Tuna Gear .. A pictorial

[Pilar]

This topic has been permanently embedded, here,

Hi, it's me the tuna killer. I'd like to offer a helping hand to all of you who have the shiny brass ones and are in hot pursuit of Thunnus Alalunga .. AKA ... Albacore Tuna or Longfin. You may also see references to ...Bullets, torpedoes, rockets, etc. 'Hot Tuna' is my favorite.

So break out a cold one and enjoy the show.

Self explanatory


You will need a few things ... including a decent Mate. Sorry boys, mine is spoken for. Thanks Jen for the awesome camera work and the patience to deal with a Tuna crazed individual like myself.

This is a work in progress .. so keep checking in, it will take a while to build it at 56K.

Big Mono so you don't have to say you are sorry ......


Start out with a length of mono about 8 feet long. Cross the last 6" under the rest of the line as shown. BTW you can get the animated version of the knot explanation, just search 'Perfect Loop Knot'. It's on the board somewhere. This knot is ideal for large diameter mono lines.

Perfect loop, 1st step.


Then you keep going around forming a second loop.

Perfect loop, 2nd step


Go around one more time and fold the tag over between the two loops.

Perfect loop, 3rd step


Push the second loop through the first one.

Perfect loop, 4th step


And pull on it.

Perfect loop, 5th step


Tighten the knot by pulling first one end and then the formed loop against the tag. Pull hard to set the knot.

Perfect loop, last step


[ 12-07-2003, 04:38 PM: Message edited by: Jennie@ifish ]

[OceanBlue]

Tuna crazed? Are you? I hadn't noticed.... hmmm... what could that mean? Perhaps I'm equally afflicted?

[Pilar]

Continuing on with the other end of the jig and leader.....

Now thread the other end of the leader line into the head of the tuna feather jig as shown below.

Hook loop, 1st step


Form the first loop exactly as you did above for the first knot you tied. Place the hook through the loop from below.

Hook loop, 2nd step


Thread the line through the hook eye as you go around to form the second loop.

Hook loop, 3rd step


Go around one more time and place the tag end under the hook but between the loops.

Hook loop, 4th step.


Pull the hook through the first loop.

Hook loop, 5th step.


Tighten the knot as you did for the first knot. trim both ends, but leave 1/2" of tag, just in case you have to tighten it later. That first strike will tighten the knot for you.

Hook loop, last step.


Broomtail jig = dead fish


[ 07-17-2002, 04:16 PM: Message edited by: Pilar ]

[Smeltdipper]

Pilar... Do you use anything to attach the broomstick leader to your fishing line ? A spiral swivel like on the hand line ?

[Deepslayer]

Excellent illustration! What size are those treble hooks? :whazzup:
Thanks,
Ed

[Pilar]

Smeltdipper, no the terminal tackle on the po is different. I have tried several swivels from the big 250# barrels to various types of snap swivels. The best, so far is a coastlock swivel. This is a locking snap swivel with a barrel on the other end. Go for 200#. So far none have failed despite heavy action from 30# tuna against a 8mph boat.

Ed, thanks, my Mate fussed over the pictures until she was happy. I will continue this with handlines when the upload utility lets me send more photos. They are all lined up to go. Oh the hooks are 10/0 and 12/0 doubles. The best and of course unavailable hook are the mustad wire doubles. They are barbless and make short work of unjamming a tuna from your gear. Otherwise the barbed (as shown) hooks require pliers or vicegrips to get them out.

[ 07-17-2002, 06:57 PM: Message edited by: Pilar ]

[sturgn]

Hey ED! You all over this? Tuesdays coming fast... :shocked:

[Jsail]

Pilar,
Thanks for all the info! The bad news is that I got together as much gear as I could on short notice and except for the hooks none of it matches. Oh well....... Maybe the colors won't be that big of an issue. I threw together 2 handlines with rubber straps for snubbers; at least will make look up.
If you will; the dance sure couldn't hurt and if you would have your mate talk to the tuna, we'll surely have more fish than freezer space.
Thanks
John

[Deepslayer]

Hey sturgn I am paying real close attention! I may take a long lunch at work Saturday and go get some of the gear.
,Ed

[OceanBlue]

Jsail: You convince the ocean & Mr. W to lay down Saturday and I'll be talking to those fish, alright!

COASTAL WATERS FROM CAPE SHOALWATER WASHINGTON TO FLORENCE OREGON AND WESTWARD 60 NM PZZ200-181630- SYNOPSIS FOR SOUTHERN WASHINGTON AND NORTHERN OREGON COAST... A WEAK FRONT WILL BRUSH THE NORTHERN WATERS TODAY. HIGH PRES WILL BUILD OVER THE WATERS THROUGH THE WEEKEND AS A THERMAL TROUGH DEVELOPS OVER N CALIFORNIA.
COASTAL WATERS FROM CASCADE HEAD TO FLORENCE OREGON
AND WESTWARD 60 NM


NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PORTLAND OREGON

330 AM PDT THU JUL 18 2002




TODAY...VARIABLE WIND 10 KT...BECOMING W THIS AFTERNOON... WIND WAVES 1 FT. W SWELL 5 FT AT 9 SECONDS. AREAS OF MORNING DRIZZLE.
TONIGHT...NW WIND 10 KT... WIND WAVES 1 FT... W SWELL 4 FT AT 9 SECONDS.
FRI...NW WIND RISING TO 20 KT IN THE AFTERNOON... WIND WAVES BUILDING TO 4 FT. W SWELL 4 FT AT 9 SECONDS.
FRI NIGHT...N WIND 20 KT... WIND WAVES 4 FT... W SWELL 4 FT
SAT...N WIND 25 KT... WIND WAVES 5 FT... W SWELL 5 FT
SUN AND MON...N WIND 25 KT... WIND WAVES 5 FT... W SWELL 6 FT

[ 07-18-2002, 07:44 AM: Message edited by: Pilar's Mate ]

[craigc]

John and Jennifer, I think you both did a great job on your photos[ great job on the lighting] and instructions. You have my compliments...

Where are you getting your lures and hooks from ? Fisherman's in Oregon City is about the only place I know to buy this kind of gear in Portland. I think someone posted you can get better prices through some website out of Hawaii ? Any suggestions would be appreciated. thanks.

[Bait O' Eggs]

Very informative, but I think I should start with the boat before I worry about the gear I think I could actually assemble something that looked close enough to your gear to catch a tuna if I could just get there.

I saw the tuna cord available at Garibaldi Marina a couple weeks ago.

[OceanBlue]

Craigc: The lures and barbed hooks you see in the pics are from Fisherman's Marine in OC, but I know that barbless are preferred and John has trouble finding them. If you happen to find some locally, please post? Thanks!

[Hookset]

At this time of year, the best locations for tuna tackle is along the coast. Englund Marine in Astoria and Newport have tuna tackle. Mail order is always another option, there are several online Tackle stores.

http://www.jamestackle.com/

http://www.tackleman.com/cgi-bin/Sof...html?E+scstore

http://www.charkbait.com/indexT.htm

http://www.insidesportfishing.com/

These sites should get you going...

Gregg

[craigc]

Jennifer and Hookset, thank you for the information.. I'll check in later with my results. With Louie-Louie reporting 63F water off of Nehalem, I'd sure like to ride out west from Nehalem.

Is there anyone willing to go out for tuna next Friday/Saturday from Nehalem/Garibaldi ?

Safety is in numbers this far out...

[corrirod]

craig c,

Based on the wave height predictions at this link: http://152.80.49.210/PUBLIC/ it looks like the ocean will start to lay down again later in the week.

I may be up for the trip. Put up another post as we get a little closer and let's do it.

[Deepslayer]

Hey pilar, I was at Engleman's Marine in Newport today and they had Mustad #21 & 22 barbless double hooks. The hook size looks the same as the 10/0, but the angle between the hooks is smaller. I don't know if this is what you were looking for. I managed to get out of there for less than$250, ouch! :shocked:
,Ed

[Pilar]

Hey Ed, they got me for $50. I found some of the hooks you were talking about. Now I'll retie all my rigs barbless. Much less trouble when the fish hit every line on the boat at once.

I wish that store was closer to home.

[Deepslayer]

I am glad I don't live closer to that store too John. My credit cards would be maxed out in no time. They don't have the best prices around, but it sure seems like they everything you could want or desire.
I know you said your hand lines have lasted for five years, but how long do your leaders last. I would hate to lose any of that expensive tackle because I tried to get extra mileage out of it.
thanks, Ed

[Pilar]

On a day like 7/7, I would say they last one trip. We fished 6 jigs and lost none. I used purple/black, green broomtail, Chartruese and green Zuker feather, Red and white and a pink bromtail. All of the jigs caught fish all day.

I just retied all 6 leaders as they were heavily worn and chafed.

Like you said, hate to lose the $10 rig for $1 worth of used leader.

[Reelentless]

Check it out...

http://www.geocities.com/crchowto/tunahandline

[Jennie@ifish]

Here ya go! Grab a cold one and enjoy the show!

[Noah II]

JENNIE

THANK YOU!!!

VERY VERY MUCH

NOAHII

NORTHRIVERMAN

THANK YOU VERY MUCH ALSO

[ 12-07-2003, 05:39 PM: Message edited by: Noah II ]

[Noah II]

Anyway to get the pictures back up in this post for us newbies??

[id. painter]

Thanks , for the info,. Im still sucking it all in , so much to learn. id. painter