Is it better to catch tuna in sunny or overcast conditions? For Captain Kevin Beach, the preference is overcast, 1 to 2-foot chop with some dirtiness to the water. You can use heavier leaders if the water is a little dirty, which means you can increase the drag on the reel allowing you to catch fish faster. If the conditions are calm and clear, you have to scale down on the leader size which creates a greater chance for error and a longer catch time for each fish.