Tuna Water Temp Preferences

[Roostahfish]

Any idea on what ideal temps are for our blue-finned friends out there? I was out on Sunday, and it was pretty quiet at the NWC....we were reading o the temp gauge about 51.

I got a call from a buddy in Maine saying they saw more tuna yesterday than they have all season combined! I would think the water up there would be cooler than here, but he couldn't tell me what the temp was there were in. They were in a lot closer to shore than the NWC is, so perhaps it was warmer.

So, my question is a prefered temp range for these guys? You always here stripers like 55-65 ish. Wondering is anyone has similar intel for tuna.

Thanks.

[vinnymackeral]

Bluefin gotta built in furnace the're hot blooded they'll be around until you eat turkey on thanksgiving.

[Capt. John]

I always heard the magic number was 64 come summer and any lower than 59 come fall and things slowed way down. Over the years I have learned that 64 number is a good "ballpark" for fish to show up hard in summer. But in the fall I would'nt bother looking for warmer water it does not matter. Find the bait they WANT and you will find the tuna. The Maine coast was lit up yesterday from Saco to York all within 1 mile or closer. Water temps are cold man but the bait is thick and the tuna are still around. Only problem with fall and tuna it makes a tough combination to predict anything. Different story today...same places, same weather, same bait and only very sparse action. We got lucky enough to hook two fish being in the right place at the right time, and we had 4 other boats out looking everywhere else and we seemed to do the best, it was pretty slow everywhere today...go figure. All part of the tuna maddness game.....(#$119)

[Roostahfish]

Capt John,

It's funny....I just got off the phone with Timmy then read this. It sounds like Tuesday was a truly magical day that you all got to experience. I can't remember the last time I heard Clouts that excited when he called me that night.

Another guy I know was out at the NWC corner yesterday and apparently it was very quiet.....you're right on with it all being part of the madness!

[Capt. John]

Hey Roosah- Timmy and Clouts were on cloud nine !! They are so addicted I almost feel bad for getting them involved in this crazy game. They may end up jobless, wifeless and on the streets begging for money for gas and braided line..... ;) I personally missed the bite on Tues. --124-3 but heard all the mayhem via cell phone of coarse.

ALmost forgot to mention a BIG thanks to Andy "No Vacancy" (board memeber) for putting together our outing on Wed. , it was nice to see him hook-up on a big fish.... even though we both lost our fish.

[twofinbluna]

It really all depends. Tuna that are feeding will often be in real cold water and then will find the warmer water later in the day. For fishing with a rod, the more important thing is whether tuna have arrived yet, and where the food is. That is, if it May they may not even be here yet...but once they arrive for the summer, they could be in any water temp.

For harpooning, you would need warm water, since they often do not run on top in cold water. If fish are feeding on top, than harpooning can work in cold water.

Fishing rod and reel, it does not matter whether they run as you can catch them when they are deep. They may be in 53 degree water or 66 degree water, it all depends. And if they are feeding on top you have chance as well.

Ideal temp for running fish is ideally something over 63 but nothing over 68 or 70. Chasing fish when they do run in 70 degree water is a pain as they are almost always squirly. Mid sixties is ideal, as far as I am concerned. And if they are feeding on top, the water temp does not matter.

That is in general, there are obviously exceptions. We have caught running fish in 48 degree water. It all depends.

Find the food and you should find the tuna.

[twofinbluna]

We pay as much attention to water color as water temp, for running fish it really seems to matter a lot. You can have two different colors of 65 degree water in an area and they will only run in the better water.

[Roostahfish]

I hear ya 40! I never thought I'd see the day where Clouts would be like this. I used to get so much sheet from him if I talked about anything other than throwing flies. His comments about "cumming" were getting very old...

I'm glad he's come to the dark side......