Tuna Hunters!!!!
On the last outing 123 YFT were caught. 95% were caught on poppers cause very few were chunking. Many more would have been caught Chunking if more would have tried. Probably larger YFT to boot.

Of the YFT caught on Poppers probably 85% were caught on Tuna hunters. If you need them and can't get them locallly you can order some from Chris at Islander Custom Tackle in Galveston.They come in Large and JR. Order some of both.You still have time. FYI DrShark

Order hell.. we are going to the store...lol.

Hey Sharky Warky- are you running a shock leader on yours, or straight spectra to flouro leader?

Bimini to a Offshore Loop and swivel. 18 to 24 inches of Fluorocarbon tied to the Hunter.

What day and time are yall planning on visiting Chris??

FWM0103
Thursday afternoon as soon as we get our Hotel rooms... as far as I know.

Bazz

Dr Shark

For me...Hands down the Frenzy Ballistic Flyer is King of the Tuna Topwaters..if you know how to fish them. Demonstrations will be available during the TFF Cinco Tuna Trip.

Ask anyone on the Quatro Trip what they thought when they saw a 150#+ YFT Bust one as it hit the water. That was on my 5th hook up with it. I lost that fish but I'll never forget that Monster Blow Up!

I'm not knocking the Tuna Hunters as a very productive Tuna Killer... I have 5 to try this trip. Until something proves to be better for Big Fish my Money Bait is the Frenzy Flyer.

Bazz

Bazztex, I bet $100 on the Tuna Hunter I'll throw vs. You with yours. Biggest Fish or Most Fish. You call it. Want to take the bet? Drshark

Back to Business. There is no reason to use Florocorbon leaders for fishing poppers aggressively. If you are say using 80# Spectra, then tie a Bimini and go to barrel swivel using offshore w/ 12-18" 60# plain mono leader. Leader is weakest link so you don't loose all your spectra if a BIGUN eats your toy and tries to take you to hell. Really its not wise to use more than about 12" leader and then not have more than about 15" dangling to help load the rod for casting. Its going to be dangerous with everyone who is going to want to throw toppwaters. The last trip out was like a firefight in Vietnam. The projectiles were flying everywhere. That is what I plan, so I can take Bazztex's $100. Drshark

Dr. Shark is right about working the poppers aggressively. Some people on the TBB mentioned that the YFT would come up to the poppers, look at them, and then swim away. If that is the case, you should be popping the hell out of them. Whether it's tuna, kingfish, or wahoo on topwater, the more aggressively you work it, the better chance of getting that reaction strike.

Here is some video we took of catching kingfish on the Tuna Hunter Jr. earlier this year. Caught over 30 kingfish on one TH Jr and the only way to get them to bite was to work the popper very aggressively.
http://s58.photobucket.com/albums/g273/stevebullard/?action=view&current=TopWaterKingfish.flv

Dr Shark

If the tuna are rejecting your bait it's either to close to the lights or they really wanted a Ballistic Flyer. The farther out you get the bait the longer it's in the strike zone and the YFT are'nt as timid in the dark away from the lights. JMHO

We've seen YFT want the bait sitting still after a few violent pops more often than moving it fast. Each trip is different but working the Flyer is sort of like Finesse Tuna fishing and it fools some mighty Big Fish.

I actually hope it's a draw between Us and everyone gets a good limit of YFT. I will be throwing some Tuna Hunters and Frenzy Flyers.. Both are Very Fine baits.

Here's two from Quatro over 100# caught on Frenzy Flyers and the 3rd was over 90#.



See Yall In Freeport Soon!

Dr Mojo Tuna Rizen. :p

OK Bazz, Now this is fishing. Sheer BS vs Sheer BS. Bazz, we'll give em a show. I'll have to practice my casting though as I just usually throw in the lights. I didn't think they could see the lures without the light. I don't know anything about Quatro and I don't think I ever caught anything that big. Guess I'll just have to donate my $100 to BS. Heck, thats what makes this fun anyway.

My experience is limited to most you guys, but I'll agree you want to get your topwater outside the lights. I was out the La Pesca last October and we got into a good bie early in the morning. Most everything hooked that I saw was outsde the lights. Now my technique is a little different... and I hope this doesn't go against boat etiquete. The current usually runs counter to the wind, so rather than cast the kure with the wind and have it ride in on the current, I'd go to the other side of the boat and drift a topwater out with the current. A few pops, ther would be a splash, and fish on. I boated a 25 # yellow and large black fin this way in a short time. The third try, I had a nice one on butI tightened up on the drag due to lost line from an earlier snag... too tight as the split ring gave way and the fish got to keep a souvineer treble hook. I'm going to be sure my tackle is extra strong for the trip.
Is there any unofficial rule against drifting a top water out in this manner?

TxEagle

It's standard practice to throw Topwaters Up Current. It all depends on How many folks we have fishing Chunk Baits because they tend to drift differently than a topwater. Tangled lines is what we all want to keep to a bare minimum.

It's also up to the Boat Rules IE: Captain Frank's orders.. If you ask him and he says Yes, go for it.

Bazz

Dr Shark

Egg-Zackaly.. Plenty of Bovine Fishin Scatt & Heifer Dust is what keeps us Old Pharts going!

From one Marine to another ..It's On Like Donkey Kong!

Semper Fi Brother Jarhead

Bazz

IMHO drifting poppers out the chunk side is perfectly fine.... not much different in a ballistic flyer and a live flyer when drifted like this.....

fwiw, if youve never been on the big e at night your in for a surprise. I can load up a popper on my rod and sling it out there with the very best of them and about 50% of the time I cant cast outside of the big E lights. they are that freakin bright.

What are the best colors for the tuna hunters.