Yellowfin tuna Fishing ???

[Surfergirl]

I was reading an article in a popular fishing magazine. I read that the author has fished for yellowfin in the north atlantic way past the 100-fathom curve . I know that is not odd but what is odd to me is that he was fishing for tuna while following porpoises and fishing right on top of the school of porpoises... I have never heard of this before and it fasinates me for some reason .. I have always seen the porpoises more of a nuisance then help to catch fish.

Anyway I said that to ask this ....

How many of the fishermen here look for porpoises when fishing?

Do you use the porpoises to catch fish?

And... do they ever get caught up in your spread?

Just curious...

Surf

[Graceland]

Porpoises and whales, inshore and off. Never hung one trolling, did have one night chunking once, no fun!!!

[Capt-D]

The is very common in the mid Atlantic, find the Schools of porpoises and find the bait and thus the gamefish. Tuna and other gamefish will hold under the school and feed on the same bait. Often getting in front of the school can be beneficial. We have never had a dolphin/porpoise take a hook bait. Is it possible (these days i'm convinced anything is possible).

-D

[rockfisher1055]

It is always a sure bet that fish are in the area if the dolphin and whales hang in a particular area. The fascinating thing is the dolphin will swim right along side and under the bow of your boat. I have pet them off the front of a center console many times. Also many times if you stick around them long enough they will give you an acrobatic show that is simply amazing.

[Surfergirl]

Thanks guys.. I know those were stupid questions.. but I just had to find out.

[clt_capt]

There is a great show that Discovery Channel has called "Blue Planet" - Some really awesome shots of Dolphins working with YFT to ball bait ...

When We were in Hawaii over Christmas, we had a slow morning until we found the dolphins - then had 3 stripeys hammer every lure in the spread and finally hooked one...

If the depth is ok and the temp is ok, I won't pass them up too often..

[Surfergirl]

Thanks for the information Fred. I had the opportunity to fish for tuna not to long ago and came across some porpoises .. I got excited because they were all around the boat swimming I just knew were going to hook up a nice tuna, but we didn't .. So from now on I will be looking for them when I get to go tuna fishing.


Surf

[Capt_John]

I used the spinner dolphins in Hawaii for the huge yellowfins. I almost always got a bite while trolling with a school of them.