big eyes ocean city md

[savanna lynn]

any info on where and tech on catching big eyes or big yft in ocean city in august

[quack quack]

Use a good SST chart to find a cool water eddy.Then troll like you do for Hoos.Heck they will eat the same lures just put out a squid spreader bar and a daisy chain teaser or two

[savanna lynn]

ok thanks i guess the cnyon are it then any birds or structure

[flcapt]

Most Big Eyes are caught on the drop offs of the Canyons, usually the 100 fathom but many times depending on the temp/bait the bite could be on the 500 or even the 1000 curve. If your planning on trolling for them the main thing that will help you produce more eyes is to have your baits in the water before sun up and then fish right until you cant see your lures anymore at night. Probably 75% of trolled eyes are caught during the first 3 hrs of light and the last 2 hrs.
If you plan on chunking at night, fishing baits (live squid when ever possible) you will usually catch more of them between 100 and 400 deep depending on where the thermo is. Keep an eye on your sounder for bigger fish moving through in these depths and fish where ever you may see life. As with any fish, you can catch them anywhere on just about any bait but those depths and times will bring up your odds of getting an eye.
One little hint, you dont need just the common 12" squid that are jigged in the canyons, bigger is better if you have a choice but use any you can jig or dip net. The biggest eye (330lbs) I ever caught was on 3 - 3" squid on the same hook!

If your trolling be ready for mutiple hook ups, eyes generally come up as a pack and 2's and 3's are more common then a single bite. Not uncommon at all for every rod in the water to go down. Because large tuna go deep you can and often will be able to get most fish in with little problems. Just watch the rods in the holders and tighten the drags if getting low on line and swap the rods around a bit if needed. They will usually not change direction like a school of dolpin will when hooked up so just take your time and fight the ones you need to and have the Capt keep slight forward motion with the boat while you work on them.

Good luck, feel free to aks if you have any more ??

Capt Frank

[savanna lynn]

thanks frank for the tips another question the big yft up there is it the same drill or inside also is there fliers up there and is there a supply of live baits before you get to the grounds
thanks again capt billy

[flcapt]

Live bait as far as what you would use in southern areas is basically not available.
You fish for the YF's basically the same way although they will be caught for longer periods during the day. Fish them further back in your trolling spread and higher in the water column when chunking. The big eyes like trolled baits closer to the boat like Bluefins.
As far as live bait up north at night you can usually catch squid and different times of the year you will get horse-eye mackerel (looks like a shorter / fatter boston mackerel with bigger eyes). If you do get these live baits use them, they cant be beat! In the fall if you get the chance along the beaches and in the bays you can catch small bunker or snapper blues they both work great but they are hard to keep alive if you cont have a very good live well esp if it is a rough 80 miles to the grounds and a long day of trolling. If you can get small croakers they work very good also and they will stay alive for days.
Some days you will see flyers and birds but many many days you may not see any life at all, its not like fishing tuna in southern waters. I have fished a whole season without seeing a flock of birds on fish or fish busting so you need to learn to read the temp charts, bottom and the water if your going to do well. The best thing like anywhere else is try to befriend a local and see when and where the bite has been.

Hope this helps,
Frank

[savanna lynn]

ok many thanks......