Use this method if fishing with any type of sinker. It’s good to mix some in with the butterfish chunks but more important is having the sardines for baits; at times the tunas just seem to want them more than the butterfish.Now that you have your baitfish, it’s time to turn them into chunks. Until we tied on 30-lb test, the fish swam up our baits then veered away at the last second, every time.So—how do you know what to use on any given day? Whether you get hit on a stripper, mid-depth or deep line, as soon as a fish takes the bait throw the reel into strike and smoothly start reeling, without any hookset—these fish are moving so fast that a yank on the rod has little to no effect, other than to occasionally jiggle the hook free.That sums up the basics of chunking, but what about those nay-sayers, who are always looking down on chunking as compared to trolling? Ensure the quality by pulling the top off the box before you leave the store, and eyeballing the baits. Fished in this way, the bait will sink through the water column at the same rate as the chunks, and will look as natural as possible to the fish. Just look at the swirly, red-brown-green stains you can make on your boat. Even if you have to re-bait five times before one comes out right, do it.The average chunker secures the leader to their main line by tying on a double line, then a swivel, and then tying the leader to the swivel. This rig can be reeled through the rod guides without a problem, eliminates wiring entirely, and has a lower failure rate than tying directly to a swivel.Chunking can be done at anchor, or on the drift. TIP: Always use circle hooks with light leaders, so you snag the fish in the corner of the jaw. Either way, keep the chunks flowing steadily. If it does spin, rip it off and rig a new bait. test, then dropped them to 80, 60, and so on. The disadvantage of having no swivel on your line is that a single spinning bait can put enough line twist into your reel to drive you crazy. As you toss the chunks overboard try bouncing them off your crewmember’s white T-shirts, and you’ll conjure up Rorschach-like patterns no troller has ever dreamed of. At anchor is usually more effective, but when the wind and current conspire to push your baits up against your anchor line, drifting is mandatory. All too often, you’ll be sold sub-standard butterfish. In fact, many of the captains running out of The concept behind chunking is pretty darn straightforward: hack up a bunch of butterfish, and toss handfuls of fish bits over the side to attract tuna. How to Hook a Sardine Nose hooking Pinning a sardine crosswise through the nose is most common. Most captains start out with the heavy stuff, and if bites don’t come quickly, set out a line or two with light leaders. Traditional theory holds that for yellowfin you should take the head and tail off the butterfish, turning the body into an extra-large chunk, and for bluefin you should use the entire butterfish.
First, the bait: You’ll need a 25-lb. When one particular depth seems to be the productive one for that given day, switch your other rigs around accordingly. It's not the most natural presentation, but it is hard to tear the hook out on the cast. Trying to predict which will be the most effective ahead of time is impossible, so you should always try to cover all the bases. This works better than a knife, but is still a pain in the butt. The bait also swims normally on the retrieve, increasing hookup chances.
If you plan on a full day of fishing, two flats will be needed. This works, but it means you’ll have to wire the fish at the end of the fight. Using this method, it will take about half an hour to go through a quarter of a flat, at which point the guy slicing butterfish usually: A. Pukes, from breathing in fish goo for too long in rough seas; B. Strippers are baits you rig with no weight or float of any sort. And sometimes chunking results in a cockpit running ankle-deep in tuna blood, which then dyes your white High-tops red—the highest art form of them all. Case in point: one day a few seasons back we chunked a large school of 40-lb to 80-lb bluefin off of a scalloper, and held them next to our boat most of the day. Leader size can vary radically, because tuna can be finicky when it comes to heavy leaders. Sure, some call it “going over to the dark side.” Others say it’s simplistic, boring, and messy, while trolling is much more of an art form. Start off by setting some lines about 10’ off the bottom (this one often produces when big bluefin are around) some at mid-depth, and one or two near the surface.Setting baits is all well and good, but often they won’t get taken half as much as a “stripper” bait.
We offered baits on rigs starting at 100-lb. Then, you can use one of three methods to cut the fish: the knife method, the shear method, or the chopper method. Toss out a handful, watch until they disappear from view, then toss out another. You can sweeten the slick by adding a dose of menhaden oil to your chunk bucket, which not only helps draw in fish but also smoothes down the surface ripples, making it easier to spot fish that swim into your chunk line.Where to place your baits in the water column is one of the most important aspects of chunking. Bottom line: you will catch fish from the surface baits, mid-depth baits and bottom baits, at different times on different days.