Worldwide, there are very few species of big game fish that can match the excitement of latching into a monster bluefin tuna. This is especially true in the cool New England waters of coastal New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Maine. Here, most tuna are caught by chunking or trolling and below you will find some of the best techniques crews use to catch trophy fish.
The first step in starting a successful chunking campaign for bluefin involves anchoring on a good fishing spot known to hold bluefin or at least one which you have been able to locate them on your fish finder. Once anchored, you will want to crack open your favorite ice-cold beer while someone else deploys chunks and rigs your live bait. Suspend your bait on balloons at different depths depending on where the fish are located on the fish finder. Another strategy is to do some schmoozing at the local tackle shop to learn what is working for others.
Gamakatsu Live Bait hooks are, in my opinion, the best hooks on the market (you can yell at me in the comments below if you think I am wrong). When determining the hook size, take into account size of the bait more than the size of the fish you are after. Don't think you need to use a monster hook to catch a monster fish. More often than not, it will detract from the presentation and either turn off the fish or get in the way of a successful hook set.
Today it is imperative you use fluorocarbon leader. Because most tuna fishing involves using braided or fusion line, the leader allows some stretch and makes it easier to reattach a new hook if one is lost on a fish or there is too much abrasion. Be sure to start off with a length of around 15 feet or more to allow for restringing.
When using light fluorocarbon – 150-180 lb - my personal preference is to use H crimps instead of G because of the lower profile. Just do it carefully and you should be OK, preferably using the Jinkai crimping too. These crimps crimps can also be used to attach a small wind on swivel so the leader can be wound all the way on the spool. This protects the fluorocarbon during storage and ensures clean decks to allow the angler to reel the fish as close as needed to gaff or harpoon it.
Don't forget the rubber bands! You can attach the sinkers and balloons with them and if you happen to get your sinker caught on something, the rubber band will break before the line. Choose the weight of your sinker based on the speed of the current and depth of the fish you are targeting.
When trolling for big bluefins, a strategy that produces for me almost every time is to use spreader bars on the outriggers at about 3-4 knots. To increase the likelihood of catching a trophy tuna, use 3 or 4 spreaders bars – one on each outrigger and you can flat line one or two more. Outriggers are set up with rollers so the line can be fed through the clip to entice the fish into striking again if he missed the first time.
Be sure to change spreader bar size and color as well as trolling speed based on experience and current conditions. Use snap swivels so that rigs can be swapped out easily. The place where the mono connects to the hook and swivel is bound to get chaffed - thimbles and heavy chafe gear can protect it pretty well.
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I agree that the Gamakatsu hooks are the best. They are really sharp and perform well.