TUNA TUBES

[TROP]

Will tuna tubes keep bluefish alive.
If so does anyone out there have any plans on building tuna tubes. Any help would be great!
Thanks!
TROP
jstropea@yahoo.com

[DEEP DEFIANCE]

Will tuna tubes keep bluefish alive.
If so does anyone out there have any plans on building tuna tubes. Any help would be great!
Thanks!
TROP
jstropea@yahoo.com

But I have A brand new set of upright striper tubes new in box that I was going to use in the fortesque tourney that never happend last year that I am willing to part with also A keepalive box that is used but in decent shape. let me know!

[ElMar2530]

I like these posted in the NE forum a few weeks back.

Genius!!!!

Tuna Tubes?

[Split Bill]

We have kept medium sized blues alive in a live-well...I imagine, larger ones would be ok too if you have a nice-sized well.
Good luck.
Ed

[Trident]

That tube system looks pretty cool. Last year I put together a system made up like this.

I have a 40 gal. live well built into my boat. But like you wanted to try bigger baits but was concerned about to little water flow. So, I took 4 two liter bottles and cut the bases off, placed them in a 5 gal bucket upside down. Placing the 5 gal. bucket in the livewell i then ran a hose from the inlet into the bottm of the bucket. Using 3 "tees" (T)s i divided the incoming flow into each of the 2 liter caps.

The flow filled the bottles at a pretty even rate. Then the water spilled over and into the 5 gal. bucket. When that overflowed the livewell was filled.

Im sorry I don't have pics. I will take them and post if anyone has real interest.

1 good throw of a large cast net brought in about 50-60 large bunker. i placed 1 in each (2-liter) bottle and put the rest in the livewell. The thought here was. If they isn't enough oxygen in the water at least 4 will be good and strong. howevr this was experiment time and I wasn't running far, just up and down the beach a little. I checked them often and was surprised to find them all in good shape and I could easily fit 2 in each bottle. So thats 8 kept good and green. To my real surprise the rest of them were fine in that spill over water on just a stock pump

This whole thing cost maybe $10. and took very little to put together. I feel each tube could support a smaller 12-18" blue fish but have yet to try them. They're are pretty easy to pick up at my Inlet. This year I'll try bringing 4 or more out for a little live lining, bridled through the eyes.

I wonder what might like them It will be fun finding out

[TROP]

Trident,
If you get a chance take some pictures. I would like to see them.
Thanks!
jstropea@yahoo.com
tropeajs@apci.com

[gradyfish265]

If the bluefish is handled right and put into the right sized tube, it should live without a problem. You can find tuna tubes prebuilt. http://www.nautical-outfitters.com/tunatubes.html

That is one brand, I am sure there are others as well. These are the easiest to add onto a boat, add onto the transom or wherever you have the space in the cockpit and can quickly toss them out.

Not a bad idea if you plan to use them often as bait. I typically keep a few in my livewell, they stay for a few hours without issues if handled right. If I am sharking, there is often enough live bait around to catch it and use it fresh and alive...just my 2 cents. And when the bait leaves...that is a good sign

[captjohn22]

I made a set years ago out of 6" pvc pipe for the tube, 1/2" and 3/4" pvc pipe for the water supply and a funnel that just fit inside the 6" pipe to direct the water to the baits mouth. Blolted it on the outside of my transom. I had two tubes so it was heavy when filled but it would keep 10# bluefish or skippies alive all day.

[TROP]

Thanks for all the help!

[Captain Fred Archer]

Tuna tubes are a big deal on the West Coast, specifically in Cabo and Puerto Vallarta, where they do a great job of keeping skipjack and yellowfin alive for blue and black trolling. Some Hawaii guys use them too. (Many credit Black Bart Miller for inventing them long ago.)

There are a lot of manufacturers, or at least there used to be, mostly on the West Coast. I imagine that if you Google them up, you'll find at least several experienced sources. And of course, those of you who like to "roll your own" can make some. Most hang 'em off the transom on brackets so that they can be removed when not fishing the big live baits.

There would be no problem keeping blues alive for a long time in the tubes.

Website www.FredArchersWorldofFishing.com