Fish

Southern bluefin tuna

Atún rojo del sur

Thunnus maccoyii

Saltwater

At a glance

Typical size

20–100 lb for recreational fish; "barrels" over 100 kg come every winter off Portland and Tasmania.

Depth

Surface to over 1,600 ft.

Best time

Daylight hours, especially early morning and late afternoon.

Found in

4 areas

Spot it, size it up and learn its habits.

Identification: A large, thick tuna with a dark blue-black back, silver-white belly with pale spots and bars, short pectoral fins, and yellow finlets edged in black. The keels at the base of the tail are bright yellow in adults.
Typical size: 20–100 lb for recreational fish; "barrels" over 100 kg come every winter off Portland and Tasmania.
Maximum size: About 8 ft and over 550 lb (260 kg).
Diet: Pilchards, squid, jack mackerel, krill and redbait.
Behavior: A long-lived ocean wanderer that spawns only in the Indian Ocean south of Java and travels across the Southern Ocean. Schools come close to shore along Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania in late autumn and winter.

Where, when and how deep to look.

Where to find it: Found from South-East Australia & Tasmania, Northern Territory & Western Australia, New Zealand and Southern Africa. Cool open ocean of the Southern Hemisphere; famous recreational fisheries off Portland (Victoria), Port MacDonnell (South Australia) and Eaglehawk Neck and St Helens (Tasmania), plus New Zealand and South Africa.
Habitat: Cool open ocean of the Southern Hemisphere; famous recreational fisheries off Portland (Victoria), Port MacDonnell (South Australia) and Eaglehawk Neck and St Helens (Tasmania), plus New Zealand and South Africa.
Depth: Surface to over 1,600 ft.
Fishing depth: Surface to 200 ft.
Best season: About March to July in Victoria and South Australia, and through winter in Tasmania.
Best time: Daylight hours, especially early morning and late afternoon.
Best tides: Tides matter less offshore; look for current lines, temperature breaks and bait. Around reefs and seamounts, the tide change turns the fish on.
Best weather / conditions: Pick calm windows: these fisheries are in the cold, rough Southern Ocean.

What to tie on and what to throw.

Best bait: Cubed or live pilchards and squid.
Best artificial lures: Skirted trolling lures, bibbed minnows, stickbaits and big soft plastics; jigs on deep fish.
Tackle setup: 15–37 kg stand-up trolling outfits; heavy spinning gear for casting.
Hook size: 7/0–10/0 hooks; heavy single hooks on lures.
Line: 50–130 lb braid or monofilament.
Leader: 100–200 lb fluorocarbon or monofilament.

The rod, reel, line and lures BigJoe would use.

Also at Bass Pro Shops: Rod Reel Line Leader Lures Harness

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Step by step, from first cast to landing.

Go where it lives: Cool open ocean of the Southern Hemisphere; famous recreational fisheries off Portland (Victoria), Port MacDonnell (South Australia) and Eaglehawk Neck and St Helens (Tasmania), plus New Zealand and South Africa.
Rig up: 15–37 kg stand-up trolling outfits; heavy spinning gear for casting. 100–200 lb fluorocarbon or monofilament.
Pick your bait: Cubed or live pilchards and squid. Lures: Skirted trolling lures, bibbed minnows, stickbaits and big soft plastics; jigs on deep fish.
Fish it: Troll a spread of skirts and bibbed lures at 6–8 knots over the shelf, watching for birds, seals and bait; switch to casting stickbaits when schools are on the surface.
Time it: Daylight hours, especially early morning and late afternoon. Tides matter less offshore; look for current lines, temperature breaks and bait. Around reefs and seamounts, the tide change turns the fish on.

Fishing techniques: Troll a spread of skirts and bibbed lures at 6–8 knots over the shelf, watching for birds, seals and bait; switch to casting stickbaits when schools are on the surface.
BigJoe's tip: Bleed, gut and ice-slurry the fish right away; tuna overheat and spoil fast if left in the sun.
Catch and release: Catch and release: wet your hands, keep the fish in the water when you can, and release it quickly. Use circle hooks and a dehooker.

Is it good to eat, and how to prepare it.

Edibility: Excellent eating — one of the best-tasting fish in its range.
Cleaning: Bleed and ice it right away. Fillet, then remove the skin and any dark bloodline.
Cooking suggestions: Excellent raw as sashimi and sushi (toro from the belly); also seared.

Safety, rules and taking care of the fishery.

Safety warnings: Cold, rough seas far from port: carry safety gear and an EPIRB, and use a harness on big fish.
Regulations: Listed as endangered (IUCN) and managed under an international quota. Australia has a low daily bag limit per person and per boat; New Zealand and South Africa set their own rules. Check current rules. Rules differ between Australia and New Zealand: NSW, Victoria and Western Australia (boat fishing) require a recreational licence, other Australian states and New Zealand's sea fishing need none, but bag limits, size limits and marine reserves apply everywhere.
Conservation: The stock is recovering under strict quotas; keep only what you'll eat and tag and release the rest.

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Sources & photo credits