Epic Tuna Fishing with Topwater Poppers

Catching Tuna on Topwater Poppers

As an angler, there is nothing more exciting than having big tuna busting bait on the surface. When the conditions align and you find a school actively feeding, topwater popper fishing can lead to epic encounters. I recently experienced one of those insane days where tuna were free jumping everywhere and crushing anything you could throw at them. It was popper chaos at its finest!

Locating Surface Feeding Tuna

Finding tuna feeding on the surface is often a combination of luck and strategy. The most consistent times to locate this kind of action is early in the morning or late afternoon when baitfish are herded near the surface. However, busting tuna can happen at any point when bait schools are corralled.

When scanning the ocean, look for splashing, boils, or swirls on the surface which indicate tuna attacking from below. Flocking seabirds diving into the water are also a giveaway that bait is being pushed to the surface. Once a school is spotted, quickly make your way over while the feeding frenzy continues.

Choosing the Right Topwater Popper

Having the proper popper for the situation will make a difference in drawing explosive strikes. Poppers between 3 to 6 inches long that move a lot of water work well for tuna. It's best to have an assortment of poppers in different colors like pink, white, black, blue, etc. to give you options.

I prefer poppers with strong tuna grade treble hooks that can handle their powerful bites. The trebles should be positioned to have one at the rear and two hooks underneath at the front. This allows for solid hook penetration as fish attack the popper head on.

Working the Popper in the Tuna School

Once anchored near the feeding tuna, start casting your popper beyond the school and aggressively work it back through the fish. Employ a sporadic retrieve by jerking your rod tip up and down to make the popper walk and splatter across the surface.

You want an erratic side to side chugging action that imitates wounded baitfish. Work it as fast as you can while still maintaining the noisy commotion. Let it sit in place for two seconds until the ripples subside then abruptly jerk it forward again.

The takes will be vicious so make sure to have a tight grip! Set the hook immediately when a tuna engulfs your popper and get ready for a blistering first run!

Fighting Tuna on Popper Gear

Since most popper setups utilize 30-50 lb braided line on medium powered spinning tackle, you have to be strategic fighting tuna. Letting them take drag on initial runs is critical before attempting to work them back up towards the boat.

Use your reel's drag system along with pumping and reeling techniques to steadily gain control, but understand these fish will have sudden blistering runs at any moment. If doing catch and release, work them in quickly, avoid playing them to complete exhaustion.

Insane Topwater Popper Fishing Action

Witnessing big bluefin and yellowfin tuna blowing up on poppers on the surface is about as exciting as it gets! On the right day, popper fishing delivers heart pounding strikes and chaotic battles with the ocean's strongest game fish. Just be prepared for sore arms after repeatedly launching poppers to hungry tuna!

FAQs

What time of day is best to find tuna busting bait?

The most consistent times to locate surface feeding tuna is early morning around sunrise or late afternoon around sunset when baitfish are herded near the surface.

What size popper is best for chunky tuna?

Poppers between 3 to 6 inches long that displace a lot of water and imitate wounded baitfish work best for large, aggressive tuna.

How do you work a popping lure for tuna?

Aggressively jerk the rod tip to make the popper walk side to side while producing loud chugging noises. Let it pause briefly then abruptly twitch it forward again. Vary the cadence to mimic sporadic baitfish movement.

What rod and reel setup is ideal for topwater tuna fishing?

A 7-8 foot medium powered spinning rod paired with a 5000-6000 size reel spooled with 30-50 lb braided line works well. You need sufficient casting distance and leverage to work poppers.

How long should you fight a tuna on popper tackle?

Avoid prolonged battles that completely exhaust tuna. Use lighter drag settings and be strategic with pumping/reeling to land them within a reasonable time, especially if catch and release fishing.