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Nothing beats kicking the offshore season off early, especially when you're returning back to port from the faraway frontier with a tasty fish tale...while other guys are rinsing off their bass gear. Who needs to wait until mid July anymore to catch tuna? The answer is nobody. Just like in the late 90's, vast bodies of schooling bluefin tuna were in town early, invading the waters east of Chatham and on Stellwagon Bank. I found it hard to believe when I first heard the rumors flying around that there were big fish spotted by lobstermen in Cape Cod Bay in late May year after year. Then I heard more rumors, from friends of mine, that guys were catching fish. I received most of the calls while I was fastened to the helm...conducting bass charters. That was 2007. In 2008, we were right there to cash in on some fantastic early season fishing! We did it again in '09 and '10 too! It doesn't take long for us to start the scramble, for the cab of my truck to be full of bass rods, and my cockpit smothered in squid rigs and live bait leaders. I planned ahead this year as my mates and I loaded up the freezer with fresh caught and hydro-gutted mackerel. I always start the season by getting some fresh macks. My mate Scotty and I spent a day preparing these tasty critters. It was well worth it! I also loaded up on a fresh load of ballyhoo. If you're interested in good quality fresh bait, Castafari Inc can help you make it happen. Please call us for details, and we will hook you up! For those interested, the stuff they carry is the same stuff I use, and its all quality bait. We also caught a bunch of fresh squid in Nantucket sound, and vacuum sealed those things in a little red food coloring and kosher salt brine. When we ran out, we used PanaPesca squid and those baits worked out great! If you're interested in learning more about how to catch, prepare, store, and rig your own bait, all of those tactics will be featured in the upcoming Castafari/Hook-Up BIG GAME BASH seminar series in 2011.

The bluefin tuna fishery is a lot of fun for two reasons. You usually return home with enough tuna to feed your neighborhood. The second is that the fishing begins in June! When things kick off out there, the early fish are hungry and not very skittish. After all, they've been on the move, working their way north, on their annual migration, and when they finally take up residence for the summer in the great south channel, they get right down to business eating almost everything that swims and fits between their jaws. The waters north of the canyons, and even outside of the shelf are usually littered with bluefin tuna as well in the early season. Squid rigs always seem to work this time of year, simply because squid is the primary course on the bluefin's menu during their northerly trek through offshore waters. We step things up a notch on the Castafari though, using a variety of natural swimming baits as stingers. All of our tricks will be featured in the Big Game Bash! Once the fish arrive east of Chatham, Stellwagon, and south of the Vineyard, they begin to prey on herring, sandeels, and mackerel along with the local whale population, but squid are still on the bluefin's mind...believe me. We like to mix it up a bit and troll natural swimming baits as well as bars, depending on the light and sea conditions, but regardless of what mother nature has in store. This passed season, there were big fish, 70 inch plus, showing up around Provincetown and Stellwagon Bank. Their migration seems to be along the continental shelf until they hit Hydrographer Canyon where they then turn north into the Great South Channel... Then they wind up on the bank. The fish remain there throughout the season, but the most productive times to fish are in June, July, October, and November.

We experienced some fantastic action in 2010. We hooked 4 small giants in June, all caught on live bait fished from a kite. We caught tuna fish on all but 2 outings this year. Some of our most productive trips were canyon trips converted into bluefin trips as a result of rough weather in the middle of summer. On our first early trip out we caught a bunch of fish, including a fat 74 inch butterball with Castafari celebrity guest, Allan Mullaney on-board. This is the second year in a row for Al and his crew to catch a commercial fish. We also welcomed 6 time returning guest, Greg Adamovich and crew who caught 4 fish, 2 of them were giants! All of out early season fish are caught employing stand-up gear. It's a total blast! What a way to start the season! The early morning action was incredible. We had a few slow trips too where we found the fish, but they wouldn't cooperate. Things did slow down in early July like they always do, but thats when we start to focus on canyon fishing. Every season is different. If you are planning to fish with us in 2010, keep in mind that I usually catch my own live bait and will guarantee that the live-well will be full! This type of adventure would include an early departure at 3am so that we can be there before the sun crawls out of the horizon. The Castafari is usually the first to arrive and the last to leave. You can count on it.

We also experienced some tremendous tuna fishing late in the season out there too. We start these fall tuna trips when our canyon fishing outings end which is usually around the latter part of September. This year we experienced some incredible giant tuna action, winding up the season with 13 fish.. On all days but a couple, we latched onto some amazing fish. On our bluefin trips produced fishing on the troll with fish from 50 to 800 pounds clobbering just about everything we towed behind the transom. On many days, the ocean's surface was teaming with schools of pushing and jumping tuna... Make sure to bring a video camera. You'll be amazed at what you see. We also pounced on some incredible chunking action that took place in the fall. Some days we were close to home in cape cod bay, and on other days we were at Georges Bank! The result was some kick ass tuna fishing...or should I say ass kicking...haha. The Eddy brothers, Eric Buddenhagen, John Kemp, Rob West, and Ted Brown all caught 500 pound plus fish. The Castafari will go to where we need to go to find them...end of story. In 2010 we ran 130 miles...one way to find fish...and we found them;) If we catch a giant, the charter keeps 1/3 of the proceeds of the fish. If we catch 2 or 3...even better!

The early season from late June right through mid July and the late season from late September through October is prime time for catching good size bluefin tuna. We are planning to fish offshore the entire month of June and into July for bluefin. If the weather keeps us from reaching the canyons, bluefin tuna outings can save the day as they are usually a mere 15 to 25 miles from shore all season long. So keep that in mind if you have a canyon trip booked with us. Looking forward to getting back at it sooner than later! Tight lines.