To catch a Blue Fin Tuna is an experience that won't be forgotten. This powerful fish will give a fight that could take hours. Either live bait or artificial lures can be used. The best ones are large squid lures over 10". Trolling must be carried out with very good quality reels and rods. The boat must be travelling at a minimum of 7 knots. The best season is from mid June to beginning of August.
Little Tunny
All amatuer sport fishermen in Malta have one day or another caught Little Tunny. They can provide you with lots of fun when they start to bite. These fish are very abundant around our islands especially where there are reef edges. They grow to a quite nice size too but not as large as their cousins. But catching a 6 or 7 lbs Little Tunny is great on a light tackle rod.
Little Tunny
Mediterranean Spearfish
Mediterranean Spearfish
The Mediterranean Spearfish is the equivalent of catching a Marlin in the Pacific. These bill fish do not grow so large though. I have seen specimens of 70 lbs but they don't grow much more than that. Proffesional fishermen have caught specimens of 100 lbs. on long lines. Trolling for Spearfish is very similar to that of Swordfish. Feathers are the best lures. The hooked fish will jump out of the water and perform spectacular jumps. These are the most precarious moments because the fish shakes its head violently to rid of the hook. This fish will tire itself very quickly and after a few short runs it should give up and come close enough to be gaffed. I encourage Maltese fishermen to relaese small specimens so to give this species a chance to reproduce and repopulate the rapidly declining fish population of the Mediterranean Sea.
