[JoeZ]

I think I posted something the first time this happened but here he goes again.





http://sports.espn.go.com/outdoors/general/columns/story?columnist=suchan_mike&page=g_blog_But_I_Digress

 

[Magic236]

That quiet a feet, but why choose to go SOLO!

 

[superchicken]

wow! I am glad it was him and not me!

 

[Fishforlife2]

Magic236 (1/18/2010)That quiet a feet, but why choose to go SOLO!

Cause the weed is always better when you don't have to share it....

 

[J.Sharit]

Well I guess he's the only one that can tell the story now. Man vs Fish

I think he's a ballsy basterd.Sounds like he's got the inside on where and when to go after those big blue torpedos. Besides 2 guys would'nt have helped him get that bad boy in the boat.

 

[Chris V]

I think its awesome to still see 4 digit bluefin hitting the scales, regardless of who or how many people it took to catch them.

 

[Xiphius]

Nice fish, I can't believe the fleet left him hooked up, solo...with building seas and high winds coming. They usually fight these giants from the gunnels. Need more details...what size boat? Great accomplishment.

 

[Captain Woody Woods]

J.Sharit (1/19/2010)

Sounds like he's got the inside on where and when to go after those big blue torpedos.

Not really. Off the Carolina coast this time of year, the bluefin move in relatively close; similar to the way our yellowfin tuna move onto the lump this time of year. If you can endure the rough seas and high winds, your chances at beating a big bluefin are much greater this time of year off Hatteras, Cape Fear, etc. especially since the tunas are in shallow water and can't sound as deep as they would be able to if in the Gulf Stream, off of our deepwater rigs, etc. One of the more recent sportfishing mags I picked up the other day had a nice article on the pros and cons of various port cities along the Carolinas regarding bluefin fishing.

 

[Chris V]

The big difference between the fish off MA, like where this fish was caught and the fish off NC this time of year is definitely the size. The average bluefin off the outer banks in January from what the locals told me is 300-350lbs with a big fish being in the 500lb range. Off MA the fish don't seem to be as abundant but are more likely to top 600+lbs with many 700-900lb fish caught or hooked each year.

I can say one thing from experience about bluefin in the shallower waters off the NC coast; what they lack in ability to sound they more than make up in spooling a reel and having you back down in circles for a long time. Even on 130 class gear in 100ft or less of water using upwards of 70lbs of drag they commonly take 45 minutes to an hour to land and you figure out real quickly why most of the guides do not recommend stand up gear.

 

[Eastern Tackle]

The Blue Hoo (1/19/2010)especially since the tunas are in shallow water and can't sound as deep as they would be able to if in the Gulf Stream, off of our deepwater rigs, etc.

I would much rather fight one in the deep, than shallow. When they are in the deep, they don't take line like they do in the shallows. In the shallows they have no where to go, so they go out.



I had double header in 40' of water once. One was 90" a 400lbr and the other was 96" a 500lbr. I pulled the right long away from a third. Those two peeled off 3oo-400 yds of line in opposite directions. The 90 took an hour and the 96 took two more on top of that, but we got them.



When you get them in the deep, they just run off a little then dog you. It becomes a game of timing, finesse and boat position. Sometimes if you pull off the top of them, then hammer the drag, they will pop to the top like a cork. Then you just back over, cut them off and stick them.

 

[Eastern Tackle]

I took this one in deeper water. It took 4 hours, but never took more than 150 yds of line during the whole fight. It was a 103"

 

[Chris V]

Sweet! I was hoping you would chime in on this since I know you have had a lot of experience with bluefin. How much did that 103" weigh? I'm trying to get an idea of what my 101" weighed, I couldn't measure girth but it had a healthy one. Guy I was fishing with said it was probably 72-74" in girth.

 

[Eastern Tackle]

The 103" was estimated by Kashiko the broker at 575lbs. It cored out at 465 and thats what I got paid on.

 

[HaterAide]

Eastern Tackle (1/20/2010)I took this one in deeper water. It took 4 hours, but never took more than 150 yds of line during the whole fight. It was a 103"

AWESOME

 

[Chris V]

I would think that it would weigh 600+ easy

 

[JoeZ]

Eastern Tackle (1/20/2010)I took this one in deeper water. It took 4 hours, but never took more than 150 yds of line during the whole fight. It was a 103"

HOLY SHIT is about all I can come up with. That's awesome.

 

[Eastern Tackle]

These were my helpers on that one. There is no need to fish alone for me. I can always seem to round up a crew. My dad used to help me during season and I had my friend Craig along. I managed to get the whole fish in the screen.



Fishing alone for these isn't cool. I think its pretty stupid actually. You must have a mental defect or something if nobody wants to go with you.