Fishing For Yellowfin Tuna Out of Venice

Fishing For Yellowfin Tuna

If you haven’t yet caught a yellowfin tuna in the Gulf of Mexico, its something you don’t want to miss. You can always book a charter and go fishing for Yellowfin from  Venice, Louisiana. Venice LA, provides some of Louisiana’s best fishing and is the world’s leading destination for deep sea fishing. It has been named as the best fishing spot for deep sea fishing in the United States and continues to attract tourists year after year.

Venice LA is a great choice because it can easily be accessed from New Orleans and with the surplus of offshore fishing charters offers you have many boats to choose from.  It is not just Yellowfin tuna that you will catch in the Gulf – the waters are also teeming with red snapper, mangrove snappers, grouper, redfish, amber jack, cobia, king mackerel, shark and many other different types of fish.

Choose Your Boat For Yellowfin Tuna

yellowfinThe type and size of boat that you hire is entirely up to you. Captain Troy with Louisiana Offshore Fishing Charters offers multiple boats for your next fishing trip.  Unlike many other fishing spots in the United States that are seasonal, Yellowfin tuna is available throughout the year. This fish tends to grow to be extremely large – fish that weigh up to 300 pounds are not unheard of, but on a normal day in Venice, Louisiana you can expect to catch Yellowfin that weighs an average of 60 pounds. When you are chartering a boat make sure to let the company know if you have any special requests – most are happy to cater. If, for example, you will be bringing children on the boat you can ask them to provide appropriate gear for them.

Fishing Out of Venice LA For Yellowfin

The reason why so many people come to Venice LA with the hope of catching Yellowfin Tuna is because they are a challenging fish – other than being big they are also very strong and it takes quite a bit to reel one in. They are usually found in large numbers feeding close to the surface and the further you go into the water the bigger the fish you can expect to catch. If you want to catch really big ones you should go in the winter and fall months – feeding conditions at this time allow fish to become bigger than usual.

Best Times To Fish

The best time to go out on the water for Yellowfin Tuna is in the evening just as the sun is going down. Fish are most active between this time and midnight, and you will find them in large numbers near the oil rigs. They like these spots because they are attracted by the light. The process of fishing itself is easy and whether you are an experienced angler or are new to fishing you can expect to have a rewarding time. You will need to bring your own fishing rod, but if you don’t have one you can hire from the charter company. You will also need bait – many companies will recommend live fish as bait, but you can also use chunks of fish. It is recommended that you bring along at least 50 pieces.

Once you are at the right spot you will bait your hook, put it in the water and then wait. If you are in an area with lots of Yellowfin you can expect one to bite within the hour. Be prepared – these fish are strong and you can expect a bit of a struggle when reeling in your tuna. Your catch is yours to do with as you please – you can store it on ice and take it back home for a barbeque, or you can have it cooked for you in a Venice restaurant. If you catch a really big one you can sell it – restaurant owners pay well for large tuna fish. Of course don’t forget to take a picture with your Yellowfin tuna before you get rid of it.

There are several different ways that you can fish for Yellowfin:

The most common lure are the floating lures, which stay on the surface. The other option is the less buoyant bait, which does not float but rather the user must keep the lure at the surface by reeling and a series of jerks. In top water fishing, the fish are mostly lured in by the noise of the surface bait.”

You can also go chunking, trolling, live baiting, vertical jigging, live lining or chumming All this may sound very complicated to the novice but many charter companies are happy to give you a crew to help you along.

Choosing the Best Fishing Charter

When choosing a fishing charter out of Venice you should be careful – although there are many in the area not all of them offer excellent services. For starters, you want a company that has well maintained boats – the last thing you want is to be stranded out on the water because your boat broke down. Do not be afraid to ask when your boat was last serviced – the company has an obligation to tell you. The same goes for all gear – if, for example, you notice that their vests and other flotation devices are worn it is an indicator that the company doesn’t take very good care of gear.  You can always check with the coast guard to see what is recommended.

You should find out how the company takes payment – many take both cash and credit cards but there are some, especially the smaller ones, that only accept cash. You should also look at reviews – the best companies ensure that their clients give them reviews and they display these on their website. Also, find out what kind of refund policy they have – there are some charter companies that are happy to give you a full refund if for any reason you cannot make your trip. It is always best to hire a charter boat from a company that is happy to arrange your accommodations as well – it will save you the trouble of booking a hotel, and many such deals also come with discounts.

There are some charter companies that have cabins or work with fishing lodges.  Having your overnight stay in place is an added benefit because you can go out fishing and then return to your accommodation right at the waterfront. Some people prefer to make arrangements with companies such as AirBnB but if you choose to go this way keep in mind that you are in charge of all the catering and you don’t have assured security. It is however, ideal if you have small children with you on your trip.

Lastly, find out what happens in case you have an emergency out on the water – the best companies make sure that you are moved to another boat right away, and they have measures in place in case any of their clients should require medical attention.