By: Jessica Harris
As the new year is here, football season is coming to an end. Whether you’re an NFL fan rooting for the Miami Dolphins or sticking to college hyping up your fellow Gators, there is one thing for sure, the football of the water will be coming soon. The Blackfin Tuna! Blackfins tend to bite vigorously in the fall months and right back at it in the spring months. But why do we call that fighting little fish a football? Because that’s exactly what they’re shaped like and most of what you catch, big or small, still resembles one. A football tuna. So don’t get discouraged because football season is over, because it’s actually just getting started. Blackfin Tuna are such a fun fish to catch. Besides their football shape, they are known for hard runs, explosive bites and great table fare. Now don’t get me wrong, blackfins can be caught year-round in South Florida but if you want to specifically target them, fall and spring months are ideal. The larger tuna will be caught in the spring months during migration. They like to eat in the low light, spending most of their time deep down hunting squid. Their big eyes help them to see great down there. If you’re planning to go fishing for blackfin tuna, the best way to target them are trolling and jigging. It’s a good idea to scale down your leader material and hooks because of their excellent eyesight. Kite fishing is a fun way and efficient way to target them as well. Keep in mind that they are a little boat shy, so you’ll really need to step up your teaser game. If you’re wondering what to use to catch them, live bait is always the answer. So now that you are a little more knowledgeable on the blackfin tuna sportfishing game, get out there and try to catch some! As an avid angler myself, I must say, I am not big on sushi. BUT, fresh blackfin on the boat is on a whole new level. Just don’t forget to bleed it out first. Happy New Year and to a new year of fishing, I hope it’s a great one.