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Cape Cod Bay Tuna Hotspots
Cape Cod Bay is a 604 square mile expanse of saltwater due south of Boston, MA. The Bay is encompassed by outer Cape Cod to the east, and the Massachusetts’ South Shore to the west. Large bluefin tuna swim around Cape Cod Bay throughout the course of the entire fishing season. Surprisingly, giants have even been spotted well after most anglers have given up fishing for the season. Stories of tuna sightings through December are not far fetched. Big bluefins have free reign over the entire Bay. Yet there are a few well known areas that seem to produce more tuna than other spots inside Cape Cod Bay.
Most of the tuna will be spotted a considerable distance from shore. The Fishing Ledge, which sits about 10 miles outside the east end of the Cape Cod Canal, is one such location. Relatively speaking, 10 miles is not a far run in the tuna fishing world, and on a calm day the spot is easily accessible by smaller boats. The Ledge is situated virtually smack dab in the middle of the Bay. If the seas are glass calm, keep your eyes peeled for giants cruising just underneath the surface.
Giant tuna will often create a large V-wake as they cruise just inches below the water’s surface. Giants are spotted each year doing just this in the area of the Fishing Ledge, and in other areas around the Bay. If you plan on targeting smaller tuna on spinning gear, it may be smart to gauge the size of the tuna before casting. The problem is that this is very difficult to do, especially when you have been searching all day for fish. Add in the pumping adrenaline and it is hard to resist casting to tuna that will undoubtedly destroy your gear.
During the summer of 2010, tuna in the 150 pound range could be found a few miles north of the Fingers outside Barnstable Harbor. Bluefins in the 150 pound range are much better suited for spin fishermen-compared to the 500 plus pound giants. Nevertheless larger specimens will sometimes be found mixed amongst the smaller guys. Best of luck if you hook into a true giant on spinning tackle.
The Square is another area worth checking out. The spot is located in the deeper waters to the west of the famed Billingsgate Shoal. Tuna likely venture into the area because of the large schools of striped bass and blues that swarm along the productive shoals of Billingsgate. A smart tactic could be to spend the early hours of the morning catching bluefish over the shoal, and then drifting the blues in the deeper water west of Billingsgate in the afternoon. However catching bluefish always seems more difficult when you need them for tuna bait. Acquiring bait beforehand is always a smart decision.
Quite a few of these Billingsgate bluefish are on the enormous side of the spectrum. They may seem too big to use as bait. However a 1,000 pound bluefin certainly has no problem sucking down a 35 inch or longer bluefish. These larger specimens of the bluefish population make prime bait for giant bluefins.
Techniques to Try
Using a kite is one of the most effective and exciting ways to catch a giant bluefin tuna. The kite keeps even large baits at the water’s surface. This creates the scenario of a confused baitfish, swimming wildly on the ocean’s surface. It’s essentially the same thing as top-water bass fishing, except the fish is about 200 times larger.
Details matter when kite fishing. Using braided line on Penn 80 or 130 conventional reels can really help a kite to fly high and strong even in a light breeze. Dropper lines set at intervals from the line running off the kite rod will help to decrease the severity of the angle of the main line running from the reel to the bait. Using an elastic to bridle baits instead of hooking them in the traditional way can help to increase the longevity of your live bait supply. Often times acquiring good live bait is more difficult than finding tuna. Bridling baits will help to keep your bait supply alive and frisky.
Balloon fishing allows a fisherman to strategically place live baits at specific depths. Choose a weight that is heavy enough based on wind and current conditions. Attach the weight a distance up from the live bait on the main line by way of an elastic band. If the depth you desire to place your bait at is 80 feet, then 80 feet of main line is paid out. Attach the balloon by tying it onto a loop of main line. Tying the balloon onto the loop will allow the balloon to break free when a fish hits the bait. Float the balloon away from the boat and start the drift.
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