Bigger Fish

[twofinbluna]

I now people dont like to hear what I am about to say but it needs to be said.....and this is not directed necessarily at anyone here on this site but is going out to everyone...

There seems to be more fish showing up down towards the Cape in the 73-75 inch range and so hopefully people are going to be carrying the right gear to be able to catch fish of that size. I know some people come on here and elsewhere and report catching 80 inch fish with light line and spinning tackle but people should not fool themselves into thinking that is the appropriate gear for fish that size. Some have a lot more experience fighting fish than others and so may be able to do well with that type of tackle, but I would bet even those experienced guys are breaking off more fish than they are landing when using that gear. Its not right to be making people think that they should be out there with 60 pound test and spinning rods on fish that should be caught with 50s.

Last summer it got pretty sickening hearing stories about people going "1 for 7" or "2 for 6", etc, and people are fooling themselves if they think breaking a fish off with hundreds of feet of line attached to them is going to give that fish any chance at surviving. And the same goes for releasing a fish after hours of fighting on light tackle. The fact that people come online posting stories like that means to me there are plenty of people that dont understand how bad it is for that fish.

I know people dont like to hear this but I think it has to be said. Bring the right gear for the fish you will be likley hooking. If there are all kinds of fish over 73 inches where you are fishing (and there is a good chance of that), than like it or not you should be ready to be able to catch that fish. Its no excuse to say that you are seeing lots of 50 inchers and so you are going to use gear for fish that size. If you have as good a chance as encountering fish much bigger than that, you should be ready for those fish.

If you use the right gear and fight them the right way, you will do these fish a lot of favors. I know Stew has shown that using bigger gear and getting them in fast does wonders for the survival rate, and hopefully people will pay attention to that. With the number of boats out targeting these things nowadways, there is a lot of potential for high mortality if people are breaking off fish left and right.

So, use the right gear and help ensure this fishery lasts into the future!!!

[Captain Greg Sears]

"All true" Tuna fishing for big fish is a whole nother animal. I have had two fights with 70 inch fish lasting more than one hour with 80# penn. These fish would not have survived. Nore did they because I was on a charter.

Good points twofin

[Fortunamate]

this is true we fought a 65inch fish on a 50 for 15 minutes got it to the boat and it was done and ready we gaffed it and brought it over the side and it didnt kick once and ive seen other fish that are at the boat and kicking after 15 minutes and then theres fish that just come to the boat and do not look so hott at all

[AlloyToy]

Question guys....is it the equipment or the technique after the hook up that plays a bigger roll in landing these fish???

[Fortunamate]

both if the anglers really crappy then it can take longer to get a fish in and it can put more stress on the fish or if your gear is smaller its just takes longer and there for the fish is strugling to get away heating itself up for longer again alot of it is time on the hook and how long it has to fight

[Albiemanmike]

Good post 2Fin. Based on the reports this year I geared up again. Purchasing a much stronger rod designed for these bigger fish and a much bigger reel designed for the same. If I see really big fish 70+" I am not attempting to cacth them and have no problem with moving along to find some fish more suited to what I want to do. That does not mean that it isn't possible to hook a big fish mixed in with smaller fish but you can somewhat narrow the odds by trying to find schools of smaller fish. There have not been as many of those this year though. Thankfully the fish have been very safe this year from me after 2 trips I have not felt the pain yet and have not really seen very many fish for that matter but it is all part of the game and you have to take the good days with the bad. I would much rather tangle with sub-60" fish than these beasts that are in the house now, they hurt a lot. Plus they are more expensive went and bought more chit today to help with the bigger demons.

[Massbaytuna3]

Great idea on starting this thread! I don't even want to start counting the amount of boats that I have seen in the Stellwagen and Cape area this year trolling "cod gear" and gear that they just dusted off from last season. Be prepared! We have gone to 80s and 130s throughout much of the season and have spooled ALL of our standup tackle (50s, 70s, etc) with hollow core braid and heavier top shots.

Twofinbluna brings up the point that I feel many people blow off and its the whole, "I got spooled scenario." Sure there's the chance that you hooked a fish far beyond the capacity of your gear. And yeah it is a great story to say "I got spooled!!!," but why not have the better story of having the fish in the cockpit or SAFELY released without 400yds of line and a squid bar hanging from its jaw. Be prepared and bring the capacity of your gear to its highest. Expect to hook a fish in the "sellable range" every time you put the rigs in the water.

My 2...

[backman]

my view is technique. Using myself as an example I had a 74" fish to the boat in 20 minutes last year on a 50 because I knew it was a good fish and was all over it; constant pressure w/ short strokes, no rest and a lot of tricks I have learned to keep that fish coming. That fish was landed with a tail rope - no gaff, no harpoon on SEB; ie I beat it pretty hard and had it laying passively at boatside because we had no other options.

On the other hand I got my ass whipped as did the relief angler, a young and strong 23 Y.O. because I do-se-doed and played games one armed with "just another albie" which turned into a lot more at 1st sight of the boat because I was lackidasical and didn't break it fast. It was a 69" fish which kicked both our ass on the rod and would not relent with both a dart in it and both gills lanced. It was unliftable with the same gear because it was head down and driving as opposed to heads up and coming.

Obviously you need enough drag and lift to be able to handle a couple hundred pound fish, nor would I use a 50 if I were seriously bait fishing for giants but I have no fear of handling a 70-something fish with either a 30 or a 50 as long as the angler is aggressive and willing to pressure hard. 22-25# of drag with some hand pressure has caught a fish or three for me.

[sjogren]

twofinbluna
Thanks and well said! Fishing elitists . Tred talks about them and we see them here on the Vineyard. Well of course, the elitists are here on the island, umm in the summer that is.
Fly flingers killing bass. Cant revive them. Bonito+albi guys having to get just a little closer to the breaking fish, and driving the fish down. All the while smoking that $20 cigar .
I dont want to upset any fly guys sorry if I do.

[backman]

I used to be one of them in the 90's till a certain Menemsha fishmonger ran me over on his way to the 30th bonito of the day while I was still dicking with my 1st.

Duh...it took about 2 trips that way before I "got it"