The annual run of school bluefin tuna kicks off every summer along the southern coastline of Australia. It is here, shadowing the abundance of bait schools found in the same offshore regions, that these bluewater bullets fall within reach of many trailerboat owners looking to tussle with one of the better line burning sportfish targets available to southern-based fisho’s right up until late winter.
With fish popping up from east to west the exact when and where can fluctuate depending on location but seasonal patterns tend to emerge and this undoubtedly helps narrow down the search window. Average school fish size can literally range from somewhere around 2kg right through to 30kg and where you are fishing will often dictate what size within the spectrum that you’re likely to encounter. The Great Australian Bight for example is home to a much more juvenile fish population and you’re unlikely to bump heads with fish in excess of 10kg or so here. SW Victoria on the other hand is fairly consistent with providing fish at the upper end of the range.
