Meet Jim Alvarez
Captain Jim Alvarez has been recreational and commercial fishing for Bluefin Tuna for decades. He is fully committed to giving customers the full tuna experience up to the level you are willing to try. This includes getting and handling bait, chumming, rigging lines, setting spreads and being on the rod when you hook up. Jims goal is to share the adventure of tuna fishing with every customer and have a great day on the water.
Jim’s tuna addiction started by chasing school sized Bluefin, 55in. to 72in fish, in a 22 ft center console using a “run and gun” approach and very light tackle. This style of fishing includes casting to blitzing fish with a large spinning reel and usually a top water plug. Nothing matches the excitement of having the line ripped off your reel by a 40mph feeding schoolie. You better hold on tight because the fish can pull the rod out of your hands. Between blitzes you troll a variety of plugs using 50 weight reels. When you hook up trolling the fighting belt goes on and you battle the fish standing up. You are guaranteed to be exhausted at the end of this type of fight.
In recent years DOGBAR Fishing has spent most of the time fishing for Giants. Giant Bluefin Tuna, (GBFT) fish greater than 73” in length are usually caught using live bait while sitting anchored at a favorite spot. Catching a GBFT is the heavyweight boxing of the tuna world. These fish can be over 10 ft long and weigh more than 1000lbs. The average fish, somewhere in the 85in and 500lb size range can take many hours to bring to the side of the boat. Giant fishing requires attention to detail on every aspect of the location, boat placement, bait, lines, spread, weather and current. These fish grew this big because they are very smart and can tell when something is not quite right. The DOGBAR team has perfected the techniques needed to be productive in this fishery.
