Venice, Louisiana is known for its abundant yellowfin tuna fishing, with captains and crews using advanced tactics and techniques. Capt. Josh Howard utilizes trawl boat by-catch to create a healthy chum slick, while In The Spread fishing video teaches ideal baits, chumming, and chunking. Fishing in the Gulf of Mexico relies on working fixed or mobile fish aggregators, making trowl boats an excellent fishing opportunity.
Tuna Fishing - Chunking and Chumming Yellowfin
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Josh Howard
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Chunking and Chumming Yellowfin Tuna in the Gulf of Mexico
Yellowfin tuna fishing in the Gulf of Mexico south of Louisiana operates differently than offshore tuna fishing in most other regions. Instead of searching for bird activity or temperature breaks, productive fishing centers around oil platforms and natural current convergences that create the "green water phenomenon" where nutrient-rich water meets clearer Gulf water. These zones concentrate baitfish and position yellowfin within reach of anglers who understand how to use chunking and chumming techniques around fixed structure rather than drifting open water.
Why Do Yellowfin Tuna Respond to Chunking Around Gulf Platforms?
Oil platforms function as permanent fish aggregators, drawing baitfish that attract predators including yellowfin tuna. Chunking works because it mimics the constant flow of injured or disoriented baitfish moving away from structure in current. Yellowfin cruise these areas looking for easy feeding opportunities, and a consistent chum line triggers competitive feeding behavior. The technique succeeds when current speed, water clarity, and bait presentation align. Captain Josh Howard demonstrates how Gulf yellowfin respond aggressively to dead bait chunks when fish are positioned correctly relative to structure and current flow.
How Do You Adjust Chunking Strategy Based on Conditions?
Water color drives tactical decisions in the Gulf. The green water phenomenon occurs where Mississippi River outflow mixes with clear Gulf water, creating edges where yellowfin stage to ambush bait. Position your boat to work these color breaks, not just the platform itself. Current direction determines where fish hold. In strong current, yellowfin sit downcurrent from platforms, intercepting bait swept away from structure. In lighter current or slack tide, fish spread wider and require adjustments to chum distribution and bait depth.
What Makes Gulf Yellowfin Fishing Different From Other Regions?
Unlike pelagic tuna fishing that depends on locating mobile schools under bird activity, Gulf yellowfin fishing relies on understanding fixed and semi-permanent aggregation points. This changes how you approach chumming. Instead of establishing a drift pattern over open water, you're creating feeding zones around known structure. The strategy requires reading how fish relate to platforms based on current, time of day, and competing species pressure.
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brandon Gregory
08.29.2020
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Josh Howard
Captain Josh Howard owns Deep South Charters and is one of the top offshore captains running out of Venice, Louisiana, the yellowfin tuna capital of the Gulf. He has landed a Louisiana state record bearded brotula and a 127.8-pound greater amberjack, and he specializes in blue marlin, yellowfin, and wahoo. In his In The Spread videos, Howard teaches live chumming, chunking around oil platforms, surface lure selection for yellowfin and blackfin, and the boat positioning that turns Gulf structure into a feeding zone.
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