Inshore Bluefin Tuna

[Buck154]

With the inshore BF bite that has been going on for weeks I finally made the run out and try with my boat. Went on Friday and it was just my 80 year old uncle and I. Made the 19 mile run and we picked a couple squid but was not easy finding them. Heard some guys went hours without any. I wanted to get at least a dozen in the livewell before I tried for the tuna.

    Once we got them I put two lines out. One near the bottom and one mid water column. Drifted a good distance and nothing. So I picked up and ran outside the fleet to a high spot. Set the one line down near the bottom and started letting it out and all of a sudden the line starts to go fast out of my hands so I picked the rod up and threw it in gear….fish on.  Circle hook perfect in the corner of the jaw. 
    The fight was on  and the first run I bet was 200 yards. After a bit got him back closer and still wasn’t 100% tuna as it went out and seamed to stay high. Thinking possibly a shark. Finally  it came up and I can see it shining silvery color and it came to the surface 50 foot out…tuna. Well then he settled in to the normal straight down and started his circles. 
   Now he stayed down a bit and now had 2 sharks hanging around staying above him for 15 minutes. They were thinking about it but the size of the tuna I think kept them from chewing on him.  At one point after the sharks were gone we had a big school of rays swim by under the boat and the tuna swam right under them and I worried about the line hitting them. But I didn’t feel any hit. 
    The entire time I’m fighting the tuna I’m have my uncle moving rods and gear out of the way as I probably made 15 laps around the boat. Also had him running the boat back away and circling when I needed him. He was tied running around the boat as he can’t move well and stand long but he did good as end results was fish in the boat. 
    Hook up at 10am. Fight time 53 minutes on a Penn International 30tw with 80 lb Momoi line with 80 lb fluorocarbon and 7/0 circle hook. The fish was 58” fork and 44” girth.   Going by the method to figure out the weight is 44” X 44” X 58” divided by 800 equals 140.36 lbs which I knew it was at least 130 lbs. it’s a solid butterball. Great way to break in the boat. Just got it in the spring SeaHunt 225 with a 150hp Yamaha. 

Edited August 13, 2023 by Buck154

[hammer4reel]

Nice job 

I’m betting your uncle enjoyed that immensely .
. 

 

[JD48]

Congrats, great catch

[archer36]

Terrific!

[JHbowhunter]

Awesome Johnny!  Although we could not go make it  two days in a row on BFT I appreciated the tuna donation yesterday!  At least me and @OMC got to land a few nice sandbar sharks and I got to watch you guys land some keeper fluke and we some how survived at least 4 storms before pulling out. That first one was a doozy!  Thought the boat was gonna lift out of the water from the wind and the heavy rain was gonna take our skin off!  Oh and fresh grilled calamari is excellent to a drizzled with EVO and some Greek seasoning. Keeping 49 squid was a nice bonus. 

Edited August 13, 2023 by JHbowhunter

[electricstart]

Congrats ,Nice

[Buck154]

After boating him we headed back and fished for fluke for a little while. Fluking was good and we boated 4 keepers and two keeper seabass. One seabass was 18” and I also released a fluke that was almost 24” . We kept one over and 2 slots and two seabass. Good way to finish off the day

[Bonefreak]

Awesome trip and great pics Johnny!!

[Swamprat]

Absolutely awesome. That day is a memory that will never fade. congrats to you both. 

[smittty]

Good for you 

[rgw]

Awesome John memories neither of you will forget, sharks yesterday were bad, we had 4 yesterday boatside that bit us off

Edited August 13, 2023 by rgw

[MGHunter66]

Outstanding Johnny!

[hunterbob1]

Awesome congrats to you and your uncle 👍👍

[hiking]

great trip,  always the best m  ove is get away from the fleet.  We did that yesterday fluking ended up with a 6lb -and two 5lbs   very few shorts

[Lphunsjr]

Great work John. Those fish have been getting beat up for a few weeks. Well Done