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Every Sunday night I settle down in front of the TV and watch Wicked Tuna at 9 pm. I love this show and am planning on taking a charter next year. But when is the best time to catch bluefin tuna, and how long is the Wicked Tuna fishing season?

How long is the Wicked Tuna fishing season? The bluefin tuna fishing season in Maine and Massachusetts will start up in June and then run all the way through to a point in November. The best months of the season are said to be August and September. 

If there has been a mild winter preceding the tuna fishing season, then it will start in June. If it was a harsher winter, then this might not be optimal for tuna fishing, so the season will sometimes have a delayed start in July, and so won’t run as long as normal.

Get Wicked Tuna Merchandise: Did you know you can buy a wide range of Wicked Tuna gear on Amazon? You can catch up on previous episodes, buy t-shirts, and much more. 

How long is bluefin tuna fishing season?

According to websites that contain information about the bluefin tuna fishing industry, the season will take place in Gloucester, Massachusetts and start in June and run for around 6 months, typically ending in November.

However, there have been some occasions when the fishing boats have managed to make catches as late as December time.

I read an online interview with one of the tuna fishermen from National Geographic’s Wicked Tuna. Here’s what he said about the length of the fishing season.

“It’s hard to give an exact answer on when the best time to make a catch is, as we will work through the whole season. How long is the bluefin tuna fishing season? For me the best times of year will be the August and September months. At this time of year, we have managed to come back to dock after double and triple header days!”

How long are tuna fishing seasons elsewhere?

I wanted to compare and contrast the tuna fishing season lengths from other areas around the United States and globally. Here’s what I found. 

  • The Bahamas – the tuna fishing season in the Bahamas is 4 months long running from May through to August.
  • Boston – according to the local fishing regulations, you can fish for tuna in Boston between the months of June and October.
  • California – peak season is July to September, but you can still catch bluefin tuna at other points from April to November.
  • Cape Town (South Africa) – some of the best tuna fishing can be had in South Africa, with the season here running from October into late June the next year.
  • Delaware – you can fish for yellowfin here, with the high season running from July to August time.
  • Florida – the high season is said to be from May to September, with low seasons the rest of the year. There is no closed tuna fishing season in Florida.
  • Hawaii – renowned for yellowfin tuna, the fishing season is very good from May to September time, with the best catches made in June, July, and August.
  • Louisiana – you can fish for tuna all year round here, with the season lasting for 12 months.
  • Mallorca (Europe) – the biggest tuna can be caught in the springtime, with the month of late May being particularly productive.
  • New England – bluefin tuna fishing will start in June, coming to an end at some point in the month of November.
  • Outer Banks – bluefin tuna fishing generally happens from January through to March with fish sizes ranging from 100 to 600 pounds in weight.
  • Oregon – the season starts up in mid-July when the first of the tuna arrive from the mid-Atlantic and will carry on until the middle of October.
  • Portugal (Europe) – the tuna fishing season here is 4 months long from July to October, but you can fish in low season the rest of the year.
  • San Diego – the season peaks in July, August, and September, but you can still catch tuna the rest of the year.
  • Tenerife (Europe) – the best months for tuna fishing on this Spanish island are said to be February through to May time.
  • Texas – Footfalls tend to spawn in fall, so the best time to make a catch in Texas would be from July through to September, October, and November.

How long does each season of the TV show last for?

If instead, you were wondering how long each season of the National Geographic TV series lasts for, I’ve also got some information for you.

Each season of Wicked Tuna runs for 14 weeks or nearly 3 and a half months. There is one episode released every Sunday, making it a weekly show.

Here’s a run-down of how many episodes have been in each season of Wicked Tuna to date.

  • Season 1 – 10 episodes
  • Season 2 – 15 episodes
  • Season 3 – 15 episodes
  • Season 4 – 17 episodes
  • Season 5 – 15 episodes
  • Season 6 – 12 episodes
  • Season 7 – 16 episodes
  • Season 8– 15 episodes
  • Season 9– 15 episodes
  • Season 10– 21 episodes
  • Season 11– 20 episodes
  • Season 12– current season

The last word…

As you can tell, I absolutely love the Wicked Tuna TV show on the National Geographic channel. So much so, that I’ve published a wealth of insider information on the series which you can read elsewhere on Pontoonopedia.

I’ve done so much research, that I honestly believe you won’t find a more comprehensive overview of the facts and figures from the show.

To find out more, check out some of the following research pieces which accompany this guide to how long the bluefin tuna fishing season is on Wicked Tuna.

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