Tuna

[JDP]

It feels like it’s been so long since I’ve been able to have a fish. Last 4 weeks it’s blown it’s bum off here and though there were the odd days I could of gone out, I simply didn’t feel like getting smashed about. Before that I had been skippering a commercial boat targeting abalone for for 5 weeks.
 

With glammer conditions yesterday I headed out with a good friend and his two boys chasing tuna. After 2hrs heading 44 miles offshore and several false alarms which turned out to be dolphins everyone seemed to turn to their phones for entertainment. Finding tuna is often a result of constantly scanning the horizon for just a single bird or a splash on the surface. 
 

I felt I was the only one with my mind in the game as I kept an eye on a single bird some 500m to the starboard side. Sure enough two good sized tuna over the 100kg smashed out of the water chasing an offshore species of garfish. Suddenly everyone was back on form.
 

With six rods trolling a mix of lures behind the boat and the other three crew belting out surface lures towards tuna as we got in range I was pretty surprised none took a lure as they passed directly under us. So six rods out the back and three casting at fish meant the lads had 10 chances of a hook-up. 
 

The fish soon disappeared and the crew went back into sleepy mode!!!!! Suddenly a patch of smaller fish erupted at the surface heading straight at us. The lads managed a few casts as I thought to myself I’m going to flick one long cast over the top with my new shimano grappler travel rod. On my old 10000 twin power I had my lure doing about double the speed of the lads, which excited two tuna to launch from the surface smacking my lure. 
 

All seemed like a good idea but now I was hooked into a 1.640 yellowfin heading towards the bottom in 1500m of water. It didn’t take many minutes to start feeling the pain from using a rod just over 8ft. After 30 mins some of the pain in my back seemed to ease and by the 1hr mark it had moved to my arms and shoulders. After 1.30mins my groin was in a whole heap of pain!!!!!..next time I will leave it to the youngsters if yellowfin are about and just target bluefin as they are far less demanding.

All 50lb class, loaded to the max.

 

 

Edited July 25, 2022 by JDP

[Andy135]

Quality report! Very well dangled. Lovely pics too, which should keep @JonC quiet.

Is that a lure clip or mashed up split ring above the lure?

[mike farrants]

now that's a fish!

[JDP]

3 hours ago, Andy135 said:

Quality report! Very well dangled. Lovely pics too, which should keep @JonC quiet.

Is that a lure clip or mashed up split ring above the lure?

It’s a pretty cheap swivel clip, $7.95 for 10. 

[Andy135]

2 minutes ago, JDP said:

It’s a pretty cheap swivel clip, $7.95 for 10. 

Maybe it's the angle of the photo - sort of looks like it's opened up under the force of the fight?

[JDP]

1 hour ago, Andy135 said:

Maybe it's the angle of the photo - sort of looks like it's opened up under the force of the fight?

No, that’s what they’re like. Away from home for a couple of days but will post a better pics when I get back. The ones I had been using were close to $40 for two. Plan had been to test them on sharks.

[jonnyswamp]

Fuck that, I'm aching just reading it

[Saintly Fish]

Not bad for an old bloke 💪🏻👍🏻🎣

[JDP]

13 hours ago, Saintly Fish said:

Not bad for an old bloke 💪🏻👍🏻🎣

I’m only 57!!!! Still feeling both the pain and excitement from it. The only downside was that @JonCwasn’t there, one day maybe 🥰

[Saintly Fish]

28 minutes ago, JDP said:

I’m only 57!!!! Still feeling both the pain and excitement from it. The only downside was that @JonCwasn’t there, one day maybe 🥰

Now that would be an emotional moment for you both!