Tuna Fishing in New England

If you are in New England and you make the decision to tackle the tuna, you will probably be going out for Bluefin. Bluefin tuna are huge, fast and beautiful. They can grow up to 10 feet long, and weigh more than 1,000 pounds. In fact, the largest ever caught weighed 1,496 pounds and was landed off Nova Scotia in 1979. Why tackle the tuna around our neck of the woods? New England is actually one of the best areas for finding Bluefin.

This species has a seasonal feeding migration that takes it to the Gulf of Maine. Massachusetts has been the top Bluefin tuna state since the 1940s. If you can believe it there is so much money spent in Massachusetts on tuna fishing tackle that it is tracked as an economic force.

But as much the Bluefin is a big part of tuna fishing in New England, tackling this monster fish is still a challenge. They are real fighters. Rod and reel catches requires the largest high quality reels fitted with 200 pounds test line. But never fear! Trolling with rigged natural baits or artificial squids on spreader bars and bait fishing on anchor with live baits or chunks of local prey are also effective methods of landing this magnificent fish.

As for how to go about tuna fishing in New England, we recommend you charter a boat as the Bluefin tuna can travel scores of miles from shore. Finding schools of Bluefin in the open ocean is a skill that takes decades to learn. Sure, you could rent a boat and go hunting on your own, but having a guide who knows the ins and outs of tuna fishing can make your excursion a bountiful one.