What is greenstick trolling for tuna?

Answer 1

The greenstick has been used in other parts of the world for years. Originally developed in Japan, the technology made its U.S. debut in Hawaii during the mid 1980s. By that time, an estimated 35,000 Japanese watermen were fishing the greenstick. In 1995 the method was put into operation on the U.S. east coast by fishermen targeting Bluefin Tuna and Yellowfin Tuna.

The configuration of the gear varies, but the basic approach is the same. A 35 to 45 foot fiberglass pole is mounted inside a boat. A 500 foot line that originates from a spool at the stern is hoisted by a tether rope at the top of the pole. A cotton breakaway connects the tether rope to the main line. A floating decoy called a "shava", or bird, is attached to the end of the main line. When the boat moves forward the top of the main line is stretched taut. Several baited strands hang from the main line and dangle just above the water, causing the attached lures and bait to skip across the surface when the boat is fishing. Meanwhile, the bird jumps, bobs and splashes, creating added commotion. Tuna will aggressively attack the bait even when they are not actively feeding or striking on traditional gear in the same vicinity. When the tuna strike, the main line breaks away from the tether and is then reeled in using the spool.

It's considered an environmentally friendly gear type with no turtle and billfish bycatch and no marine mammal interaction. Tuna caught on greensticks are of high quality and undersized tuna or unwanted bycatch can be released with minimal impact because the fish are quickly brought in.