Bluefin Tuna Fishing Trip

Cornwall has established itself as the premier destination for Atlantic Bluefin tuna fishing in the UK. The combination of geography — the county's position at the far south-west of Britain, surrounded on three sides by the Atlantic — and oceanography creates the conditions that attract Bluefin into accessible range.

The key is baitfish. Bluefin tuna are apex pelagic predators that follow their prey — mackerel, herring, sprats and sand eels — across thousands of miles of open ocean. The Celtic Sea off the Cornish coast hosts extraordinarily rich baitfish populations from late summer through autumn, driven in part by upwellings along the continental shelf edge. Where the bait goes, the tuna follow.

Padstow's location on the North Cornwall coast provides fast access to the offshore grounds where tuna feed, making it one of the best departure points for Bluefin trips in the country. From Padstow harbour, the Emma Kate can reach productive tuna grounds in 45–90 minutes — leaving maximum time fishing rather than transiting.

Atlantic Bluefin Tuna UK — The Conservation Story

The return of Bluefin tuna to UK waters is one of the most remarkable wildlife comeback stories in British marine history. Through most of the 20th century, Atlantic Bluefin tuna were commercially fished to severely depleted levels. The EU fishing quota system, combined with strict recreational catch-and-release regulations, has allowed populations to begin recovering significantly.

Annual Bluefin sightings and tag-and-release reports off Cornwall have increased dramatically since 2016. The Emma Kate's tuna charter is fully compliant with the UK Government's catch-and-release tagging scheme, administered by the Marine Management Organisation. Every fish we tag contributes to the scientific understanding of Bluefin movement patterns, size distribution and population recovery in UK waters.

Bluefin Tuna Fishing Techniques Off Cornwall

Catching Bluefin tuna in British waters requires specialist knowledge, equipment and technique that differs significantly from conventional sea fishing. The methods our skippers use have been refined specifically for the conditions encountered in the Celtic Sea off North Cornwall.

Trolling — dragging large skirted lures and natural bait behind the moving boat — is the most common method for locating and triggering tuna when the fish aren't obviously showing on the surface. The Emma Kate's speed allows us to cover large areas of ocean efficiently when searching for fish. Once we locate active tuna, we switch to live or fresh bait fishing — presenting whole mackerel on the drift through feeding fish — which produces the most spectacular takes.

When large concentrations of baitfish are pushed to the surface by feeding Bluefin, surface lure fishing becomes possible — casting poppers or stick-baits into the melee and working them back through the boiling fish. This is arguably the most visually dramatic form of tuna fishing available anywhere in the world, and it happens right here off the Cornwall coast.

Booking a Bluefin Tuna Trip from Padstow

Bluefin tuna charters cost £225 per person for a maximum of 4 anglers. These are full day trips departing early morning from Padstow Harbour, PL28 8BY. All specialist tackle, harness equipment and bait is included. To enquire about dates and availability, call us on 07970 595244 or email mail@emmakate2.com — and we strongly recommend doing so well before your planned season.

Also consider our 8-hour full day charter if you'd like a longer offshore trip targeting a wider range of species — there is an outside chance of encountering Bluefin on full day charters during the season as an extraordinary bonus.