The run of tuna local to Melbourne has continued and is gaining more and more momentum each day. With huge schools of fish to 40kg just offshore from the
bays and along the coast many are taking advantage and getting amongst them when conditions allow. The schools have been isolated and as widespread
as Cape Woolamai across to Portland and further west, with good numbers of fish hanging about between Cape Schank and Torquay. Vic EJ Todds Representative
Mitch has been landed some sizable fish out from Barwon on stickbaits and poppers. While many anglers have been trolling lures, with increased boat
traffic and pressure the fish are liable to spook - and this is where cast lures can have their advantages. Don't forget to pack popppers, stickbaits
and various soft plastics!
Customer Josh came into the store after an outfit to tackle the tuna with and let us set something up for him. After gearing up Josh and some mates headed
out and gave the fish a crack. The boys found the tuna just outside of the heads in quite shallow water heading towards Barwon bluff and landed a few
on different hardbodies and also small skirts. Needless to say Josh is hooked will probably be doing more of it asap.
There have been plenty of anglers scoring catches of nice bluefin. The Melbourne Tuna Crumbs have been amongst the fish over the past weeks, with to just
shy of 40kg coming aboard. Some of the original crumbs Michael and Pino have had fun on the fish from just outside the heads across to Angelsea. Various
tactics have been working with deep running hardbodies and bibless minnows in short doing a good job at bringing the fish in. When the fish have been
shy small skirts as minute as 3'' have been getting the bites, especially when fished a long way back.
The boys from Bucci Cabinets have been serving up fresh tuna with good numbers of fish in the 15 - 20kg size range being caught. The fish have again been
caught along the surf coast, with the Barwon - Torquay area holding good schools. Working the 20 - 35m depth areas have been where most of the boys
have been finding the numbers. Skirted lures have been the favoured method, with 5'' being about the most productive size. Some skirts as large as
10'' have been catching fish - and a good option to put in the spread as a teaser to entice the school to come up. Even if you have any huge marlin
sized skirts, running them or a large popper or daisy chain of large soft plastics as an attractor has been well worth the effort.