By Captain Jesse Capwell | Warbird Fishing Charters, Stuart FL
(Treasure Coast Fishing · Offshore Charters · Blackfin Tuna Report)
This time of year is one of my favorites offshore. When the water temp is right and the bait stacks on the reefs, blackfins show up in real numbers — and when they do, it’s game on.
🐟 Blackfin Tuna – The Main Attraction This Month
Blackfin tuna are the biggest story right now along the Treasure Coast. They’re one of the hardest-fighting pelagics we get here, and they’re showing up in good numbers, keeping the adrenaline high all trip long. We’ve been finding most of our action on offshore wrecks in 150–250 feet of water, along deep reef edges where the current stacks the bait, under birds working tight bait balls, and along temperature breaks about 6–10 miles out. When we get clean water with a good push of current, it usually doesn’t take long before rods start bending.
🔥 How the Bite Has Been
The blackfin bite has been strongest in the morning and late afternoon, when the sun is lower, bait is tighter, and the fish push up to feed. The hits have been aggressive, with live baits getting crushed fast and running hard. The action has stayed consistent, with actual schools moving through rather than just random singles. We’re seeing solid football-size blackfins, but the exciting part is the bigger ones mixed in — fish pushing 25 to even 30+ pounds. When those larger units hit, they dig hard and test every bit of your drag. It’s the kind of fight you don’t forget.
🔥 Other Species Showing Up This Month
Alongside the blackfins, we’re also seeing kingfish working the reef line, mahi scattered around weed patches, sailfish showing on clean water pushes, and snapper chewing on the bottom when the current slows down. But the spotlight this month belongs to the blackfin tuna, hands-down.
🎣 Best Tactics Right Now
Live sardines are still the top producer and the quickest way to get tight when the fish are up high. Slow-pitch jigs have been great for aggressive tuna down in the column, especially when the current is right. Trolling small feathers is an easy way to cover ground and locate scattered fish. Vertical baiting over wrecks is always effective — drop a live bait into the zone and hang on. And when blackfins push bait to the surface, throwing poppers has been explosive. You see the strike, hear it, and feel it. It’s one of the most exciting ways to hook tuna off Stuart.
📍 Why Blackfin Tuna Fishing Is So Good in Stuart
Stuart sits in a perfect spot between the Gulf Stream and our natural reef system. When the water pushes in clean, we get bluewater conditions right on top of our structure. That creates heavy current edges, tight bait concentrations, steady bird activity, and short runs to the action. It’s one of the reasons we have some of the most reliable blackfin tuna fishing on Florida’s east coast.
🎣 Ready to Chase Blackfin Tuna?
If you’re looking for high-energy offshore action with a real shot at bigger tunas mixed in, this is the month to fish. Blackfins are powerful, fast, and they put on a show — especially when they blow up on poppers. I’ll get you on the fish.
