Top 10 Pelagic Fishing Tips

Pelagic fishing on the Great Barrier Reef is an exhilarating experience. These awesome fish inhabit the open ocean - including species like Tuna, Marlin, Spanish Mackerel and Mahi-mahi - and are an absolute challenge to catch.

I hope these 10 tips for catching pelagic fish help you hook up:

1. Find the right location: Pelagic fish are often found in areas with deep water, strong currents, and plenty of baitfish. Look for areas where water temperatures change rapidly, or where underwater structures like seamounts or ridges create upwelling currents that attract baitfish.
   
   
2. Use the right bait: Pelagic fish are known for their voracious appetites and will often strike at a wide variety of baits. Try using live baitfish like sardines or squid, or lures that mimic their movements.
   
   
3. Troll at the right speed: Pelagic fish are fast swimmers, so it's important to troll (depending on the species you're targeting), between 5 and 10 knots.
   
   
4. Vary your trolling depth: Pelagic fish will often swim at different depths, so it's a good idea to vary the depth at which you're trolling your bait or lure. This can be achieved by using either shallow or deep diving lures to reach different columns of water.
   
   
5. Pay attention to the weather: Pelagic fish are often more active and easier to catch in certain weather conditions. Look for days with overcast skies, choppy seas, and changing barometric pressure, as these conditions can stimulate feeding activity.
   
   
6. Use polarized sunnies: These help you spot pelagic fish swimming near the surface of the water. Look for shadows or disturbances in the water, and keep your eyes peeled for birds diving into the water, which can indicate a school of baitfish.
   
   
7. Stay alert: Pelagic fish can strike at any time, so it's important to stay alert and ready to set the hook. Keep your fishing rod in your hand at all times, and be ready to reel in your bait or lure quickly when you get a strike.
   
   
8. Use the right gear: Pelagic fish are strong swimmers and can put up a tough fight, so it's important to use heavy-duty fishing gear that can handle the stress. Make sure your fishing rod, reel, line, and hooks are all strong and in good condition. Investing in high-quality, durable tackle designed for pelagic fishing will increase your chances of success and ability to handle these powerful game fish. Some of my favourites are: ATC Vigilance Reel, Venom GT Popper Rod, Venom V-stick Lure, Mustad Circle Hooks
   
   
9. Be patient: Catching pelagic fish can require a lot of patience and persistence. Don't get discouraged if you don't get a bite right away, and be willing to experiment with different baits, lures, and techniques until you find what works.
   
   
10. Practice catch and release: Pelagic fish are important to the ocean ecosystem, and many species are vulnerable to overfishing. Whenever possible, practice catch and release, and only keep what you need for food. Please be mindful of protecting our precious fish resources and follow a few simple practices to keep them going strong for fellow anglers: use circle hooks to reduce the risk of injury to fish, and safely release fish that you're not going to eat.

Overall, pelagic fishing on the GBR is such an exciting and rewarding experience, offering the opportunity to catch a variety of game fish in one of the most beautiful and diverse marine environments in the world. I hope you hook up to some absolute stonkers!

Tight Lines fishos, Bergie