Tuna Spreader Bar Use and How to Make
Fishing Spreader Bars What are They?
Fishing Spreader Bars are a daisy chain of teasers (decoy lures) rigged in a formation to create attention grabbing attraction to your trolling lures and ultimately enticing fish to chasing them.
Having a array of lures skipping across the water will significantly increase the chances of attracting your prized catch.
Spreader Bars are a must have piece of kit for tuna fishing. The multiple lure teasers are super effective on Tuna, Mahi-Mahi, Spanish Mackerel and Marlin.
Below you will find details on where to buy spreader bars, how to make them and how to use them.
Fishing Spreader Bars Where to Purchase
You can purchase pre made tuna spreader bars from most local tackle shops or order them online from popular fishing gear retailers like Amazon, Bass Pro Shops, or specialized fishing stores.
Spreader Bar Amazon
Rigged Trolling Flexi Spreader Bar Topwater
36″ Skipjack Hybrid UV 8″ Blue & Pink Mackerel Baits
Mini Spreader BarSpreader Bar DIY
Did you know you can build your own? That’s right, no need to break the bank buying them when you can create your custom spreader bars right at home.
Lure Teaser Spreader Bars are usually up to 4ft wide or 48inches (1.5 meters) . Often they can deploy approximately 5-15 decoy fish or squid looking baits. The aim is to catch attention of any predators cruising in the vicinity and coax them up for a closer look.
Going from left to right in the picture we will describe the components.
A main line attached to the bar should be a clear monofilament 60-80 pound line. It needs to support the bar and lures while they bounce around on the water. The Bar can be strong wire, titanium or even fiberglass wire. Swivels and a slightly smaller clear monofilament line are then attached to the main bar with teasers or lures. you car rig additional swivels and lines to a teaser as seen in the picture.
It is advisable that each teaser be attached via a snap swivel so that they can be changed as needed. we want the teaser lures to be of similar size, shape and colour as natural baits in the area.
Lures or teasers do not have hooks. they are there to create attention and we want the fish to bite our lure which does have hooks.
Below we will guide you on how to make DIY fishing spreader bars that work just as well as store bought ones.
How to make a Fishing Spreader Bar
When making your own spreader bars, the possibilities are endless. You can choose the exact colors, lure types, and bar sizes that suit your fishing style. This means you can create a bar tailored to the fish you are chasing, conditions to your area and your personal preferences.
Plus, there is nothing quite like the feeling of reeling in a big tuna with gear you crafted by hand. It’s a rewarding experience knowing your DIY skills contributed to the catch, thus making the victory even sweeter.
Spreader Bar DIY Materials Needed
To build your own spreader bars, you will need a few key items. First, choose a sturdy bar made of stainless steel or titanium to handle the rigors of offshore fishing. You will also need trolling lures or soft plastic squid, crimping tools to secure the lines, and strong fishing line to attach the lures to the bar.
For added attraction, consider using UV tape on the bar to reflect light mimicking the flashes of baitfish. Teasers, being brightly colored or vibrating lures, can also enhance the bar’s effectiveness by drawing more attention.
DIY Spreader Bar Materials
- Bar material: Stainless steel or titanium (durable and corrosion resistant)
- Lures: Trolling lures or soft plastic squid
- Crimping tools: For securing fishing lines to the bar and lures
- Fishing line: Strong monofilament or fluorocarbon for rigging the lures
Spreader Bar DIY Optional
- Teasers: Brightly colored or vibrating lures to increase visibility and action
- UV tape: For added light reflection to attract fish
You can find these materials at most local tackle shops or order them online from retailers like Amazon, eBay, and specialized fishing gear websites. Many shops also offer kits that bundle everything you need for building spreader bars.
Spreader Bar DIY Instructions
Step 1: Begin by cutting your spreader bar to your desired length, ensuring it suits the size and number of lures you plan to use.
Step 2: Attach the fishing lines to the bar, making sure each line is the same length. This will help maintain an even spread of the lures as you troll.
Step 3: Space the lures evenly along the lines for optimal trolling action. Proper spacing is key to mimicking a natural school of baitfish. And it also aids in reducing tangles.
Step 4: Use crimping tools to secure the lines firmly, and attach hooks to the centerline lure. This is where the tuna is most likely to strike.
Step 5: Before hitting the water, test your spreader bar to ensure everything is set correctly and make any final adjustments for smooth trolling.
Spreader Bar Use
The whole point of spreader bars is to create the illusion of schooling bait fish in a feeding frenzy. This is what tuna, maha-mahi, mackerel and marlin are chasing. Once they are enticed to investigate the teasers, we want the fish to discover our lure rigged up with hooks and attached to the anglers rod.
Attaching your line and lure to the Spreader Bar (Optional)
Some people like to connect their line and lure to the spreader bar. this will ensure the best placement to the teasers, having the anglers lure dragging inline and a short distance behind the teasers. The anglers line or leader can be attached with a rubber band and snaplink. When a fish hits your lure, the elastic band breaks leaving you clear to fight it without the entire spreader bar contraption being dragged around with the fish.
If you prefer not to attach your line to the spreader bar, you can simply guide your lure to the left, right, or slightly in front of the spreader bar, keeping it in close vicinity to the action.
Spreader Bar Rigging
You want to place the spreader bar 20-40 yards away from the boat with all the angler lines lines not too far away. You can have multiple spreader bars per boat and its not uncommon to have a left, right and center deployment all operating in unison. If the bar is diving up and down in the water, the bar may be too far back, and you need to position it closer to the boat.
Ensure your spreader bar is up on the surface, making splashes and noise in the water which attracts fish. This miniks baitfish in a frenzy. That is why we run all our lines fairly close by to the bar.
Spreader Bar Rigging Baits and Teasers
What is the best color spreader bars for tuna? Match the hatch when selecting a spreader bar teasers. The key to teasers or bait is to mimic size, colour and style of prey the fish are eating in the area. Sometimes this is fish or squid. For ease of adapting to different conditions, teaser can be attached via a snap swivel so that they can be changed as needed. Lures or teasers on the spreader bars do not have hooks.
Trolling Speed for Tuna
It is estimated that a good travel speed for spreader bars is 10knots. But trolling speed isn’t as important as to what your bar and teasers are actually doing in the water. The bars and teasers should not be submerged, they should be slapping on the surface of the water. Each day may be different based on conditions of the wind and water. It may take some experimentation with distance of the the spreader bars from the pull generated by speed of travel.
Building your own fishing spreader bars isn’t just cost effective, it can be fun and rewarding. You get the flexibility to customize your gear exactly how you want, and how you need it. So grab your materials and start crafting your own spreader bars today. Hopefully you end up with the perfect setup for landing the catch of a lifetime.
Spreader Bar for Tuna Reviews
Check out our reviews on popular Tuna Spreader Bars
Spreader Bar Amazon
Be sure to check out the adjustable spreader bars.
Stay tuned for more tips and tricks on How To Catch Tuna.
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