The Light Tackle Tuna Angler Gift Guide

June, the first school bluefin push in on sand eels south of the Vineyard, then Crab Ledge east of Chatham late in the month. Early season is cold-water fishing: the chart looks perfect, the fish are picky, and jigging the marks often beats waiting for a blowup. By August all three zones fire, Cape Cod Bay included. September is the best month, topwater at first light and jigging all day. October tightens fast. When the bait leaves, the fish leave.

Offshore days are long and the window is short. Casting to fish on top is the one I want, but most of the season is jigging fish I've marked under the boat. The Light Tackle Tuna Angler does both on spinning gear, and this is the crate I'd load for one.

1  Tuna Chug Popper “The Dinner Bell”

WHEN  Fish marked 20 to 50 feet down with nothing showing, or chop that swallows quieter lures. The deep cup throws a bloop that pulls them up.

FISH IT  Rod tip low. One firm chug, pause two or three seconds; that's when they eat. One following? Don't chug it away. Under 62 degrees, chug softer and keep it moving.

WHY THEY'LL LOVE IT  You can't always see the fish offshore. This makes them show you, and one blowup tells them how to fish the day. It's aft-weighted to cast long, and sized for New England bluefin.

“...being hit on a popper is by far the most exciting way to hook up.” Brian M.

2  Tuna Slider “The Closer”

WHEN  Fish pop up and sound before you get there, or rose to the popper and wouldn't eat. It swims two to three feet down, right where they went.

FISH IT  Rod nearly level, steady reel, no rod work. One following? Three or four fast cranks, then back to steady. Never stop it.

WHY THEY'LL LOVE IT  The next cast after the popper, and almost impossible to fish wrong. Developed on Cape Cod, where the tuna see boats, birds and lures every day. Not decorative, not delicate. Olive is my pick in calm, clear water.

“...unbelievable action in the water to the point that everyone that comes out with me ends up ordering their own.” Peter B.

3  Tuna Epoxy Jig “The Distance Tool”

WHEN  June fish on sand eels, gannets pacing a line instead of circling, or fish spooky and just out of range. It out-casts everything in the crate and lands quiet.

FISH IT  Bomb it past the feed and reel it back fast. Sand eels move fast; slowing down is the common mistake. Followers that won't eat get reel-reel-pause.

WHY THEY'LL LOVE IT  If they've caught albies on an EPO, they already know how to fish this. Double-thick coat, through-wired, a VMC tuna treble, and it reaches fish a soft plastic can't in a headwind.

“...if I'm jigging and there is surface action I don't have to change anything out.” Thomas C.

4  Protail Paddle “The 7-Iron”

WHEN  Greasy calm and sight casting to cruising fish, which is the 3 oz job. Also the September butterfish bite and the cast right after a feed goes down.

FISH IT  Rod at 45 degrees, steady reel. Tip up runs it shallow, tip down runs it deeper. After a feed, cast into the middle and count it down. Slower often catches more.

WHY THEY'LL LOVE IT  In the heavy sizes this is what tuna anglers tie on by default. The tail thumps at any speed, so there's almost no wrong way to reel it.

“Great action, excellent durability and obviously effective catching fish.” Richard K.

5  Sand Eel Jig “The Problem Solver”

WHEN  Fish marked deep, current running, sand eels on the menu. Early June and the October bite east of Chatham, when the jig outfishes topwater.

FISH IT  Drop fast to the marks and work it up the column. Mud plumes on the surface mean they're grubbing: go to the bottom and thump it. Line past 45 degrees? Go heavier.

WHY THEY'LL LOVE IT  It reaches the marks before the boat drifts off and stays vertical when lighter jigs sail away, on 4X VMC tuna-grade rigging. Early and late season, that's a lot of the fishing.

“First drop with this lure hooked into a 40" tuna. Amazing way to break it in.” Rob F.

6  Tuna Harness Jig “The Slow-Down Button”

WHEN  Fish that have seen everything: after a feed, pressured, or parked on the bottom at slack tide. In September it's the dead stick in the holder while everyone throws topwater.

FISH IT  Slow lift, then let it fall on a semi-slack line. The bite is a tick or sudden slack; set right then. Think it's slow enough? Slow it down more.

WHY THEY'LL LOVE IT  It fixes the toughest day offshore: fish on the screen that won't chase. The tail swims on its own, so a dead stick still gets bit. The harness is 500 lb stainless, the hook a 6X VMC.

“4oz pink harness jig for the win! Early morning bluefin jigging on the bottom.” Joe B.

Casting: a 7-foot heavy spinning rod rated for school fish under 120 pounds, an 8000 to 14000 reel, 50 to 80 lb braid and 60 to 80 lb fluorocarbon tied direct. That's the sweet spot for the 3 and 4 oz lures here.

Jigging: a 5-foot-9 tuna jigging rod with an 18000 to 20000 reel and 65 to 80 lb braid. Short and parabolic on purpose, so in a straight up and down fight the fish loses the leverage.

Letting one go? Keep it in the water and get the hook out fast. Phone ready first if they want a photo.

Start with How-To: Early Season Bluefin Tuna Casting and How To: Light Tackle Bluefin Tuna on Salty Cape.

More from Hogy: light tackle bluefin at the Gully and my 4-rod tuna system.