Tuna Guide — Venice, LA

Venice sits at the end of Highway 23, the last road before the Gulf takes over. From the marina, the run south is serious. 300 to 400 miles to reach the deep water where bluefin, blackfin, and yellowfin tuna hold. At 68 to 70 miles per hour on a 42 to 45 foot center console with quad outboards, that run takes several hours each way. Plan on 14 to 16 hours on the water. This is not a bay boat trip. It is not a casual offshore run to the nearshore rigs. It is one of the longest day runs available on the Gulf Coast, and it produces some of the largest fish in the Gulf.

The shelf break south of Venice is where the tuna fishing begins. The continental shelf drops off fast here. From a few hundred feet of water to several thousand in a relatively short distance. That transition concentrates baitfish, and the tuna follow them. Yellowfin and blackfin often hold in the same water column along the break. Drop cut bait to the right depth and either species can hit. Finding that depth is the job. The fish are there. You are locating the zone where they are actively feeding.

For bluefin, push past the shelf break into the deep Gulf. The 10,000 foot contour south of Venice sits 300 to 400 miles offshore, approaching the Sigsbee Deep, the deepest basin in the Gulf. Bluefin hold at that depth and beyond. A large bluefin is a different class of animal from anything you will encounter closer to shore. Expect a fight that lasts two hours or more. A 300 pound fish has enough power to pull an unprepared angler over the side of the boat, and that is not an exaggeration.

If you are fishing with a rod harness, tether it to the boat before the fish takes. On one trip I experienced this firsthand. The bluefin I hooked took hard and dropped me to my knees inside the boat grabbing whatever I could hold before the guide grabbed my harness handle and pulled me back. After that, a diving knife on the leg became standard gear on every offshore trip. If you go over connected to that rod in 10,000 feet of water 300 miles from the dock, you need a way to cut yourself free. Tethering the harness to the boat before the fish takes removes the variable that almost ended the trip.

At those depths you are also in marlin and swordfish territory. On one trip we hooked a swordfish at that depth and landed it. Marlin are out there as well. You are more likely to see one breach the surface than hook one, but they are present. If a marlin comes up near your spread, make a decision immediately. Either commit to targeting the marlin or move to new water. A marlin breach clears the area. Every other predator responds to it and the tuna bite shuts down. Do not stay on the same spot expecting it to resume.

On the run back in, the offshore rigs give you a reason to stop. Red snapper and mangrove snapper hold on structure in shallower water, and the rigs south of Venice are productive on the way back to the dock. See our Venice offshore charter guide for details on rig fishing and what to expect closer to shore.

A trip this long requires more than guides or tackle alone. You have to know what you are getting into. Body preparation is a must. Gear, clothes, and hydration all play a part. But when a 300 pound fish takes your bait in 10,000 feet of water, no amount of gear replaces what happens between your ears. You have to stay calm when something that outweighs you decides to leave. Panic is how people go over the side. Experience on the water builds the instinct to hold on, drop low, and trust the people around you. If you have never fought a fish this size, know that before you get there. The physical demand is real. A two hour fight on a deep drop rod will test your grip, your back, your legs, and your focus. Get in the mindset before you leave the dock, not after the fish is already running.

Wear full coverage UPF fishing shirts with long sleeves. An open center console 300 miles offshore gives you no shade. The sun and the spray will wear you down over a 14 to 16 hour day faster than the fishing will. Moisture-wicking fabric that dries fast makes a real difference on a run this long. Bring electrolyte drinks with a high concentration, not watered-down sports drinks. Dehydration at that distance from shore is a serious problem. Food, water, fuel, and safety gear all need to be accounted for before you leave the dock. You are farther from help than most people ever get on the Gulf.

Spool a Penn Squall II lever drag reel with PowerPro braided line for the strength to handle a long deep water fight. Run a heavy fluorocarbon leader between the braid and your hook for abrasion resistance. Cut bait dropped to the depth where the fish are holding is the technique. The location is everything. The fish are out there. Your job is getting the bait in front of them and being ready when something takes it.

Whether or not something takes your bait at 10,000 feet, a trip like this should fill the cooler. Yellowfin and blackfin at the shelf break, mahi in the blue water. Bull dolphin in the 30 pound range are common out there and will eat when they find your spread. Red snapper and mangrove snapper at the rigs on the way back in. The deep water run is the headline, but the fishing on the way home is what keeps the trip producing all the way to the dock.

Venice is the access point that makes this run possible. The deep Gulf is closer here than anywhere else on the Gulf Coast. That is why serious offshore anglers use it as a departure point, and it is why the tuna fishing south of Venice is in a different category from anything else available in the Gulf.

Frequently Asked Questions

How far offshore do you need to go for tuna fishing out of Venice?

Yellowfin and blackfin concentrate at the shelf break, roughly 100 to 150 miles south of Venice. For bluefin in deep water, the run extends to 300 to 400 miles offshore into 10,000 feet of water near the Sigsbee Deep. Plan on a 14 to 16 hour day with the right vessel.

What kind of boat do you need for a Venice tuna run?

A capable offshore center console in the 42 to 45 foot range with sufficient horsepower to make a 300 to 400 mile run and return safely. This is not a trip for a bay boat or small center console. Fuel capacity, safety equipment, and an experienced captain who knows the water are all required.

What is the best technique for catching tuna south of Venice?

Cut bait dropped to the depth where the fish are holding. Finding the right depth matters more than the specific presentation. Offshore tuna fishing is a location game. Find the right water and get the bait in front of the fish.

What do you do if you see a marlin while tuna fishing?

Either switch to targeting the marlin or move to new water immediately. A marlin breach clears the area and the tuna bite shuts down. Do not expect it to resume on the same spot.

Is a rod harness safe for fighting large bluefin tuna?

A rod harness helps you fight a large fish but creates a risk if you go over the side while connected to it. Tether the harness to the boat before the fish takes. Carry a diving knife on your leg as a backup in case you need to cut yourself free quickly. At 300 miles offshore in 10,000 feet of water, preparation is not optional.