Bigeye Tuna Fishing Guide: Deep Drop and Nighttime Tactics

Bigeye tuna are the heavyweights of the canyon. They grow past 400 pounds, pull like a freight train, and produce some of the finest sashimi-grade meat in the ocean. But they don't make it easy. Bigeyes spend most of the day cruising canyon walls at 200 to 1,000 feet, only rising toward the surface after dark to hunt squid and baitfish. If you want to catch them consistently, you need to fish when and where they feed - and that means nighttime.

The mid-Atlantic canyons from Hudson to Norfolk are ground zero for bigeye tuna fishing on the East Coast. The fish show up in late June as water temps push past 70 degrees and stick around until late fall when temps drop below 65. If you're willing to put in the hours (and lose some sleep), bigeyes reward preparation like few other species.

Understanding Bigeye Behavior

Bigeye tuna are vertical migrators. During daylight hours, they break down along canyon edges, often reaching 1,500 feet or more. Their oversized eyes are built for low-light hunting, and they're perfectly adapted to feed in conditions where yellowfin and bluefin can't compete. As the sun drops, bigeyes rise through the water column to feed on squid and baitfish near the surface.

They tend to travel in small groups of three to five fish, which means multiple hookups are common when you find them. Look for them along the 800 to 1,200 foot contour lines on canyon walls. The tips of canyons and structure on the northwest sides of temperature breaks are consistent producers.

Pilot whales are one of the best indicators of bigeye presence. Both species feed heavily on squid, so where you find whales working a canyon edge, bigeyes are often nearby. A hard northeast wind can also signal a good bite - it pushes warm water against the canyon walls and concentrates bait.

Nighttime Trolling

Night trolling is the most proven technique for targeting bigeye tuna in the canyons. The fish come up from the depths after dark to feed, and a well-run trolling spread intercepts them as they move through the upper water column.

The standard setup runs four rods in the 50 to 100 pound class. Penn International 50VSW or Shimano TLD 50 LRS reels are the workhorses for this fishery. Spool them with 65-pound braided line and add a 25-foot top shot of 200-pound monofilament. Connect to an 8-foot leader of 200-pound fluorocarbon with an 11/0 circle hook. Epic Fishing Co. double crimp sleeves make clean, reliable crimped connections on heavy leaders.

Lure selection changes as the night progresses. Early in the evening, run darker colors - blue and purple combinations or blue and crystal skirts work well over rigged ballyhoo. After 11 PM, switch to crystal skirts and glow patterns. The glow skirts and bullets stand out in the pitch-dark water column where bigeyes are actively hunting.

Troll at 6 to 8 knots along canyon edges, following the contour lines. Vary your speed periodically - bigeyes respond to changes in lure action. Run your spread at staggered distances: short corner, long corner, short rigger, and long rigger. This covers different depths and gives the fish options. For a deeper dive on trolling setups, check our trolling speed chart.

Deep Drop Drifting

Deep drop drifting is the daytime approach to bigeye tuna. The concept is simple: set up a drift along a canyon wall, deploy baits at depth, and let the current carry your spread through the strike zone where bigeyes are holding.

Deploy three to four rods at staggered depths - 150 feet, 100 feet, and one free-lined near the surface. Use 65-pound braided line like Power Pro Depth Hunter (the color-coded markings let you track exact depth) with a 65-pound mono top shot connected with a stainless steel ball bearing swivel. The swivel prevents line twist during long drifts and keeps your connection points strong.

Fresh chunk bait is the go-to for deep dropping. Cut butterfish, mackerel, or squid into strips and rig them on 9/0 to 11/0 circle hooks. The circle hook is critical here because bigeyes are known for their "paper mouth" - the soft tissue around their jaw tears easily, and circle hooks set in the corner of the mouth where the tissue is strongest.

A chum slick helps pull bigeyes up from depth. Run a Chumchunker or similar device to spread chunks downcurrent while your baits soak. The combination of scent trail and visual cues brings fish up the water column to investigate. Deep drop weights in the 16 to 32 ounce range keep your baits in the strike zone during strong current.

Where and When to Find Bigeyes

The Northeast canyons are the primary battleground for bigeye tuna on the Atlantic coast. Hudson Canyon, the Tails, the Dip, and the 100 Square have all produced big numbers in recent years. Look for sharp drop-offs along the 100-fathom line, where the bottom falls away fast and creates upwellings that concentrate bait.

Bigeyes move up the coast from the Carolinas starting in late June. By late July, they've settled into the canyons from Hudson to the Hague Line, and they'll hold there until water temps drop below 65 degrees in late fall. The peak bite typically runs from August through October.

Water temperature is everything. Bigeyes want temps above 70 degrees at the surface, with cooler water below. Temperature breaks are magnets - fish the edges where warm and cool water collide, especially on the northwest sides of breaks where current pushes bait against structure. Our tuna fishing guide covers general tuna patterns in more detail.

Tackle and Rigging

Bigeye tuna tackle needs to handle fish that regularly push past 200 pounds and fight straight down. Here's the proven setup:

• Rods: 50 to 100 pound class stand-up rods, 5'6" to 6' length
• Reels: Two-speed lever drag (Penn International 50VSW, Shimano TLD 50 LRS, or similar)
• Main line: 65-80lb braided line with color-coded depth markings
• Top shot: 25 feet of 200-pound monofilament, connected with a Spro power swivel
• Leader: 8 feet of 200-pound fluorocarbon
• Hooks: 9/0 to 11/0 circle hooks for bait, 11/0 for trolling lures
• Crimps: Heavy-wall brass crimp sleeves for all crimped connections

For trolling, run your lures behind ball bearing swivels to prevent line twist. A quality swivel is cheap insurance when a 250-pound bigeye starts spinning on the way up. Piano wire in the heavier gauges works for building custom rigs and attaching hooks to trolling lures.

The Epic Axis trolling lure pulls double duty for bigeye and wahoo. Its stainless steel construction runs true at speed and holds up to the punishment that big pelagics dish out. Run it in the short corner position for maximum visibility.

Bigeye vs. Yellowfin: Telling Them Apart

Bigeye and yellowfin tuna look very similar, especially in the 80 to 120 pound range where their sizes overlap. Here are the key differences:

• Eyes: Bigeyes have noticeably larger eyes relative to body size
• Pectoral fins: Bigeye pectorals reach to the second dorsal fin but are shorter than those of large yellowfin
• Dorsal fin color: The first dorsal on a bigeye is deep yellow; the second dorsal and anal fins are blackish brown or yellow with possible black edges
• Liver: The definitive test. Bigeye tuna have a striated (striped) liver margin with both lobes nearly equal in size. Yellowfin have a smooth liver with a clearly larger right lobe

Why does it matter? Bigeye tuna have different regulations than yellowfin, and misidentification can lead to violations. The minimum size for bigeye is 27 inches curved fork length with no bag limit. Always check current NOAA regulations before your trip. For more on targeting yellowfin specifically, see our yellowfin tuna fishing guide.

Tips for More Bigeye Tuna

• Fish the dark of the moon. Bigeye feed more aggressively on darker nights when their low-light vision gives them the biggest advantage over prey.
• Watch for pilot whales. They share the same squid diet and often indicate bigeye presence on canyon edges.
• Use circle hooks. Bigeyes have soft mouths that tear easily. Circle hooks set in the corner of the jaw and dramatically reduce pulled hooks.
• Vary your trolling speed. Changes in lure action trigger strikes. Bump your speed up and down by half a knot every 15 to 20 minutes.
• Stay on the edge. Work the 100-fathom contour line rather than drifting out over deep open water. Bigeyes use canyon structure as ambush points.
• Ice and bleed immediately. Bigeye tuna are premium sashimi fish. Core temp needs to come down fast - a slurry of ice and saltwater is the best method.

Bigeye tuna fishing isn't a casual day trip. It demands long runs, overnight anchoring, and the willingness to fish through the dark hours when most anglers are sleeping. But when a 200-pound bigeye loads up your rod at 2 AM in the middle of Hudson Canyon, every minute of lost sleep pays off. The swordfish anglers share those same canyon walls - check our swordfish fishing guide if you want to double your options on overnight trips.

Match your technique to the conditions, trust your electronics, and keep your baits fresh. The bigeyes will do the rest. Tight lines.

Questions about bigeye tuna tackle or rigging? Call us at 888.453.3742 or email help@thetackleroom.com.

Know Before You Go: Regulations change frequently. Always check current size limits, bag limits, seasons, and gear restrictions with NOAA Fisheries before heading out. Bigeye tuna are managed under ICCAT quotas and federal HMS regulations. Visit fisheries.noaa.gov for current Atlantic tuna rules.