Tuna from Scotland?????????????

[Kieran Hanrahan]

Scad are a deep water fish and very small - it is highly unlikely that large Tuna are chasing scad (much less shads!). Tuna seem to fish mostly around the surface layers which would suggest that they like mackerel (they can easily outswim them in terms of straight line speed - the Schumachers of the fish world) and herring as well... both of which leave oily trails in the water. Try contacting the Irish Marine Institute for information on the Gulf Stream and Stanford University has a project ongoing using satellite technology to track the Tuna. I doubt they will tell you where they are (!) but in return for some co-operation they might give you some base line information on currents, temperatures etc.

 

FWIW...

[Ian Burrett]

Thanks for the info Kieran. I will follow up on that.

 

It was one of the sucessful skippers Neil (I didn't get the surname) over in Donegal told me that's what the Tuna are chasing. He recons as the Mackerel shoals are being fished out the Sardine and Scad shoals have moved in.

We catch a few here on the wrecks averaging 1lb

Just for interest, the ozzies rate the Scad as a great bait for shark. It certainly works for the Tope.

[Gillies]

I fish of the Isle of Lewis, on west side of the island - but know nothing about Tuna been caught, so have kept quiet

 

We get the massive (annoyingly massive) shoals of Mackerel in the summer months, along with Herring and Scad mixed in. I don't see why they wouldnt be around.

 

Gillies

[Andrew Boyd]

Tuna were present in the North Sea earlier in the last century, feeding on the huge numbers of Herring until they were fished out by the commercial boats. They reached massive weights and were often fished for by rod and line in small open boats which were towed around by the Tuna for hours. It did not require the gulf steam to raise the sea tempreture just a food source to attract them. Find their food is the simple answer. Remember they are present in many open ocean areas where the sea tempreture is very cold. With regard to feeding depth, Tuna are caught at hugh depth off Gibralta as they migrate into the Med. It must have been luck that they were discovered so who knows what is still to be found around our coasts. Good luck. I would like to see game angling for this species nearer to home, but on a catch and release basis. Main problem would be commercial ( non angling )operators moving in and taking the majority of the stock = Commercial "wreck" fishing .. whats new?

[Vagabond]

Not really nitpicking, cos although tuna will go for any small/medium pelagic fish, (mackerel, herring, scad or shad) the abundance of these four species varies. It may be important to get the ID and migration patterns right!

 

In most places where I have caught scad (W of Ireland, W of Scotland, Irish sea and English Channel) the mackerel is much more abundant - and I wondered if scad are ever abundant enough to attract tuna in their own right. So were I

looking for tuna around the Western Isles, my first thoughts would consider mackerel shoals as the prime pointer.

 

However Gillies offers evidence that scad ARE abundant in his neck of the rocks, so yes, look for both true mackerel and horsies. After all, at times both mackerel and scad are chasing the same brit shoals.

 

Have caught tuna in the Indian ocean and various parts of the Pacific. They certainly go for pacific mackerel, but there are several scad species they go for as well - two scads in particular, called (confusingly) Mackerel Scad and Jack Mackerel.

 

As one poster pointed out, shad was unlikely as tuna prey, but I believe shad shoal in the Western approaches at times (pre-spawning?) - possibly densely enough in places to attract tuna. Because they enter rivers to spawn, shad get clobbered by estuarine netting, and have now got protected status

[Diabolos]

Sounds and looks like you’re trying hard to pull your feet out of your mouth Viagrabond!

 

There are in fact huge numbers of scad present off the North Western tip of Scotland. Tuna running the European continental shelf edge glut on these and declining species such as mackerel and herring.

 

If telling commercial catch patterns mean anything at all, then location of those large scad shoals is the key to finding large tuna and shoals of smaller skips from late June onwards.

[Vagabond]

Diabolos:

 

Viagrabond

Although even at 70 I don't need it yet :cool:

 

Knew scad were up there - just did not think they were that abundant - I know better now!

 

Would like a crack at bluefin myself whilst I am still young enough !

[bob@reefcatfishing]

Well I've probably lurked in these forums long enough, and I can't resist joining in on this one. Just sat down at the PC with a cup of tea, having just come in from a days tuna fishing. I'm in the process of taking over a charter business here on the algarve, and trying to learn a few techniques, so today was tuna trolling.

 

This coast used to be famous for its large runs of giant bluefin, before commercial boats got sophisticated, like having engines etc. There are still a few bluefin about but they are very rare. I've a couple of 80lb class outfits just in case.

 

We were trying for skipjack today, trolling small lures at about 8 knots. Still a bit early for skipjack I'm told, but it was a nice day out.

 

Going wrecking and rock mark fishing tomorrow, and shark fishing on friday, steep learning curve, but great fun.

[Davy Holt]

hiya Bob and welcome to the forum

[Ian Burrett]

Hi Bob and good luck with your new venture.

I was wondering have you chartered before and how easy is it to get licenses in the Algarve