# Rig fishing



## FTLA (May 2, 2012)

You guys that run out to the rigs.. the patronis I believe is the closest one? Is the tuna fishing mainly at night?
If pitching cut bait are you using cut menhaden/cigs or is cut Bonita the go to?
I have read some reports that say you couldn’t get close to the rig possibly because they were drilling. How do you find this out? Is there a VHF channel to monitor?


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## Cjperciavalle (Aug 23, 2017)

Yes that is correct, Patronis is the first deep water rig. If the bite is good you can catch them whenever. It just depends. Chunk poggies, bf, king, or whatever you can get. They will
Let you know if you are to close but typical they don’t mind unless they are working in the water. Don’t get bummed out if you don’t catch a YF your first trip. It takes time to get them figured out. And once you boat one the addiction is real. Good luck


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## Boardfeet (Sep 27, 2007)

Chunk Boston Mackerel


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## panhandlephinsphan (Aug 25, 2008)

My personal preference: use jigs to catch blackfin then use the blackfin for chunking Or if you catch some small guys, put them back down on a hook. Unless of course you took the time to get a bunch of hard tail on the way out then use your live hard tails. 

I have had much better luck overnight. BUT i have not stayed there all day to test my theory That night time is better. At night I can loop around. Rig slowly and see fish most of the time, that has not been the case during the day for me. 

I am still learning too so open to feedback on anything I said.

hope that helps,


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## panhandlephinsphan (Aug 25, 2008)

One additional note: last trip out i fished Petronius overnight and the sharks were horrible. I don’t know if it is like that all of the time at that rig or not. I have not had them that thick at other rigs I have fished.


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## FTLA (May 2, 2012)

You guys ever have any luck at any closer rigs? There’s one about 40miles from Pensacola pass..


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## Cjperciavalle (Aug 23, 2017)

FTLA said:


> You guys ever have any luck at any closer rigs? There’s one about 40miles from Pensacola pass..


I’m not sure what rig your talking about but if it’s only 40 miles from pcola it won’t hold tuna. I’m in oba and the first tuna rig is 65 miles south west.


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## FTLA (May 2, 2012)

Cjperciavalle said:


> I’m not sure what rig your talking about but if it’s only 40 miles from pcola it won’t hold tuna. I’m in oba and the first tuna rig is 65 miles south west.


Ok, I found a map of rig locations and it showed a bunch of stations closer than the patronius. Was hoping to fish one alittle closer the first time and work my way out.


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## Cjperciavalle (Aug 23, 2017)

FTLA said:


> Ok, I found a map of rig locations and it showed a bunch of stations closer than the patronius. Was hoping to fish one alittle closer the first time and work my way out.


Anything closer isn’t gonna be worth fishing for tuna. I’m not saying there is no chance in getting lucky on a closer rig but typically the “tuna grounds” start at patronius. And that rig isn’t always a guarantee.


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## FenderBender (Oct 2, 2007)

Cjperciavalle said:


> Anything closer isn’t gonna be worth fishing for tuna. I’m not saying there is no chance in getting lucky on a closer rig but typically the “tuna grounds” start at patronius. And that rig isn’t always a guarantee.


Yep. Petronius, Marlin, Beer Can, Ram all called the Ghetto for a reason. They were all that was ever in range for my boat though. Still plenty of YFTs hanging around there, but as you said no guarantees. 

I’ve had some of the best luck with tuna as incidental catches as the Spur.


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