Chasing Trophy Tuna in South Africa: Gear Up, Go Big

Trophy tuna season in South Africa is no joke. When the Yellowfin and Bigeye bite, you need to be ready. Whether launching from Cape Point, heading out to The Canyon, or working the waters off Hout Bay, this is your shot at the fish of a lifetime.

At Jacita Tackle and Outdoor, we live for the heart-racing strike, the screaming reel, and the following arm-burning fight. You need the right gear, timing, and mindset to land a proper tuna. Here’s how to get it done.

Time It Right: When Tuna Hit Hard

Tuna season typically peaks from April to June in the Cape, when ocean currents bring warmer water and baitfish close to the continental shelf. Keep an eye on temperature breaks, current lines, and bird activity. If the birds are diving, the tuna won’t be far behind.

Saltwater Rods That Can Take the Punch

Fighting a Yellowfin needs serious muscle. We recommend:

• Assassin Artemis 5 ft 3 (1.6m) boat jigging rod – Built for power, these rods handle pressure like a pro. Matched with a fighting belt, they give you control without wrecking your back. Buy Assassin Artemis 5 ft 3 boat rod here now.
• Shimano Tiagra C-Curve 5ft6 50lb-80lb rod and 5ft6 30lb-50lb as trolling rods. 
• Okuma full roller 5 ft 6 37kg trolling rod.
• Hearty rise Tunac 5 ft 6 in 80lb full roller rod as a trolling rod, a very good quality rod.
• Assassin Popmaster II XXXH 8ft 80 lb- 100 lb rod for popping for tuna and casting stick baits.
• Assassin Fortuna II 8ft 80 lb- 100 lb rod for popping for tuna and casting stick baits. This is a cost-effective rod.
• Shimano Grappler 8ft 2 80lb rod, which is higher end for popping.

Available now on Jacita.co.za. Don’t go offshore without the best saltwater fishing rod for your needs. Talk to us for personalised advice.

Saltwater Reels That Don’t Back Down

If your reel fails mid-fight, that trophy fish turns into a story about the one that got away. Trust these:

• Shimano Saragosa SW A reel, an 18000 or 20000 size– A legend for a reason. Smooth drag, bulletproof build, and enough line capacity to chase a deep-running tuna. To be used on a popping rod or jigging rod. Buy the Shimano Saragosa SW A reel now.
• Shimano Twinpower SW 18000 or 20000 model size with a popping rod or jigging rod
• Shimano Stella SW 18000 or 20000 model, which is high-end for tuna popping or jigging.
• Penn Slammer 4 8500 size for tuna popping as well
• Okuma SLX 50II is a speed for a budget option for trolling for tuna.
• Shimano Tyrnos 2-speed is a medium budget option for trolling for tuna.
• Shimano Tiagra 50W LRS is regarded as the “Rolls-Royce” in trawling for tuna.

Pair them with high-quality fishing rods for maximum fight and feel.

Line and Leaders That Hold

Tuna hit hard and run fast. Your line setup must be dialled in:

• Recommended braids for the job are:
• Grinder X8 Braid – Ultra-strong and abrasion-resistant, this braid casts like a dream and handles big runs. It is a very good budget option. Buy Grinder X8 Braid here now. 
• JDB DNA X8 braid in 80lb strand.
• Power Pro V2 80lb braid.

Our recommended monofilament line is:

• ANDE premium in pink or monster line in 80 lb in blue, premium line at a higher price.
• Maxima 37kg tuna blue cost-effective line.
• Triple fish line 37kg in yellow so that you can see your trolling line.

If we look at leaders, we will use the following:

• Wind on the leader 150lb for our trolling setups.
• 150lb Ultimate shock leader or Double X shock leader 10 meters on our stripping setup for baiting.
• Fluorocarbon 4 meters after a 10-meter shock leader, which then gets knotted onto the hook.
• The fluorocarbon we will use is 80-lb pink Fishman fluoro or Seaguar 80-lb pink for when the fish is under your boat and does not want to bite.
• I use Fluorocarbon 100lb as our go-to option in pink, Fishman pink fluoro, clear Ultimate fluorocarbon 100lb, or Double X clear fluorocarbon 100lb.
• We recommend using a 130-lb line when there are really big fish, but it is not the norm.
• We use pure fluorocarbon to chafe the line in the fish’s mouth. This helps prevent the fish from cutting through the line with its teeth, especially in a long fight with a big fish. The other advantage of pure fluorocarbon is that it is almost invisible to the fish in the water.

Check Jacita’s range of leaders and braid spools online. Stock up before the season heats up.

Saltwater Lures That Get Bit

Tuna are predators. Trigger a strike with these proven lures:

• Williamson Speed Pro Deep 160 – It dives deep, swims true at high speed, and drives tuna wild. A Cape Canyon favourite. Buy Williamson Speed Pro 160 lure here now.

• Rapala X-Rap Magnum 30 or 40– A proven troll lure for Yellowfin and Bigeye. Buy Rapala X-Rap Magnum 30 lure here now.

• Mix up your spread and run lures at different depths and distances. Change colours often, especially when fish follow but don’t commit.

• Please remember to change the hooks on your trolling lures. The hooks are normally not strong enough for the tuna that become very big in our Cape waters.

• We recommend either the VMC 5X strong 4/0, BKK Raptor 4/0, or the new perfectly balanced Mustad jaw lock 5X 4/0 treble hooks for your 30—or 40-inch Rapala or 160-inch Speed Pro lure.
• When changing your treble hooks, please remember to keep the single welded piece of the treble hook in the same direction as the hook fitted on the lure.
• All the trolling lures get balanced with the treble hook facing toward the welded piece on the treble hook. 
• When you replace the treble, it must be kept in the same direction.
• Fishermen sometimes complain that the lure is not swimming correctly, but the hooks are replaced incorrectly 95% of the time. 

We also use topwater trolling lures as follows:

• We use Williamson Birds (10-inch birds). The colour does not really matter; it is the reaction it creates that helps attract the fish. 
• It is normally pulled in front of a spreader bar or a daisy chain that mimics a school of bait fish. 
• We put a stinger behind the spreader bar or the daisy chain, which the fish will bite on.
• We also use that flippy floppy thing to create an attraction behind the boat and pull a stinger behind it, which the fish will bite on.
• The stinger is 12-inch in size, and various colors work. A white stinger has recently become a big favorite for catching trophy-size tuna on the trawl.
• Lipless trolling lures that run mid-water, such as the HALCO MAX 190 and the HALCO trembler, have also proven very successful in catching tuna.

For popping, the following poppers work well:

• Rapala X-RAP Magnum Xplode 170 popper for flatter sea conditions.
• We recommend the Halco Roosta popper 195 size in various colors for more choppy sea conditions.

The following stick baits also work well:

• Seal point 5oz stick baits in white, pink, green, or yellow when the tuna is feeding on baitfish, and you can not get them to bite.
• Rapala X-rap magnum stick 17 lure in various colors.

What else do you need to catch tuna?

• You will need a short and long gaff to gaff the fish close to the boat.
• Also, you will need a Dexter 8-inch or 9-inch knife to cut the fish and bleed it.
• A reamer is also needed to ream the fish down its spine so that it does not damage your boat or hurt your crew. It also improves the quality of the fish meat.
• You also need a black magic harness to fight the fish; otherwise, it will be painful.
• You will need a high-quality pair of scissors to cut your bait for chumming.
• Lastly, you will need a Hoodlum X4 6/0, 8/0, or 10/0 hooks for baiting.

Top Tuna Tips

• Always check your drag before you put the line in the water. One mistake and it’s game over. Your strike drag on your trolling and baiting setups should be 10kg at most if you use 80lb line.
• Bleed your tuna immediately after landing. It improves taste and reduces spoilage.
• Look for floating debris. Tuna love hanging below kelp, logs, and other structures.
• Bring a fighting belt and harness. Your back and your legs will thank you.

Jacita Tackle and Outdoor Has You Covered

Jacita Tackle and Outdoor is your go-to for South African tuna fishing from gear to guidance. We stock only proven rods, reels, lines, and lures designed for our local waters. Browse online or visit our store for advice from anglers who’ve done the hard yards.

Trophy tuna, don’t wait. Gear up, get out there, and make it count. Jacita.co.za – Your adventure starts here.