Skipjack Tuna / Katsuo
Katsuo [jp] / Skipjack Tuna
Katsuwonus pelamis
(Linnaeus,1758)
Trademark of Japanese offshore fishing. School of skipjack tuna comes near coast between April to September riding on Kuroshio Current. One in the photograph is 2lb, but they grow larger into 4lb and bigger fish is caught occasionally.
It is difficult to catch a skipjack tuna on just casting and stripping fly in normal state for it has very good vision and like to catch its prey in speed. I reckon it is relatively easier on high speed metal jig. All it takes is a chance when skipjack tuna becomes massively excited in feeding frenzy, then they will go for any moving object.
In Japanese fishing boat, combination of "chumming" and "showering" are used to slow down the moving school and get them excited by tricking with the splashing noise on top water which skipjack tuna mistakes for baitfish.
Very agile fish with strength, tackle recommended to go after this fish is 10wt and above.
この記事のディスカッションに参加する | Join the Discussion
東京フライフィッシング&カントリークラブのFacebook グループ「Friends Lobby」ではメンバー以外の方とのディスカッションも行っています。気になる情報や質問などはこちらまで!
Discussion
New Comments
hi, what is the range of fly size for skipjack?
i’ve never fished for them but would love to catch a tuna
Hi Martyn,
Small, shiny, and lean. That seems to be the profile works on skipjack tunas who have very good vision.
Also, sink rate is very important to create probably the splash noise with certain pitch they like.
I use #4 – #1/0. Tie pattern with shiny head.