Trolling lures is the most effective way to target barrel size bluefin tuna, it remains the backbone of modern game fishing — covering ground, locating active fish and consistently producing strikes when conditions align. While the concept sounds simple, consistently capturing barrels while trolling is built around understanding fish behaviour, lure presentation, spread design and boat control.
Locating Southern Bluefin Tuna
The more information you can gather before leaving the ramp, the more productive your day will be. Social media and local reports provides real-time information on captures, water conditions and active areas. Word travels quickly in the tuna scene and paying attention to current reports can save countless hours of searching or being in the completely wrong area. Local tackle stores are also invaluable sources of information. Many will happily point anglers in the right direction, particularly if you support the store before asking for advice. Knowing the depth fish are holding at can also be extremely useful, but when that information isn’t available, learning to read the signs becomes critical. Above the surface bird, seal and dolphin activity is one of the strongest indicators of feeding tuna. Birds circling tightly and diving aggressively should never be ignored. At times the signs are more subtle, with birds zig-zagging or repeatedly working the same area without diving. This behaviour often suggests bait is sitting deeper in the water column or tuna are shadowing schools without actively feeding on top. These situations are still worth investigating.
Below the surface bait concentrations showing on the sounder are another major clue. If large schools of bait are present, tuna are rarely far away. Southern bluefin also have a habit of launching clear of the water while feeding, something less commonly seen with many other tuna species. This behaviour can range from school fish through to giant barrels and is always worth monitoring closely. The VHF radio also remains one of the most valuable tools offshore. Even hearing that nearby boats are finding fish can lift crew morale and help narrow down productive areas.
Selecting Tackle for Bluefin Tuna
When it comes to targeting barrel size tuna, quality tackle matters. The rods and reels you’re going to need are expensive, so you want to be sure it’s a purchase you’re comfortable with. There are only two reel options these days- the Tiagra and the Talica. Many anglers run the Talica 40 or 50 and fill it with braid and top shot with 24kg or 37kg mono. I love Talicas and use them exclusively for marlin, however, for targeting barrels I prefer running Tiagra 50 wides with 24kg mono on fully rollered rods. Running braid on rollered rods could be risky as it could jump and get caught in the gaps on the rollers. It seems modern WInthrope rollers don’t experience this compared with Aftco, however, it seems most anglers running braid are doing so on rods with standard guides and opting for rods fitted with high quality guides. It’s possible that eventually during a long fight non rollered guides could wear out the braid, I have never experienced this over hundreds of marlin using braid on standard guides. The question you probably need to ask yourself is what disadvantage is there running Tiagras and mono- there really aren’t any once you’re in the harness. Make your decision and just try and buy the best quality tackle you can afford. Independent or pro stores will have a better range and better advice than the big department style stores. Although 37kg outfits have their place when giant barrels are encountered, a quality 24kg set-up is capable of subduing exceptionally large fish when used correctly.
Leader Systems & Connections
A plaited double connected to a swivel that clips on to your lures bite leader is a proven and highly reliable set-up. This system also allows easy integration of both hard-bodied diving lures and skirted trolling lures and easy changes through the day. Leader length and leader strength often come down to personal preference, water clarity and fish size, though 150-200lb leaders are commonly used when targeting larger southern bluefin and lengths of 150cm are fine.
Modern Bluefin Lure Selection
The range of trolling lures available today is enormous. Colours, head shapes, materials and lure styles all behave differently in the water and can trigger completely different responses from tuna.Matching lure colours to the baitfish tuna are feeding on is always a logical starting point, but some of the most productive bluefin lures feature colours that bear little resemblance to natural bait. Fluoro pinks, lumo greens and bright or dark purples have all proven highly effective over the years.
Lure size also plays a major role. Smaller skirted lures regularly produce excellent results on big bluefin. Southern bluefin are opportunistic feeders and will readily attack surprisingly small offerings especially if its matching bait size. In addition to skirted trolling lures, spreads can also incorporate deep-divers and bibles minnows. However, combining multiple lure styles into a balanced spread that all swim effectively together requires careful tuning. Teasers and directional birds have become increasingly popular over recent years, they negate the need for outriggers, and I’ve seen them be remarkably effective. The Hogy lures system out of the Boston/Cape Cod are in the US make an excellent directional bird and teaser system that sends the teasers out very wide which raises fish. While its effective you need to decide if you want to fish this way and have a big teaser and bird between you and the fish during the fight.
Building an Effective Trolling Spread
Spread positioning is one of the biggest differences between consistently productive crews and those struggling for bites. Lure placement within the wake is critical, as every lure behaves differently depending on water pressure, turbulence and speed. Deep-diving hardbodies are commonly run close to the transom from short corner positions where they can track cleanly below the prop wash. Resin-headed skirted lures are often positioned from the riggers where they spend more time working in clean water outside the main wake.
Further back in the spread, bullet-style skirted lures are highly effective from shotgun positions, travelling just below the surface with a more subtle swimming action.Rather than trolling at a fixed speed, successful crews troll at the speed that allows every lure in the spread to work correctly. Some deep divers will blow out at excessive speeds, while skirted lures should cycle naturally — surfacing briefly, breathing, diving and leaving a smoke trail beneath the surface.If lures are tumbling or skipping uncontrollably, the boat is generally travelling too fast.With southern bluefin specifically, slightly higher trolling speeds often produce better results, particularly when fish are aggressive.
Learning from Productive Lures
One of the best ways to refine a spread is by paying close attention to which lures consistently get bites. In most situations, only one or two lures in the spread will dominate the strike rate.
When fish are active, unproductive lures become an opportunity for experimentation. Swapping colours, sizes or head shapes while fish are feeding allows anglers to quickly identify patterns and build confidence in particular lure styles.
Over time, these observations build a highly effective bluefin lure arsenal tailored to local conditions.
Managing the Strike
When a rod finally loads up, maintaining boat speed initially is important. Continuing to troll briefly after the first hook-up regularly leads to multiple strikes as other fish in the school attack remaining lures.
Once additional hook-up opportunities have passed, clearing the spread quickly and efficiently becomes critical. Experienced crews work calmly, removing teasers and unused rods while avoiding tangles as hooked fish settle into the fight.
Marking productive areas on the GPS is also essential. Boats often drift a surprising distance during extended fights, and returning to the original strike location can quickly reconnect anglers with the school.
Working Productive Water
Once fish are located, staying connected to the school becomes the priority. Returning to the exact area where strikes occurred — ideally on the same trolling direction — often produces repeat hook-ups. Tight figure-eight patterns or gradually expanding circles around productive marks are highly effective ways to relocate moving schools.
If fish disappear completely, however, it is often more productive to continue searching rather than wasting valuable time over dead water.
Fighting Large Bluefin Tuna
Heavy southern bluefin requires a coordinated crew effort. I used to believe that allowing large tuna to settle directly beneath a stationary boat can quickly turn the fight into a prolonged stalemate. However, this is the best way to fight a fish, once you’re over the fish, it can’t really go anywhere and by applying consistent pressure you’ll quickly tire the fish and get it to the boat.
Once the fish is within range, leadering and gaff work must remain calm and controlled. Poorly timed gaff shots can quickly reignite a tuna’s fighting instinct and extend the battle dramatically.
Crew work Matters
Efficient crews consistently catch more fish. Everyone onboard should remain engaged, watching the water, monitoring the spread and assisting where needed.
Successful trolling operations rely heavily on teamwork, clear communication and maintaining focus throughout the day. The captain cannot watch the sounder, track bird activity, monitor the radio and drive the boat alone. Well-organised crews react faster to opportunities, manage hook-ups more effectively and maximise time with lures in the water — all critical factors when targeting southern bluefin tuna.
Barrel Fever
What we have here in the south is a world class fishery that many anglers around the world can only dream about. At times the fish can be just out the back of the heads or they can be firing a short drive away in Portland, Port Fairy or Apollo Bay. If you’re new to it can seem overwhelming, but if you stay calm, follow these steps and take a methodical approach you’ll probably find great success with how well its fishing at the moment.
