Tuna in Cape Town

[Pierre]

He helps with the chores, usually the bait

[Methos]

I have a Buddy who often goes out with a rubberduck to shoot Tuna - with a Speargun - in 300m deep water. His biggest is a bit over 100kg's. He's invited me along - I declined - if I can't see the bottom - I'm not diving. Sharks try to take you catch etc - hectic stuff.

Will find out from him where etc.

Cheers

[Matuka]

Contact Jasper on this forum, he skippered his own Cape Craft for a number of years and often went out after Tunny. He will give you all the pros and cons.

From trips that I went on, the seas can get very mean out there and you need to make sure that you don't get run over by an oil tanker (We came close!). Also the fog can make life very interesting!

[Arthur]

From the stories I have heard from buddies who have done quite a bit of this kind of fishing, it is not for the faint hearted.The weather and sea turning on you can make life extremely unpleasant.You need to be an experienced skipper before venturing out there on your own boat otherwise it's asking for k*k.

[Wiets]

I have a Buddy who often goes out with a rubberduck to shoot Tuna - with a Speargun - in 300m deep water. His biggest is a bit over 100kg's. He's invited me along - I declined - if I can't see the bottom - I'm not diving. Sharks try to take you catch etc - hectic stuff.
Will find out from him where etc. Cheers

I also have a couple of buddies like that! My brother inlaw was a Springbok spearfisherman and they do that kind of stuff. Your biggest concern in the Cape is the Great White. But then, I have seen videos of few guys actually free diving with them! Not for me!

Contact Jasper on this forum, he skippered his own Cape Craft for a number of years and often went out after Tunny. He will give you all the pros and cons. From trips that I went on, the seas can get very mean out there and you need to make sure that you don't get run over by an oil tanker (We came close!). Also the fog can make life very interesting!

Thanks for Jasper.
As far as rough seas and other obstacles go, I doubt if one get get more experienced boat crew than the ones I know. But as with most things in life there is always a risk. As mentioned, the boat is equipped with the latest high tech navigation, cahrt plotters, computer systems, 50 Km radar, sonar, hourly weather updates displayed on the navigation software and communication systems available.

From the stories I have heard from buddies who have done quite a bit of this kind of fishing, it is not for the faint hearted.The weather and sea turning on you can make life extremely unpleasant.You need to be an experienced skipper before venturing out there on your own boat otherwise it's asking for k*k.

If one has sailed the ocean for a number of years, one becomes very cautious and meticulous - brave hearted is not the issue. Going out in the best weather window is the most critical aspect. Also no worries about the experience available - some of them have been sailing the open oceans for more than 20 years.

[Jasper]

there is seldom anything to WORRY about if you respect the ocean and have all the required safety equipment on board.

Tunny are a Summer fish (Jan Feb and March being the best months) .... found between 10 and 30 nM offshore (on a SouthWestish bearing from Slangkop Light House (usually). Just run out till you find "Blue Water" and typically you will see a sharp rise in water temperature .. often as sharp as from 12C to 19C!!

Then look for birds ... particularly "Tunny Ducks" .. after that it is easy to find them ... particularly the Longfin.

[Jasper]

Your biggest potential hazard is from heavy shipping .. BIG tankers & containers ships. Typically to get to the Blue Water you need to cross both shipping lanes (clearly marked on the charts). THEY ARE SCARY!!!!

If you intend staying out for a few days you will HAVE to post a 24 hour deck watch ... those large ships cannot stop or go about .. even if they wanted to.

If I were you Wiets .... I would start with a single day trip ... I am sure your yacht is fast enough to get to the warm water and back in a day .... just to get a feel for things - then go for the overnighters.

[Wiets]

Your biggest potential hazard is from heavy shipping .. BIG tankers & containers ships. Typically to get to the Blue Water you need to cross both shipping lanes (clearly marked on the charts). THEY ARE SCARY!!!! If you intend staying out for a few days you will HAVE to post a 24 hour deck watch ... those large ships cannot stop or go about .. even if they wanted to. If I were you Wiets .... I would start with a single day trip ... I am sure your yacht is fast enough to get to the warm water and back in a day .... just to get a feel for things - then go for the overnighters.

Thanks Jasper
It is useful information!

[damage]

The tuna season starts in late september early october.
The "tuna grounds " are between 20-40 miles off cape point.

Fish are usualy found In Six ways

1.By going back to the "numbers" where fish were caught recently

2.Trolling Rapallas and "birds/squidees"

3.By running up behind boats that have allready chummed tuna up to the surface and are ON (dont do this to the comercials tho )

4.By following a trawler when they are pulling there nets up as thius creates a massive chum slick

5.By watching diving birds as Tuna force bait fish to the surface this doesnt happen very often but is spectacular to see

6.Luck

once you are in "fishy" water right color and temp start chumming
( sards cut int 5ths ) you need about 40 kgs of sards for a day as you need to keep a constant stream of "lok" going into the water

once the chum line is going you need to look for markings on your Echo / Fishfinder

The conventional way of catching tuna is "chunking "
this involves putting a single hook in a slightly larger chunk of sard and letting it sink under its own weight.

The Flies that seem to work are either flashy profiles or "chunk" flies
on a Di8 line
Getting a tuna to eat a fly is the "easy " part getting him on the boat is an entirely different story

Catching Tuna off a Yacht also complicates the matter as there are keels,rudders and rigging to fight with at the same time

The longer and more flexible your rod is the less control you have over the fish and when using anything that resembles a fly rod you will not be able to turn the fish and will have to follow the fish around the boat and possibly follow the fish with the boat in order not to get spooled

I recomend a 18 wt or a cut down surf rod and a very sturdy reel
the multiplier type fly reel will save your wrists and fore arms as when the fish comes back towards you you need to keep the line coming in fast enough to avoid slack
I would load the reel with 80 pound gelspun backing and make sure that the fly line you use is rated at at least 50 pounds the Rio liviathan is a good comercial one or make your own with a level floro leader


hope this helps

/d

[Nepptune]

Here is a pic of two tuna taken off Cape Point on fly by a mate of mine and his brother, Rob and Sarge Lewis... Fight times - 2.5 hours and 4.5 hours, and these are relatively "small" by Cape Point Yellowfin standards... Rob told me he couldn't write, hold a knife and fork or anything for a week after fighting his fish for 4.5 hours...These fish were taken on 14 Weights... He also said it was an insane experience, but not something he would ever attempt again... some fish I guess are never meant to be taken on Fly... and this is coming from a man who has fished Seychelles extensively ( at least 10 trips to the outer atolls ) and taken blue marlin over 150 kilos on fly....

As has been said before, not for the faint of heart.... tough enough on conventional gear, of a sportfishing boat, never mind fly gear off a sailboat... But I applaud you attempting it.. But take all the above advise to heart... its not called the Cape of Storms for nothing, and Tuna fishing is not a soft form of fishing... its back breaking and dangerous....
Good luck, and keep us informed...