Tuna Time
Murphy Sportfishing
New Albacore Tuna Fishing Trip!
Albacore tuna have replaced the once lucrative commercial salmon troll fishery on Vancouver Island. For the past 6-8 years commercial salmon trollers have been working the waters off the West Coast of Vancouver Island for Albacore tuna.
This fishery relies on the warm waters that creep up from the south usually around the middle of August. Tuna like water that is 59-64 degrees and when that warm water hits Vancouver Island it is game on.
The Kyuquot area is the closest the continental shelf comes to British Columbia and it is this same reason that salmon and tuna fishing is so good. For salmon we rely on the salmon highway which the 50 fathom line (300ft edge) that runs from Brooks Peninsula to the Esperanza corner, which is 20 miles south of Brooks Penninsula. A little farther out is a similar line that is 1000 fathoms(6000 feet) and is quickly becoming the Tuna Highway. For example in Ucluelet which is further south on Vancouver Islands West Coast at 25 miles offshore the water is 300 feet deep in Kyuquot at 25 miles offshore it is 5000 feet deep!
Once offshore the water will become tropical blue and you will see schools of dolphins and many creatures that you don't see near the coast. You will also find a fleet of commercial tuna boats. On most days 30-40 commercial boats is the norm and they are a sure sign that you are in the right area.
The only thing that can stop you from getting there is the weather. Weather is 100% the father of this fishery. You need calm seas to make the run and to have successful days out there. We troll at 6-8 miles an hour and on occasion we reach 40 miles offshore so not just good weather in the morning but all day.
We are adding a couple of tuna trips to the calendar. Actually Kyuquot trips with the chance at tuna. To give you the best opportunity we have made two Kyuquot trips one day longer, to give you a better window to get offshore. Generally the weather is good and the warm water currents are the closest the last week of August and with a bit of luck it will hold true for this year.
The most productive method for tuna fishing is using commercial style gear, which is dacron hand lines, If you're on the fish it's the quickest way to load up. You can also use rods and reels. We are set up for both.
The Murphy website has a dedicated tuna page now, including a video from one of our tuna trips last year.