How to Catch Yellowfin Tuna in the Mid-Atlantic
The short answer
Yellowfin Tuna in the Mid-Atlantic hold on bluewater. They peak Jun–Oct. Start with cut bait: Butterfish chunks drifted on flat lines at the edge while anchored or drifting the canyon rim. First light and last light are prime; chunking works overnight.
When Yellowfin Tuna bite in the Mid-Atlantic
Jun–Oct in the canyons — Norfolk, Washington, Baltimore and Poor Man's
| January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
off | off | off | off | around | peak | peak | peak | peak | peak | around | off |
What to throw for Yellowfin Tuna
Best first. The retrieve matters more than the lure, so each one says how to work it.
- Cut bait — Butterfish chunks drifted on flat lines at the edge while anchored or drifting the canyon rim.
- Jig — Spread of ballyhoo and skirted baits trolled along the 100-fathom line and temperature breaks.
Where to find them
Look for bluewater.
Run to a temperature break or a canyon edge where the chlorophyll line sets up, then look for life — bait marks, whales, weed lines. The overnight chunk bite at the Hot Dog and the Fingers is the classic mid-Atlantic play.
Tide and timing
Tide isn't the driver for yellowfin tuna — first light and last light are prime; chunking works overnight.
Tackle
30–50 lb conventional trolling · fluorocarbon leaders 60–130 lb depending on clarity
Check the regulations
Size and bag limits change by state and by season, and they change more often than any article gets updated. Check your state agency before you keep anything.
Sounder links the right state agency for wherever you drop a pin, and flags a fish that’s out of slot as you log it.