• The Perfect Catch1st yellowtail image by Mitchell Knapton from Fotolia.com
  
  Fishing for tuna is an experience not unlike big game hunting, especially if you're going for the giant blue fins. The giant blues can weigh as much as 2000 pounds and travel at speeds of 60 miles per hour or more. Fishing for yellow fins and schools of tuna can be exciting too, especially for the novice. The Massachusetts waters are plentiful from late June into November. Whether you are going solo, planning a family outing, or rounding up a group of friends, charters are available from Cape Cod to Cape Ann.
  
  

Cathy Ann Charters

• Captain Dave Patry, owner-operator of the Cathy Ann, has over 40 years of fishing experience around the Cape Cod area. He has been in the personalized sports fishing charter business since 1983 and does most of his chartering from the Green Harbor Marina in Marshfield, MA, on the south shore of Boston. The Cathy Ann, a custom 38-foot Young Brothers boat, was built in 1996 and is fully stocked with custom tackle for all types of tuna fishing.
  
  Expect to pay $995 for an eight- to nine-hour charter. Add $180 for a ten-hour charter. It's customary to add a 15 to 20 percent tip for the fishing mate.
  
  Cathy Ann Charters
  105 Rice Avenue
  Rockland, MA 02370
  781-878-6798
  cathyanncharters.com
  
  

The Tuna Hunter

• The Tuna Hunter, a 36-foot custom Runaway, meets the expectations of even the most experienced tuna fishing enthusiasts, right up to its tuna tower that provides maximum visibility. Tuna Hunter captain Gary Cannell, who helped build the boat in 1984, built it with tuna fishing in mind. After all, his specialty is going after the giant blue fin tuna. Originally from New Jersey, he perfected his skills by following and catching blue fin tuna up and down the New England coast. He moved to Gloucester, MA in 1995 to be closer to his pursuit.
  
  A full day of fishing costs $1250 (plus gratuity).
  
  The Tuna Hunter
  75 Essex Avenue
  Gloucester, MA 01930
  978-407-1351
  tunahunter.com
  
  

Maverick Charters Ltd

• Captain Jack Riley and his wife JoAnn have owned and operated Maverick Charters Ltd for over 20 years and specialize in giant blue fin, school, and yellow fin tuna charters out of Harwich Port on Cape Cod.
  
  Captain Jack is especially popular with novices who appreciate the way he shares the tips and techniques that he has culled over the years. It is not unusual to hear him tell first-timers how important it is to troll with colored line and to follow the whales. Of course, he practices what he preaches and as a result, he has become well-known for winning and placing in tuna competitions in Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
  
  If catching school tuna is on your agenda, expect to pay $1400 (plus gratuity) for a ten-hour charter. Add $300 (plus gratuity) if you prefer the challenge of giant blue fins. If you want to turn the experience into a real vacation, consider the two-day overnight charter for $2500 (plus gratuity).
  
  Maverick Charters Ltd
  335 Lower County Road
  Harwich Port, MA 02646
  508-509-0113
  maverickchartersltd.com
  
  

Karen Lynn Charters

• One of the newest charter boats for blue fin tuna fishing is the Karen Lynn. Docked at the Cape Ann Marina in Gloucester, MA, it is a custom-built 43-foot Carol Lowell design that was launched in 2007. Its captain, Collin MacKenzie, who grew up in Gloucester, helped build the boat. It is fast, extremely seaworthy, and state-of-the-art with the latest and most sophisticated electronics.
  
  A full-day blue fin charter is $1250 (plus gratuity). If you want to head for the Gulf of Maine in search of giant tuna, add $100 (plus gratuity).
  
  Karen Lynn Charters
  3 Andrews Street
  Essex, MA 01929
  617-622-7489
  karenlynncharters.com