# Recommendations for tuna fishing? Venice LA?



## Lick Skillet (Jun 26, 2015)

Looking for a guide for over night or two days (or 18 hours) with lodging tuna trip. Not dead set on the particulars open to suggestions. Maybe out of Venice LA but would consider other places but Venice seems to be the spot. Maybe oil rig fishing? Nice lodging and a decent meal included would be nice but not necessary....6 people. Late Feb through March 2016. Yeah it's early but we have to get our dates set so we can coordinate schedules.


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## Millpond (Jun 26, 2015)

Out of Venice, Captain Eddie Burger(on this forum) or Captain Kevin Beach will take good care of you.

In Grand Isle, Louisiana the Fish Commander Guide service does a great overnight trip.  The Louisiana boats are primarily center consoles.

If you are looking for a BIG boat with bathrooms, bunks, and AC there are some great boats in Destin.  the Backdown2, Twilight, and Lady Em are great at filling you coolers.


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## fredw (Jun 26, 2015)

Nothing but good things to say about Captain Eddie Burger.

Here's a link to the post I did after our trip with Eddie:  http://forum.gon.com/showthread.php?t=489515&highlight=yellowfin


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## tbrown913 (Jun 29, 2015)

Deep South Charters with Capt Josh Howard.  He has a new boat, the Triple Threat.  He will spend all day and half the night looking for fish for you if it comes to that.  He and Eddie worked together when I went with him.  We went out first and Josh radioed Eddie and told him to start fishing the water was calmer than the report.  Eddie got on the amberjacks first and called us over, then we got on the tuna first so we called him over.  We stayed at the lodge with Ron Price.  he has a couple really nice log cabins, maid and chef service.  Plus Ron is an inshore guide and if the water is too bad offshore, he can get you on a boat and load you down with reds and trout!  I did that for my bachelor party and had a blast in late february.  I want to go again!


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## andyparm (Jul 9, 2015)

If you're set on Louisiana the above guys mentioned are the big names out there. I've only tuna fished there once out of Grnad Isle and it was in March and we had our limit (15 YFT) by 11am. Fished with a couple of young guys. Think his name was Chad Reinhardt. It's been a few years back.

Just throwing this out there, Oregon Inlet in NC is ridiculous. Summer months are your best bet from my experience. The tuna fishing shifts to white marlin fishing starting in August-September. June and July have produced world class fishing for the trips I've taken up there. When I say world class I mean there was no tuna fishing better anywhere in the world on that day (that is possibly NOT an exaggeration). Last year we fished two days in June and had our 18 tuna by 1030am on day 1 and by 830am on day 2. After you limit on tuna most captains like to head home but if you let them know ahead of time you can sneak in a few hours of trolling for marlin (if you're lucky enough to catch your limit that early). When the captain tells the mate to 'Get ready' you are in for a possible 10 fish hook up. Literally every rod on the boat is doubled over and tuna are swimming off with the teasers...

I'm getting a little too excited about this...hahaha. I missed this year's trip but the guys caught some YFT limits as well as a few Bigeyes in the 230-240lb range. 

Anyways, you can't go wrong in LA. Just thought I'd throw another option your way if your dates were flexible enough to stretch until next summer...or just do both! Good luck!


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## Wild Turkey (Jul 9, 2015)

Only downside to NC tuna fishing is weather/seas. The days you can go out are mixed and you could very well be grounded during your trip.


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## dfhooked (Jul 9, 2015)

If you are dead set on feb-March you will definitely have a very good chance of getting blown out with weather. You have been given 2 great references by Millpond for Venice. Big tuna can be had that time of the year as well as wahoo and big mako sharks. If your calendar is flexible look into October when they are fishing the shrimp boats.


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## tgw925 (Jul 15, 2015)

I'll be in Venice this October, gonna be behind those shrimpers.


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## Lick Skillet (Jul 18, 2015)

Yeah dates are not super flexible and will have a couple newbies so I don't really want to get them in the Atlantic on this trip lol. Although I may have to set up another trip for myself and a couple others to NC thanks for the suggestions


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## Potlicker60 (Jul 23, 2015)

Andy Cook of Captain Cook Charters is very good in Venice. Andy is also a very good time and has a very comfortable and fast 38 fountain. Andy's goal is for you to have fun and catch the fish that you want. He is not a clock puncher and will fish til you catch them.


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## LTZ25 (Jul 24, 2015)

I've been to both places and the Outer Banks are the best by far , Oregon inlet is unreal . The prices are a lot better in the outer banks plus you can take the family and they will have a great time .


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## Nannyman (Jul 24, 2015)

Not a better place than Ron Price's cabins just above Venice. He is not a tuna guide but will know who is. Top notch guy and guide for inshore. Reds and trout. 
Good guy to know if weather is bad. 
His site is FishIntimidator.


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## andyparm (Jul 27, 2015)

LTZ25 said:


> I've been to both places and the Outer Banks are the best by far , Oregon inlet is unreal . The prices are a lot better in the outer banks plus you can take the family and they will have a great time .



Ah. One HUGE factor I left out of my previous comment was pricing. Venice may be cheaper to go out of than Grand Isle, but the trip we took was $2500 on a center console. Compare that to $1800 on a 50'-60' sportfisher. 

Also, as said previously, you're just as likely to get blown out in either place in March. I have been blown out in OBX and we had to reschedule our Louisiana trip twice to make it happen. 

The one upside to Venice is that if you get blown out you can always go inshore fishing. I go to Hopedale every year for duck season (different time of year obviously) and the inshore fishing for trout and redfish is the best in the world. Hands down. As I understand the Venice area is even better so you definitely have that to fall back on.

Really you can't go wrong either way. If you do end up in OBX you can rent a house at Pirate's Cove or one of the hundreds of beach rentals that'll sleep a pile of people for a very reasonable price. Again, your best bet for OBX would be June or July (IMO). March is a good month for LA. As mentioned above, October is when they catch the BIG fish in closer. Good luck!


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## tbrown913 (Jul 29, 2015)

Nannyman said:


> Not a better place than Ron Price's cabins just above Venice. He is not a tuna guide but will know who is. Top notch guy and guide for inshore. Reds and trout.
> Good guy to know if weather is bad.
> His site is FishIntimidator.



This is who we stayed with when we tuna fished with Deep South!  His cabins are amazing, and he has all the room you will need to pack out your catch!  

Our tuna trip was in late feb and it was awesome.  We had to golf through alabama for a couple days, then fish!


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