Capt Andy LoCascio lands a 57″ (approx. 120lb) yellowfin tuna on a popping plug while fishing with the Sportfish Galapagos crew in Galapagos, Ecuador. This was one of dozens of fish that were caught on poppers. Several of the fish were well over 100lbs.
The tackle used in this video including a Race Point 200 rod with a Penn Torque TRQs7 reel loaded with 50# Spiderwire Ultracast tipped with an 80lb Yo-Zuri HD Carbon leader, and a Yo-Zuri Surface Cruiser. Check out the Yellowfin Tuna Plugging Guide for instruction (includes video) and the Tuna Plugging tackle recommendations.
Frequently Asked Questions
The featured fish is a yellowfin tuna caught in Galapagos, Ecuador. Capt Andy LoCascio landed a large 57-inch, approximately 120-pound yellowfin tuna on a popping plug.
The yellowfin tuna were caught using a popping plug technique, which involves using a surface lure known as a popper that creates splashes to attract fish. This method was effective in landing multiple large tuna, including some over 100 pounds.
The tackle included a Race Point 200 rod paired with a Penn Torque TRQs7 reel. The reel was loaded with 50-pound Spiderwire Ultracast braided line, which was tipped with an 80-pound Yo-Zuri HD Carbon leader, and the lure used was a Yo-Zuri Surface Cruiser.
You can find a detailed Yellowfin Tuna Plugging Guide on the Neangling website. This guide includes instructional content and a video demonstrating techniques, along with tackle recommendations for tuna plugging.
The tuna caught by Capt Andy LoCascio was approximately 57 inches in length and weighed around 120 pounds, showcasing the effectiveness of the popping plug method for large tuna species.
Yes, several yellowfin tuna were caught using the popping plug technique during the fishing trip with the Sportfish Galapagos crew. Many of these fish weighed over 100 pounds, indicating consistent success with this method.
