Atlantic Bluefin Tuna
Thunnus thynnus
FR Thon rouge · ES Atún rojo · IT tonno rosso · DE Roter Thun
Also known as: Bluefin TunaNorthern Bluefin TunaAtún RojoThon RougeAtúnThon rouge du nordAtún rojoThon rougeRoter Thuntonno rosso
PelagicBoat
Gamefish
Score
—
Prime time
Summer–autumn; daytime surface feeds and trolling
Depth
0–300m
Platform
Boat
Season
JanMarJunSepDec
Peak Jun–SepGood May–Oct
Depth range
0–300mDeep
Best fishing techniques
Trolling85%
Jigging65%
Spinning60%
Findr bio
Ocean freight train with a switchblade tail — I run hot, hit hard, and I'll strip your reel clean before you've worked out what just happened.
How to catch
Favourite hangouts
Open seaDeep water
Recommended baits
Fish baitsArtificial baitsSpinners
Diet
Sand eelSquidAnchovyKrillSmall fish
Effective techniques
TrollingJiggingSpinning
Gear
Best times
DawnDayDusk
I'm the biggest tuna in the ocean — nearly warm-blooded, and one of mine sold for $3.1 million at a Tokyo fish market.
Field notes
Where to find them
Cold-to-temperate offshore Atlantic feeding grounds
Where they hang out
Well offshore, surface to mid-water
Prime time
Summer–autumn; daytime surface feeds and trolling
Tide game
Low; temperature breaks and bait schools matter most
What they're into
Trolled lures, jigs, live/chunk bait; eats herring, mackerel, squid
Temperature vibe
Broadly tolerant, follows baitfish migrations
Fave weather
Moderate seas workable; watch for surface feeding activity
Fun fact about me
Warm-blooded overachiever — I heat my own muscles to outswim the neighbours.
Dinner material?
10/10Excellent eating
Play by the rules
Strict permits and quotas — highly regulated speciesNOAA Fisheries / ICCAT
Looking after them
Least Concern