How Line shy are Bluefin?

[colad]

Has anyone ever caught a bluefin while Sharking? I ask because the concept of chumming, drifting and baits on a baloon like pogies, bluefish or scup seems like someone should have before but everyone I have met in person at the dock etc says it has never happened to them? Is it the Cable/wire leader? just curious ....thanks!

[SteveH2112]

They can be quite line shy or not at all depending on conditions. It is rare to get a bite on cable though.

[Charlie Wade]

Has anyone ever caught a bluefin while Sharking?

Yup.

Although the opposite is more common (shark while tuna fishing).

My bft while sharking didn't hit the livey, it smashed a jig that was dropped when they showed up unexpectedly...

[seaworm1]

definitely do-able off a kite.....

[canyongear]

We sell alot of 180-220# Jinkai fluorocarbon before the season, WHICH IS COMING UP BY THE WAY.

[Deep C]

Before FC came along we used to start the season with say 300 or 400 mono... We'd work down all the way to say 80 mono... A lot of days they were still touchy we'd kick back to wire...

We often fished baits off baloons... 60-90-120' but instead of drift we stayed on the hook...

[Captain Greg Sears]

I fished with a couple of hand liners in the late 70's all they used was herring and whiting chunks. 12 foot 400 pound mono leader. A big orange plastic float with a long line clip. 100 feet of heavy Dacron attached to 3/8 rope or pot shot.

A method of using wire is to use a mouse trap. Coil a 12 foot wire leader (Stranded) wrap a rubber band around it with the hook. Rig a dead bait through the cut off tail section with a rigging needle into the body. Then crimp your mouse trap to the mono. Place the coiled wire with rubber band into the stomach area of the bait sew the head end of the bait. Sometimes you need to place a piece of foam in the bait to get it to the same bouncy as the rest of your chum. Your rigged bait should have the hook protruding out the stomach toward the tail and just mono coming out of the tip of the cut off tail. The entire coiled wire leader (Mouse Trap) should be hidden in the stomach of the bait. when the fish eats the bait the wire leader un coils. But be aware you will most likely gut hook any fish using this method.

Leader shy? We catch them on squid bars with funky colors and a big bar in front of it. When they eat or get pissed off they bite.

[tomytuna]

my 1st fish on malin wire #18 nwc with 1/2 handline. 800 lb. have scar on hand to prove it (lol) boy am I getten old...

[mainecoast]

I bled a fish on the water a couple of years ago for a guy who landed his first bluefin while shark fishing. He had a 12' wire leader baited with a nasty mackerel from a flat. The fish was 73" and he brought it in on a 50. Most days they are sharp but once in a while they are reckless on the feed.

[SteveH2112]

Here's my feelings on leader for real Giants

300 LB = High confidence
250 LB = Fairly High confidence
200 LB = Fair confidence on a short fight
180 LB = Would rather have hooked it on 200 LB
150 LB = Hope it's a small fish but happy to get the bite
130 LB = Wish I went to church more
Anything lighter = Miracle to get the fish

* This chart for true Giants, for market fish under 80" use feelings from 2 line sizes up from actual leader.