I don't know whether it makes a difference, but I never play out of Pearl, I don't like that extended slog into the patrol area. So, Asiatic fleet for me...
It does seem that after the second or third patrol, when you get up past Darwin and into the enemy waters, there are an over-abundance of targets running about. That choke point at the top of Celebs is like a revolving door for Jap merchants, as is the area around Cam Ranh Bay and Saigon.
So, maybe it's those starting closer to enemy held areas that are experiencing such a target-rich environment.
I don't use the noob cannons either and still manage to rack up a lot of tonnage...
