Tuna Techniques You need to employ stand off tactics when working tuna as they will sound as soon as a boat gets too close. Casting accuracy needs to be very good as does general casting ability. The skill needed to get those extra metres in the right direction cannot be over emphasised. The best casts are those which go right across the school and land in the water away from the feeding zone. The lure is then whisked back through the school of feeding fish as fast as the reel and angler can wind.
Strikes are often visible as competing fish crash the lure as it is across the surface.
The splashing strike and power of a tuna hook-up can be quite stunning to those new to the game. However despite all the hype, the fish are easily captured if you stay cool and display a little patience. Fighting tuna on light gear takes time, but it does improve angling skills and take shorter periods of time with a bit of experience. The best way to catch big northern blue fin and mack tuna in many situations is to use live bait. Live baiting is also a very simple way of adding additional fish to the catch whilst waiting for other species to come along.