Best place to target summer tuna? Virginia, of course!

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WFXR) — Come for the sun, sand and surf, but stay for the tuna.

That is not the hook line for the latest Virginia Beach tourism commercial, but maybe it should be.

Virginia Beach offers some of the best summer yellowfin tuna fishing anywhere in the world. Because those fish are available during the height of the summer vacation season, maybe you should include plans for a tuna trip on you visit to the beach.

A lot of it has to do with the abundance of bait in the offshore regions of the Virginia coast.

Captain Jay Brooks of Smoke Show Sportfishing watching a tuna being reeled in (Photo: George Noleff)

“We’ve been very fortunate that the bait have moved in,” said Captain Jay Brooks of Smoke Show Sportfishing of Virginia Beach. “The squid have moved in, so we’ve been able to capitalize on that. The tuna follow the bait in.”

To find those fish, a run is required, anywhere from 50 to 80 miles out. That means burning fuel, but Brooks says if you want to catch fish, it is the only way to go.

“I don’t like to stop short, I like to go exactly where I think the fish will be, even if that costs a little bit extra in fuel for me,” Brooks said. “You paid me to come out here and catch fish, not to go fishing. If we have to go a little bit further to catch fish, that’s what we’re going to do.”

Brooks and Smoke Show Sportfishing target yellowfin, mahi, and billfish during the summer. Trolling is the preferred method. That means pulling sea witches, ballyhoo, and a variety of plastic squid imitations.

“It’s a matter of driving over them,” said Brooks. “Most of the time, you drive over them, you get a couple of bites, but we really hope for the big whammy where we catch several at a time.”

Austin Davenport is coached by Brian Baranowski and Lia Harn as he brings a tuna to the boat off of Virginia Beach (Photo: George Noleff)

Brooks is assisted on his trips by First Mate Lia Harn. Harn is unique. She is the only offshore female fishing mate in Virginia. It is her job to prep the baits and gear, set the lines, and then coach the anglers before gaffing their catch.

“I love it,” said Harn. “I never complain going to work.”

Yellowfin, also known as Ahi, can reach lengths of three to four feet, and weights of 100 pounds.

On this early July day, Brooks and Harn had a family from Pennsylvania onboard. After a 65 mile ride out to the fishing grounds, it did not take long to hook up.

Captain Jay Brooks hands Austin Davenport a tuna the young angler just boated (Photo: George Noleff)

One of the upper rods started screaming. Brooks grabbed it and handed it down to Harn. Harn then handed it off to 13-year-old Austin Davenport in the fighting chair. For the next 20 minutes, it was teen versus tuna, with Austin’s stepdad, Brian Baranowski and Harn coaching him through the battle.

“You’re doing a great job,” encouraged Harn as Brooks watched from the deck above.

“You got this,” added Baranowski as the teen struggled to reel.

Finally, the fish was brought to the boat and Harn leaned over the rail and gaffed it. The fish, a 50 pound yellowfin tuna, flopped on the deck before going into an ice chest.

“It was tough,” said an exhausted but very happy Austin Davenport.

A mahi caught on spinning gear jumps before being brought to the boat aboard Smoke Show Sportfishing (Photo: George Noleff)

Brooks says his job is fun, but watching young people catch fish makes it even better: “It’s very special to me when we have junior anglers. You can tell how amped up they are.”

In addition to yellowfin tuna, mahi were caught trolling, and even casting for the day. And at one point, Brooks stopped the boat to do a little bottom fishing. Several large tilefish were brought on board.

“Right now, it’s primarily yellowfin tuna,” said Brooks. “In the next couple of weeks, we’re going to be looking at mahi, the occasional marlin, and that’s going to move into, for us, we’re really going to focus on white marlin, then the yellowfin will move on back through.”

While that summer fishery is fantastic, once the weather turns colder, bluefin tuna move in.

Austin Davenport with a yellowfin tuna he caught while fishing with Smoke Show Sportfishing out of Virginia Beach (Photo: George Noleff)

“In roughly November, December a wave of bluefins come through,” said Brooks.

So, for the opportunity to catch a variety of fish, including sushi-grade tuna, and enjoy a summer family beach vacation, Brooks says Virginia Beach is the place: “That’s what really get us going, and how excited the customers get.”

Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.