South Australia's far west coast around Streaky Bay is one of Australia's most reliable southern bluefin tuna grounds, and a recent video from NON-STOP Fishing captures both the technique and the chaos of a hot bite.
The host fished with three regulars — Robson, Mick and Muna — on a glassy, hot day with a steam out to clear water beyond the inshore reef. Rather than running the heavier skirted patterns the fishery is known for, the crew rigged smaller lures. "We've got a massive lures to select from, but what we find best is they like the smaller style ones," the host said. "Tuna here aren't eating huge things."
A blue and a pink skirt were set together with a surface teaser running between them. The teaser, often overlooked, brings fish up from depth to inspect the spread before the trailing lures swing past. The first action came on a small school, with the boat arcing across the patch and hooking up almost immediately. Two small schoolies came over the side and were released, then the crew set the gear again looking for an upgrade.
The upgrade came on the next pass with a double hookup. One of the fish was visibly heavier, and the host called it as one of his bigger southern bluefin in several seasons. "This could be one of my bigger tunas I've caught over the last few seasons. Pump and wind. That's the motto. Pump and wind," he said during the fight. The fish was netted at an estimated 18 kilos.
For sport anglers planning a Streaky Bay trip, the session shows that smaller skirts hold their own against the heavier patterns the fishery is famous for. A surface teaser remains one of the most effective additions to a tuna spread, and the difference between a slow day and full doubles can be one pass through the right patch.
