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Planning your fishing vacation and you want to catch a big tuna? For that, you want the best bait for tuna so you increase your chances of catching one. I’ve compiled a list of some of the best bait for tuna I can find so you will have an easier experience.
Contents
My Top Tuna Bait Recommendations
Tuna is a fish that many would dream of catching. For that, you need the proper gear to catch one. One essential thing for catching tuna is the bait. The quality of the bait is really important if you want fish to frequently bite your bait.
Best Overall Bait for Tuna: Bimini Lures Set of 6 Trolling Saltwater Skirted Lures
The Bimini Lures Set of 6 Tuna Flasher Luresere has everything you need for a great tuna fishing experience. It comes in a set of 6 baits and is the only product that comes on a set in this list.
Each 6 of the bait on the Bimini Lures has a different color scheme to attract fish. They are designed to attract mahi-mahi, tuna, wahoo, marlin, sailfish, dolphins, and other predatory pelagic fish.
They are all chugger style lures which are the same style on this list except that these baits are designed to look like squids instead of the usual fish. This means they’re best used for topwater trolling lures. These baits produce a distinctive bubble trail that causes tuna to attack the origin of the bubbles in a frenzy.
The baits are 9 inches in size which is perfect for baiting tuna. They are ready to be used right out of the packaging. Troll these baits out between 7 to 18 knots in order to get the best results.
The only downside is that the hooks on the lures are of low quality. I recommend you get a better hook with better durability to replace the lures’ hooks. Overall, a very convenient and versatile option for you.
Pros
- Come in a set so you have multiple baits to pick
- Chugger style bait is great for catching tuna
- Baits are durable and can be reused over and over
Cons
- Hook is not good so you might want to replace it
- Need to buy as a set and not sold separately
Best Floating Pencil Bait for Tuna: Ecooda Hornet Saltwater Fishing Lure
The Ecooda Hornet Saltwater Fishing Lure is specifically designed to bait super fish-like tunas. It’s made with high-strength ABS material along with conjoined welding wire and can withstand at least 220 pounds of pull strength.
It is very easy to control when trolling. The swimming action looks natural so predatory fish can easily mistake it as prey. It felt better to control compared to the Bimini Lures Saltwater Skirted Lures.
However, I find it uncomfortable that it wobbles during casting. Maybe the product was defective or it’s a common thing in this product. Casting with the Bimini Lures Saltwater Skirted Lures was much smoother compared to my experience on the Ecooda Fishing Lure.
Aside from that, the bait works well for catching tuna and other pelagic species like mackerel, mahi-mahi, kingfish, and marlin.
The Ecooda Hornet Saltwater Fishing Lure is a floating type bait so it’s good for trolling. It’s shorter than the Bimini Lures (9 inches), as it is only around 7 inches.
There are also no hooks included which is a downside. However, most baits come with low-quality hooks so you will eventually replace them anyway so it’s not big of a deal.
Overall, a great floating pencil bait for tuna that looks like a real fish, and its reflective nature attracts tuna.
Pros
- Easy to control during trolling
- Highly durable and reusable
- Actually looks like a real fish if seen from afar
Cons
- Wobbling experience with casting
- Does not come with hooks so you have to buy one separately
Best Flying Fish Bait for Tuna: YDZN Fishing Lure Seawater Fishing Bait
If you want a bait that looks like a flying fish, the YDZN Fishing Lure Seawater Fishing Bait is your prime choice. It is a life-like bait with a bit of exaggerated bright colors to attract tuna and other big fish. It’s not as flashy as the Bimini Lures though.
It has a rectangular hole on the belly to make it easier for you to hook and hide the fish hook. It does not come with a hook just like the Ecooda Hornet Fishing Lure. Therefore, you have to provide one yourself. It’s better that way since you will probably need a big hook for catching tuna.
It is made with durable PVC material and it does feel durable when used. It can be reusable and useful for a long time. I’m surprised at how durable it is considering how much you’re paying for this product.
However, the YDZN Fishing Lure Seawater Fishing Bait does not float which is a downside. They do bounce on the water when trolling. Topwater baits are generally considered better for catching tuna so if you want to use these, you might do trolling fishing and nothing else.
Overall, this is a great imitation of a flying fish and is a great bait for tuna with how realistic it looks. The colors are a bit exaggerated since it’s meant to attract tuna.
Pros
- Made with PVC and highly durable and reusable
- Looks exactly like a flying fish
- Great hook placement and not visible for fish to notice
Cons
- Does not float, however, it does bounce when trolling
- Does not include a hook so buying a hook separately is needed
Features to Consider for Tuna Bait
Tuna can vary in type and size. Therefore, there are specific baits and gear for every tuna and other fish. These are some of the features you have to keep in mind when getting bait for tuna.
| Bimini Lures Set of 6 Trolling Saltwater Skirted Lures | Ecooda Hornet Saltwater Fishing Lure | YDZN Fishing Lure Seawater Fishing Bait | |
| Material | Crystal | Acrylonitrile Butadlene Styrene | Polyvinyl Chloride |
| Number of Pieces | 6 | 1 | 1 |
| Target Species | Tuna | Kingfish, Tuna, Mackerel, Marlin, Mahi Mahi | Tuna, Mackerel |
Fishing Style
Having all types of bait in your arsenal is a good thing. It allows you to be flexible with what fish you want to catch. Tuna and other types of big fish are generally caught by drift fishing and trolling. However, you may not have the option to own every bait.
Trolling lures can be your go-to bait if you have limited options. Cupped head chugs are also great because they are noisier and bullet heads are another choice for their reflective features.
For that, the Bimini Lures Set of 6 Trolling Saltwater Skirted Lures with its many bait options is your best choice. If you feel like the bait isn’t working you can switch to another bait with a different color theme to test if it’s what tunas preferred.
Attraction
Tuna can get attracted to flashy baits. Hence, it’s always the best option to get the most attractive tuna baits and test them out. Some flashy tuna baits might not work with tuna so having different baits is helpful.
Also, make sure that the baits have some different ways to catch the tuna’s attention. In this way, it can help you identify what bait combination attracts tuna the most. These can include noise, flash, and movement.
Once again, the Bimini Lures Set of 6 Trolling Saltwater Skirted Lures are your best option since it contains different colored flashy baits for your choosing.
Target Fish
The size of tuna can vary a lot. Some are small (juvenile) while adults can grow really big. Hence, you should consider how big of a tuna you want to catch. The size of your boat plays a factor in this.
You can’t go wrong with either Bimini Lures Set of 6 Trolling Saltwater Skirted Lures and Ecooda Hornet Saltwater Fishing Lures. Both are good in length (7 inches and 9 inches) for catching a decently sized tuna or even a big one.
Both baits are also able to withstand the pulling force of catching a large tuna, so they are your best option for catching large tuna.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Attracts Tuna Fish?
A tuna fish is attracted to smaller fish that they consider prey. Hence, baits for tuna are usually designed as small fish to attract tuna fish. Some even used live bait to attract Tuna fish.
What Time of Day Is Best for Tuna Fishing?
Tuna fishing sometimes yields the best result when you do it between dusk and dawn. You can increase the weight of the tackle since the tuna’s eye isn’t aided by the light of the sun. A heavier tackle increases your chance of catching a tuna.
What Month Is Best for Tuna Fishing?
The best time for tuna fishing is around June, July, and August or the summer months. They’re most bountiful during those months. Around September, October, and November, you could still catch tuna. However, they’re not as many compared to the summer months.
Conclusion
Choosing the best bait for tuna will increase your chance of landing one. Picking either on this list will greatly help you in tuna fishing. Remember, that it’s not just the bait. There are also factors like environment, season, condition, and other things that will help you land that big tuna.