{"id":461,"date":"2026-03-01T03:56:46","date_gmt":"2026-03-01T03:56:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fishing-reports.ai\/blog\/?p=461"},"modified":"2026-04-21T06:00:26","modified_gmt":"2026-04-21T06:00:26","slug":"best-lures-tuna-trolling","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fishing-reports.ai\/blog\/best-lures-tuna-trolling\/","title":{"rendered":"Best Tuna Lures for trolling"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Tuna are the hardest-pulling fish in SoCal waters \u2014 and convincing one to eat an artificial lure instead of live bait is one of the most rewarding things you can do on the ocean. Bluefin and yellowfin both respond to lures, but they’re far pickier than species like dorado<\/a> or yellowtail<\/a>. The right lure, fished at the right speed and depth, puts fish on the deck. The wrong one gets ignored while the guy next to you on live bait goes tight.<\/p>\n\n

Bluefin show up in SoCal when water temperatures hit 60\u201372\u00b0F<\/a>, typically from late spring through fall, with the biggest fish arriving in summer. Yellowfin<\/a> prefer warmer water \u2014 68\u00b0F and above \u2014 and overlap with bluefin from midsummer through fall. Both species follow bait \u2014 sardine, anchovy, squid, and mackerel schools that stack up along temperature breaks<\/a> and current edges. Use the SST chart<\/a> and chlorophyll map<\/a> to find productive water where bait is concentrating \u2014 that’s where the tuna will be.<\/p>\n\n

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\u26a1 Quick Picks<\/p>\n

Best trolling lure:<\/strong> Cedar plugs<\/a> \u2014 proven bluefin and yellowfin producer, run them behind every offshore spread.<\/p>\n

Best trolling spread:<\/strong> Zuker feather jigs<\/a> \u2014 run 4\u20136 at staggered distances in blue\/white and black\/purple.<\/p>\n

Best casting lure:<\/strong> Tady 45 surface iron<\/a> \u2014 the SoCal standard when tuna are crashing bait on top.<\/p>\n

Best deep trolling:<\/strong> Rapala X-Rap Magnum<\/a> \u2014 gets down 15\u201320 feet where tuna cruise below the surface.<\/p>\n

Best surface lure:<\/strong> Poppers<\/a> \u2014 when tuna are blowing up on bait, nothing beats a popper eat.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

Trolling Lures<\/h2>\n\n

Trolling is how most tuna trips start \u2014 you cover ground until you mark fish on the meter, find temperature breaks<\/a>, or run into birds working bait. A spread of 4\u20136 lures at staggered distances behind the boat works while you search, and a hookup on the troll often signals a school underneath that you can then stop on and fish with bait or casting lures. Run your spread at 6\u20138 knots for bluefin, 7\u20139 knots for yellowfin.<\/p>\n\n

Cedar Plugs<\/h3>\n

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Bluefin are notoriously boat-shy \u2014 they spook from hull noise and surface disturbance more than any other SoCal tuna. This is what makes cedar plugs the ideal bluefin trolling lure: run them 100\u2013150 feet back and they’re out of the boat’s pressure zone entirely, working through clean, undisturbed water where nervous bluefin feel comfortable eating. For yellowfin, shorter leads (50\u201380 feet) work fine \u2014 they’re less cautious and will track a lure right into the prop wash. Natural cedar and blue\/white are the standard daytime colors; black\/purple silhouettes well from below when fish look up at the sky. Long-range boats running multi-day trips to the bluefin grounds put cedar plugs out every morning for a reason. Carry a dozen minimum \u2014 you’ll lose some to big fish, and a tuna doesn’t care that the finish is scratched.<\/p>\n\n

Feather Jigs (Zuker \/ Tuna Feathers)<\/h3>\n

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Feathers are built for reaction strikes \u2014 the bubble trail at trolling speed triggers tuna that aren’t actively feeding to bite anyway. This matters on bluefin specifically because they frequently go through lockdown phases where they’re present on the meter but refusing bait. A feather at speed looks like a fleeing baitfish and bypasses that lockdown instinct. Run a tuna spread longer than you would for dorado<\/a>: two short positions at 30\u201350 feet, two long at 80\u2013120 feet, and for bluefin add a fifth at 150+ feet for extra standoff distance. Blue\/white, black\/purple, and green\/yellow are the top tuna colors \u2014 blue\/white for clear conditions, black\/purple for dawn and overcast, green\/yellow when yellowfin are mixed in. Use 7\/0\u20139\/0 J hooks \u2014 larger than you’d need for dorado \u2014 and sharpen them before every trip. A dull trolling hook at 7 knots produces bumps instead of hookups. When skipjack or bonito crash a feather, don’t just reel it in \u2014 tuna are frequently following underneath, and that species activity is a signal to drop down or slow down and investigate.<\/p>\n\n

Rapala X-Rap Magnum Series<\/h3>\n

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Bluefin and yellowfin spend a significant portion of the day below the thermocline \u2014 below the 10\u201315 foot layer where cedar plugs and feathers are working. When you’re getting meter marks but not connecting on the troll, the X-Rap Magnum is the fix. At 10\u201320 feet of dive depth, it reaches fish that are present but holding below the surface zone. Cautious bluefin are also more willing to commit at depth than at the surface \u2014 the lure is farther from the boat’s noise and disturbance, and below the thermocline they’re more relaxed and feeding freely. Run the X-Rap on the outside or long positions of your spread at 5\u20137 knots, slightly slower than your feathers and plugs. The 15 and 20 sizes cover most SoCal depths. Bonito, sardine, and pilchard patterns work best on tuna. At $20\u201330 each they’re more expensive than cedar plugs \u2014 losing one to a big bluefin stings \u2014 but on days when everything else is getting ignored, the X-Rap is often the only thing in the spread getting bit.<\/p>\n\n

Casting Lures<\/h2>\n\n

When tuna are on the surface \u2014 crashing bait, boiling, or chasing foamers \u2014 casting lures is how you get the most explosive strikes in SoCal fishing. The window is often short: tuna push bait to the surface, blow up on it for a few minutes, then go back down. You need to be rigged and ready to cast the moment you see the boil. Speed matters \u2014 the first lure in the water is the one that gets bit. For a deep dive on casting technique, see our surface iron guide<\/a> and jigs vs irons vs poppers comparison<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

Surface Iron (Tady 45 \/ Tady 4\/0)<\/h3>\n

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Surface iron is the SoCal standard for tuna on top. When bluefin or yellowfin are crashing bait, a long cast<\/a> with a Tady 45 (2.9 oz) into the boil and a fast, high-speed retrieve is the play. The iron skips across the surface like a fleeing baitfish, and the flash draws strikes from fish already in a feeding frenzy. The heavier Tady 45 gets maximum casting distance \u2014 critical when you’re trying to reach a boil before it goes down. The lighter Tady 4\/0 (2.6 oz) gives you a slightly slower, more erratic action that can trigger bites when fish are pickier. Critical upgrade: replace the factory trebles with Owner ST-66 trebles<\/a> in 2\/0\u20133\/0 \u2014 factory hooks straighten on tuna instantly. For a complete breakdown, see our tuna jigs and irons guide<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

Poppers<\/h3>\n

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A tuna eating a popper<\/a> off the surface is one of the most violent strikes in fishing \u2014 the kind of eat that makes your hands shake. Poppers create a commotion on top that imitates panicked bait, and tuna in feeding mode can’t resist it. For bluefin and yellowfin, you need heavy-duty poppers \u2014 120\u2013180mm in the 2\u20134 oz range \u2014 because these fish pull hard enough to straighten light-tackle popper hooks and break cheap split rings. Nomad Chug Norris<\/a> and Yo-Zuri Bull Popper<\/a> are both proven SoCal tuna poppers. Replace the stock trebles with Owner ST-66s<\/a> immediately. Work them with aggressive pops \u2014 two to three hard rod sweeps, pause, repeat. The pause is often when the fish commits. Sardine, bone, and blue\/white patterns are the top producers in SoCal clear water.<\/p>\n\n

Big Hammer Swimbaits<\/h3>\n

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A 5\u20137 inch soft plastic swimbait on a 1\u20132 oz jig head won’t be the first thing you throw at tuna \u2014 but it can be deadly in specific situations. When tuna are feeding on small bait (sardines, anchovies) and refusing larger iron and poppers, a swimbait matching the bait size gets bit. Cast it into the zone, let it sink to the depth the fish are holding, and retrieve with a moderate, steady pace \u2014 the swimming tail does the work. Sardine, blue\/white, and mackerel patterns in 5\u20136 inch sizes match the most common SoCal tuna forage. The downside is durability \u2014 tuna teeth shred soft plastics fast, and you’ll go through multiple baits per fish. Pack a full bag of 20+. The upside is a natural presentation that can fool line-shy bluefin that have seen every iron jig on the boat. See our swimbaits guide<\/a> for rigging details.<\/p>\n\n

Dr Fish Casting Spoons<\/h3>\n

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A heavy casting spoon (3\u20134 oz) in chrome or blue\/chrome produces massive flash that tuna can see from a distance. Particularly effective when fish are scattered and you need to draw them to the boat, or when they’re feeding just below the surface and ignoring topwater presentations. Cast it out, let it flutter down 10\u201320 feet, then retrieve with a pump-and-wind action. The fluttering fall is the key \u2014 it imitates a wounded baitfish sinking, and tuna often eat on the drop before you even start your retrieve. Chrome is the go-to in clear water; blue\/chrome and green\/chrome work in slightly dirtier conditions. Spoons also produce well when jigged vertically under the boat when tuna are holding deep on the meter but won’t come up to the surface.<\/p>\n\n

Color Selection<\/h2>\n\n

Tuna are more selective about color than most SoCal species \u2014 especially bluefin in clear water. Match the bait they’re eating and you’ll get bit. The top producers:<\/p>\n\n