posted by John on Aug 29
I ran out to the bank today in search of tuna. I found them in 130 feet of water on the bank edge rolling down from 90 feet. They were working the edge and bunched up, but still giving good boomerang reflections. I tossed all colors of jigs at them. They loved the silver the day before, and now nothing. I tried green, yellow, pink, earthworm, and big 9 inch sluggos. I tried throwing metal flashy jigs, I tried trolling past with a jig with plastic, only metal jigs, a large spoon. All I have to show for it is a sunburn, a dogfish rash on my arm, and gnarled up jig heads from the blues. I did catch a nice 8-10 lb blue and about 5 smallers ones.
One good thing is I am collecting places to find tuna. One thing I do not understand. Why would you chatter on the radio that nothing is happening and you are not marking anything, yet you are staying put??! I motored about 15 miles before I found the school I attempted to catch for two hours. I will try again tomorrow and again on Sunday.
posted by John on Aug 29
I went out alone today. The fleet was working off their moorings and flying their bait kites. I hopped up on the bank where Jeff Smith and I had been fishing. I learned a lot about finding the fish and hooking up, but my knot tying skills have a lot to be desired. I had never tied braid to mono before. Being the expert computer user, I googled braid to mono knots. The web gave up that I should tie a bimini twist on the end of the braid to double up the end. Then I should tie a double uni knot to join the two.
Bad idea for me. It held for all the blues and dogfish I caught, but 5 minutes into the fight with a tuna my double uni knot gave way.
Back at the ramp, a local captain named Gil told me about the slim beauty knot, and after closing, I should super glue the knot to be safe. I did so and will try it on Friday 8/29
posted by John on Aug 24
No fish pics, but boy what a fun thing it is fighting 100+ lb bluefin tuna in view of Provincetown on light tackle. I fished with a local captain, Jeff Smith, who knew where the fish were and what they would bite. He got me two hook ups today when they were few and far between. 200 boats dotted the area, most being west of our position. The first fish I hooked up on was 10 minutes after we arrived on the SW corner of the ‘Bank’. Two humpbacks simultaneously breached for a backdrop as we were casting, not a whale watcher in sight. Minke whales breaking around us.
I hooked up, the fish ran, and I was off to an hour and twenty minute heartbreak. The fish was large and strong, and I had worked it almost to the boat. Jeff estimated 65″ and about 125lb. I got to look at the most beautiful fish less than 10 feet from me and a sushi dinner. The fish had one last gasp and severed the 60lb leader right at the boat. A flash of silver and …gone!
This is what I learned today. Big tuna are fierce fighters. Palm the bale, dig, palm the bale, dig, palm the bale, dig. Let them run. You have to learn the hairy edge between success and equipment failure. Today was not my day, but maybe tomorrow..
The second hook up Jeff got and handed off to the man with the sore arm. This fish we never saw, it did not run, it felt like an anvil, it made for the bottom and stayed under the boat, I had to go around and around the boat. Then, after 15 minutes, the hook pulled and up came my fully intact lure.
We marked a lot of fish the rest of the time with no success. We caught a bunch of dogfish. On the way back we found a school of tuna on the surface. Our attempt to cast on them was not productive. We saw one more giant tuna on the surface before heading home.
All in all a good day. It is always nice hooking up when very few boats are doing so.