When the tuna are on, the difference between a messy wake and a productive spread is usually small - one lure too close, one lure blowing out, one shotgun too short. A good tuna trolling spread setup example is less about copying someone else’s pattern exactly and more about understanding why each lure sits where it does, what it should be doing in the water, and how to keep the whole pattern fishing clean.

For most trailer boats chasing southern bluefin or school tuna off South Australia, you do not need a circus behind the boat. You need a spread that tracks properly, turns without tangling, and gives the fish a few clean targets at different distances. That means matching lure size to sea state, staggering positions properly, and running tackle heavy enough to handle the bite but not so clumsy that your lures lose action.

A practical tuna trolling spread setup example

A very workable starting point is a five-lure spread. Run two short corner lures, two long lures and one shotgun. If you have outriggers, use them for the long positions and keep the short corners from the rod holders. If you do not have outriggers, you can still fish this pattern by staggering line lengths carefully and keeping your turns wider.

The short corners are your close-in teasers that still hook fish. They should sit in the white water, popping, smoking and diving without tumbling. On many trailer boats, that means roughly 10 to 20 metres behind the transom, depending on boat size and wake shape. These lures are usually a touch larger or more active, because they need to hold in washy water.

The long lures sit just behind the main pressure wave where the water starts to clean up. This is often where a lot of bites happen, especially when tuna are keyed in on sauries, slimies or smaller bait schools. These lures might be 20 to 35 metres back, with enough separation that they are not crossing over the corners in a turn.

The shotgun goes well back in the cleanest water. It is your sneaky lure - less commotion, more visibility, often a great spot for a slimmer profile lure or bibless trolling minnow. On many boats, it might be 40 to 60 metres behind the boat, sometimes more in calm conditions when the fish are shy.

That spread gives you coverage in the prop wash, on the edge of the wash, and in clean water. It also lets you test different lure heads and colours without overcrowding the pattern.

How each lure position should behave

A tuna spread is not set-and-forget. Every lure should have a job. If it is skipping wildly, spinning, or disappearing for long stretches, it is not fishing properly no matter how good it looked in the packet.

Short corners

Your short corners should be the most aggressive lures in the pattern, but controlled aggressive. You want a repeated cycle - dive, smoke, pop up, breathe, then dive again. If they are blowing out every few seconds, either the lure head is wrong for that position, the leader is too heavy and stiff for the lure size, or the lure is simply too close.

These positions suit cup-faced or slightly angled heads that can handle pressure. On rougher days, a lure that holds better is often worth more than a prettier action.

Long lures

The long positions usually reward a lure with a cleaner, more measured swim. This is where a lot of anglers place their most consistent all-round lure. It does not have to be the biggest lure in the spread. In fact, for school-size tuna or fussy fish, downsizing here can be the difference.

Because the water is cleaner, fish often get a better look. That makes lure tracking, skirt condition and hook rigging more important than many anglers realise.

Shotgun

The shotgun is ideal for a slimmer baitfish profile or a lure with less surface commotion. If fish are window-shopping the closer lures but not committing, the shotgun can save the day. It is also useful when tuna are feeding on longer, thinner bait.

One trade-off is hook-up management. A fish striking way back can create chaos if the crew is not ready. Keep this rod accessible and make sure the drag is set properly before you put it out.

Lure size, colour and speed

A spread only works if the lure sizes make sense together. Too many oversized lures can look unnatural when the tuna are on tiny bait. Too many tiny lures can struggle in sloppy seas. A simple approach is to run medium skirts on the corners and longs, then either a slightly smaller skirt or a minnow on the shotgun.

Colour matters, but less than clean action. Productive combinations often include one darker pattern, one lumo or bright option, one flying fish or saury-style pattern, and one natural bait tone like blue, silver or pilchard-style colours. This gives the fish a bit of contrast without turning the spread into a lolly shop.

Speed depends on what you are towing. Skirted lures often fish well in the 6 to 8 knot range, while some minnows prefer their own sweet spot. If you mix lure types, do not force one style to perform badly just to suit another. Sometimes the best move is to run an all-skirt spread or an all-hardbody spread for consistency.

Sea conditions change the equation. In calm water, you can usually stretch the pattern a bit longer and run finer, more subtle lures. In rough water, bring the lures slightly closer, choose heads that hold better, and avoid overloading the spread with too many lines.

Rigging matters more than most anglers think

A perfect spread can still underperform if the lure rigs are sloppy. Leader length, hook size, crimp quality and hook alignment all affect how a lure swims and how well it sticks on the bite.

For skirted lures, the hook rig should match the lure size. Hooks that are too large can deaden the lure. Hooks that are too small may not hold on bigger fish. Many anglers prefer a single stiff rig for smaller tuna lures because it tracks straight and is easy to manage on trailer boats. Others like twin hook rigs in selected positions. It depends on the lure, the target size and your confidence in the rig.

Leader choice is another balancing act. Heavy leader gives abrasion resistance and security, especially around the head and gill plates of bigger tuna. But if you go too heavy for a smaller lure, you can choke the action. Wind-ons are handy when you want clean connections and easier leadering at the boat.

This is also where having the right bits on board saves time - quality swivels, chafe tube, crimps, rigging floss, heat shrink and decent crimping tools. Serious anglers know there is no point towing a premium lure on average terminal tackle.

Common mistakes with a tuna trolling spread setup example

The most common mistake is setting lures by distance only and ignoring how they behave. Two boats can run the same line lengths and get completely different results because their wake shape, motor height and trolling speed are different.

The second mistake is overcrowding the spread. More rods do not automatically mean more bites. On a lot of Australian trailer boats, four or five lines are enough. Once tangles start costing you time, your extra lure is not helping.

Another mistake is failing to adjust after the first strike pattern. If every bite comes on the long rigger, that tells you something. Tighten the pattern around that productive zone, or swap another lure into similar water. Tuna often show a preference for a particular distance or lure action on the day.

And then there is turning. Tight turns are a fast way to cross your spread, especially without outriggers. Tuna boats that troll well usually look smooth and boring from a distance. That is not an accident.

When to change the pattern

If fish are boiling behind the lures but not eating, the pattern needs a tweak. You might need to drop speed slightly, swap one aggressive lure for a slimmer profile, or push the shotgun further back. If the lures are working but the hooks are not sticking, check your drag settings and hook rig geometry before blaming the fish.

If conditions deteriorate, simplify. Pull one line in if needed. A clean four-lure spread beats a tangled six-lure spread every time. Likewise, if birds are working tight bait balls and tuna are feeding high, there are days when casting or cubing is the better play. Trolling is effective, but it is not mandatory just because the gear is rigged.

For anglers setting up from scratch, this is where a specialist tackle shop earns its keep. Getting the right lures, leaders, hooks and rigging hardware in one place saves guesswork and wasted sessions, which is exactly why many game and offshore anglers keep coming back to stores like Reel ’N’ Deal Tackle.

A tuna spread should feel deliberate, not complicated. Start with five lures, watch how each one swims, and let the fish tell you what to change. When the pattern is clean and the gear is matched properly, you spend less time sorting tangles and more time clearing rods for a proper tuna bite.