TUNA!!!

So we missed the Tuna. Just.  We went out to get them on fly at short notice and to be perfectly honest I didnt have a clue on how to go about catching them.  The only thing I knew was that free swimming Tuna like Pink flies.  So I tied some of those.... I was completely wrong as to how to go about it.

 

 

I also tied a little yellowtail imitation to throw incase we came accross some floating weed.  Apparently the yellowtail (as schooling fish) instinctively follow a fish that is of the same colour.  We've had it off Robben Island where we've had school after school follow flies right to the boat without committing.  Hopefully this will both get the fish following and excite them enough to entice a strike.

Yellowfin Fly

Yellowfin Fly

Each of the flies has a hell of a lot of 0.9mm lead wrapped around the shank and then covered in mylar tubing

If theres one person on this planet thats mastered taking massive yellowfin on fly its Dave Christie.  The man responsible for probably the most IGFA submissions for the species.  His guiding outfit is www.tosf.co.za and if you want a 200lb plus fish- he's your man.   Trey Combs said in his book "Bluewater Fly Fishing" that a 100lb fish is impossible on fly and would probably never be done... Well, Dave doesnt land many on fly under that.

Dave Christie

TOSF client

TOSF client

Shimano Exxage as a fly rod

Dave Christie

The Fly

The tuna react best to chunk chum, and, cleverly, Dave fishes a chum fly drifted in the current as you would with actual bait.  Circle hook, HEAVY rod, and wait for the take- makes perfect sense.

That rod is a Shimano Exage.  Im not sure what the hell it was designed for but seems to have found its niche in extra heavy blue water fly fishing.  And I just got given one...  It makes my Heliply #14 feel like a 3wt.

Chunk Chum

Chum Fly concept:

Tuna Chum Fly

Tuna Chum Fly

Tuna Chum Fly

8/0 Cutting Point

Simano Exxage and Abel Super 13