Cape Cod Bay’s Giant Tuna Hotspots

The nearly 604 square miles that constitute Cape Cod Bay can make it difficult for the average angler to locate an area holding giant tuna. The tuna are out there, however without the aid of a spotter pilot it can be difficult to locate a spot that will produce some action. The Bay is encompassed by outer Cape Cod to the east, and the Mass South Shore to the west. Seriously big tuna can be found throughout the Bay during the fall, summer and spring months. On some years giants are even seen in the Bay in early winter. Big bluefins have free reign over Cape Cod Bay. Yet there are a few well known areas that seem to produce more giant tuna hookups and sightings than other spots inside Cape Cod Bay.

The Fishing Ledge, which sits almost smack dab in the middle of Cape Cod Bay, is a good area to check out for giant tuna, especially while one is in transit to more reputable locations such as Peaked Hill Bar or Stellwagen Bank. The Fishing Ledge is located just about smack dab in the middle of the Bay. We can safely access the Ledge in our 21 foot Hydra Sport in wind conditions of 10 mph or less as long as the wind is blowing offshore. A northerly wind direction will make it more difficult for small boats to fish Cape Cod Bay. If the Bay is as calm as a pane of glass, be sure to keep your eyes peeled for giant tuna cruising just below the surface of the water.

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. This class of fish would be much better suited for spin fishermen, compared to the giant tuna specimens often caught by the stickboats and anglers utilizing heavy conventional 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. Giant tuna likely venture into the area because of the large schools of striped bass and bluefish that feed along the productive shoals of Billingsgate. A smart tactic would 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.

Quite a few of these Billingsgate bluefish are on the enormous side of the spectrum. They may seem too big to use as giant tuna 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.

Fishing with Kites and Balloons

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 giant 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 speeds. Attach the weight a distance up from the live bait on the main line by way of an elastic band. Pay out the amount of line that corresponds to the depth you would like to fish the bait. If you mark tuna at 50 feet, then pay out 50 feet of main line. If you mark tuna t 120 feet, then pay out 120 feet of line. 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. Set the balloon of the stern, sit back and relax. You will know when you have a take from a giant tuna!

Captain Ryan Collins fishes for striped bass and Bluefin tuna off Cape Cod, MA. Visit his blog, myfishingcapecod.com for insider tips about how to troll for striped bass and giant bluefin tuna.

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