, what I have found with Fin is keep it simple, For big fin, ive always used a full length double (fishing either 15 or 24kg) to a snap swivel as normal. Ive never had a problem with a 200lb jinkai trace crimped to a sea demon (will have to check size). Trace about 8ft in length so the fish can be gaffed with a fixed head off the rod tip.

[Slink]

Thanks Mako ,

When I do go to Browns I launch from little manly or roseville but I do want to try the waters east of palmy , I am in the process of getting a spread of lues targeted at yft so I can get out and troll around looking for signs of feeding fish. Its so hard starting out , giving it a go and hoping that you will come across fish. Where are the bait holding canyons north of palmy ?

Thanks again for the feedback mate.

Brad

[Plumb]

Hay mako. I'm assuming for cubing 60 kg your talking about trap bait pillies? Where would you get those at a decent price?

Cheers Luke

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[mako2000]

Thanks Mako ,

When I do go to Browns I launch from little manly or roseville but I do want to try the waters east of palmy , I am in the process of getting a spread of lues targeted at yft so I can get out and troll around looking for signs of feeding fish. Its so hard starting out , giving it a go and hoping that you will come across fish. Where are the bait holding canyons north of palmy ?

Thanks again for the feedback mate.

Brad

The Norah Head canyons...but they are from mamory a 40nm run from Broken Bay.

[mako2000]

Hay mako. I'm assuming for cubing 60 kg your talking about trap bait pillies? Where would you get those at a decent price?

Cheers Luke

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Sorry mate...cant help you there, as I said Ive been out of it for a few years.

[Ian J]

So with the water now getting colder at what point is it to cold to fish for Y/fin ? Is 18-20 deg starting to get to cold for the last run.

Cheers

Ian

[carpet]

Your right about browns iwas out there yesterday and no one hooked up there all fish hooked was out wider or south or north .Cant help 20 boat all in one spot some bottom bashing other trolling and the rest going 10000 knots getting some where . thanks

[Seazar]

With these bluefin of up to 100+, what kind of line capacity would you need? Biggest fin I've caught is 50kgs with about 400meters of line. I am a braid user & am using 90 pound with Stellas & Daiwas...out of choice. I do have a Tiagra but prefer the lighter gear.

What kind of initial runs are we talking here with these big monsters?

Which pulls harder Yellow or Bluefin??

[vincent28a]

Thanks for sharing

[Stephen Darcy]

Hay mako. I'm assuming for cubing 60 kg your talking about trap bait pillies? Where would you get those at a decent price?

Cheers Luke

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[Fish-On]

Awesome post buddy, can't wait for the 2nd chapter!!!

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[Waza]

They were great days $60 for a box of frozen WA pillies and out to the peak midweek for a cubing session for fin , we were lucky a mate was a deckee for occy and we get the tip and head out weather permitting for a trailer boat.