Topwater yellowfin tuna fishing evolved into refined styles where popper and stickbait quality, build, and price vary dramatically. Seth Hartwick's extensive lure testing reveals which designs justify investment, how sea conditions affect lure selection and placement, and what tackle components including hooks, split rings, swivels, and leaders create reliable setups withstanding violent tuna strikes.
Topwater Lures for Yellowfin Tuna Fishing with Seth
(00:24:05)Why Has Topwater Yellowfin Tuna Fishing Evolved Into a Refined Style?
How Do Sea Conditions Affect Topwater Lure Selection and Placement?
What Tackle Components Support Topwater Yellowfin Tuna Fishing?
Selecting proper tuna hooks, split rings, swivels, and leader types affects both lure action and landing percentages once fish strike. Hartwick provides recommendations on:
- Hook sizes and configurations maintaining lure swimming characteristics
- Split ring strength withstanding violent yellowfin strikes
- Swivel types preventing line twist during aggressive surface feeding
- Leader materials and construction handling abrasion and shock loads
Understanding how these components function together creates reliable topwater setups rather than hoping inferior tackle survives encounters with powerful tuna.
How Do Rod and Reel Specifications Match Topwater Technique?
Hartwick's recommendations on rods and reels emphasize equipment supporting the unique demands topwater yellowfin tuna fishing creates. Angling techniques for working poppers versus stickbaits require different rod actions and reel retrieve ratios that match presentation styles effectively.
User Reviews
There are no reviews yet.Seth Hartwick
Seth Hartwick is a topwater fishing enthusiast, traveling worldwide to catch GTs and Tuna using big poppers and stickbaits. He values the natural state of the ocean and far off reefs, and has made over 83 overseas trips. Seth has shared adventures with his dad and works as a journeyman lineman for a power company in SE Michigan.
Read more



