cooling down your fish

keeper · 01-24-2006, 11:18 PM

I am new here but I have some advice for getting the most $ for your fish. I have caught alot of GBFT in the NE and when I started doing this I really noticed an increase prices from consignment returns.
you guys must know that the fish get hot after a long fight. And they produce alot of lactic acid in there meat. Which can burn the meat (yaki in Japanese)
What we would do is; After you dart him provided you don't kill him with harpoon. Two tail ropes for safty. Tie a piece of line (rope) to a big hook 12/0 or bigger remove the barb. If the bite is red hot you probably won't want to do this! Hook him in the jaw, cleat off the tail ropes to either corner along with the dart line with adequate slack. Start towing him 10-15 feet behind the boat untill you see his color coming back and he seems like he is starting to swim. This can tack anywhere from 15 to 30 min. When it looks like you could release him and he would swim away then it is time to kill him. The blood comes out very quickly when you do this.The bigger the fish the more important this is. Having been a commertial tuna fisherman for 17 years I know that evrything you can do to make the product the best it can be is worth it.

BY THE WAY THAT GUY WHO SAID HE AVERAGED $10 A POUND IS DREAMING for sure !!!!!!!

sea scape · 01-25-2006, 12:38 AM

I have heard stories of fishermen doing this before I have never done it myself but they say it works

BTW- welcome to a great site!!

74Formula233 · 01-25-2006, 12:39 AM

Great first post! Welcome!

JB2C · 01-25-2006, 02:08 AM

How often do you kill them when you harpoon them vs. not? Do you always harpoon them, or do you try to bring in smaller ones and lip gaff them?

JB

tunatamer4 · 01-25-2006, 02:11 AM

Great tip. Thanks Keeper....And Welcome

chumtini · 01-25-2006, 03:06 AM

Keeper, good stuff!! Where in NE? What about coring? I never have the right stuff!!

MakoMike · 01-25-2006, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JB2C

How often do you kill them when you harpoon them vs. not? Do you always harpoon them, or do you try to bring in smaller ones and lip gaff them?

JB

Once you know they are over 73 inches they get the dart.

WAHOONBOX · 01-25-2006, 10:43 AM

THE SCENARIO ABOUT DARTING THEM OR LIP GAFFING THEM CAN BRING OUT CONTRO- AMOUNGST MEN....

...SO I HOPE THAT THIS BE NOT THE CASE HERE.....I SEE THIS POST GOING STRONG AND IS A GOOD ONE....SO LET'S ALL BE SURE THAT WE JUST SHARE OUR INDIVIDUAL WAYS AND TECHNIQUES AND THEN IT BE UP TO THE READING INDIVIDUAL TO DECIDE WHAT WORKS BEST FOR HIM

NORTH ...POON
SOUTH....LIP/HEAD GAFF

WHY? BECUASE IN THE SOUTH WE HAVEN'T HAD THE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE TO EXPLORE THE HARPOON TECHNIQUE..........WE HAVE ONLY HAD ABOUT 6 YEARS OF KILL SEASON DOWN HERE ...AND SOME OF THESE YEARS ONLY 3 DAYS OF KILL SEASON.......SO.....WE NEVER BOUGHT A POON! THE DOLLAR RULES

I HAVE ONLY HARPOONED TWO IN MY LIFE......AND I WOULD BET THAT NEW ENGLANDERS WOULD WINCE IF THEY SEEN IT.....

IN THE SOUTH.....WHEN THE FISH POPS UP.....WE POON IT......IN THE NORTH...YOU GUYS THROW THE POON. I HAVE HEARD A FULL TIME -WELL KNOWN GIANT KILLER FROM MONTAUK CLEARLY STATE THAT WHEN HE SEES COLOR...THE POON FLYS....HE RARES BACK AND LETS HER FLY......

NOW IF I HAD LET ONE FLY ON THE 75 INCH FISH BACK IN DEC.....WOULDN'T THAT BE A BIT PREMATURE ATTACK? I THINK SO.....

MOST CASES ....WHEN THE FISH HITS OUR DECK AFTER LIP GAFFING....WE PUT A HIGH-GPM SALTWATER WASHDOWN HOSE INTO THE MOUTH....JUST LIKE THE STANFORD UNIVERSITY TAG-A-GIANT CREWS DO....IF THEY CAN PERFORM OPEN GUT SURGERY THIS WAY AND THE TUNA STILL BREATHES ...THEN I FEEL I CAN 'SWIM " MY FISH ON THE DECK THIS WAY AS WELL...MAYBE NOT FOR 15 MINUTES ...BUT IT DOES WORK

NOTICE THE BLOOD FLOW WHEN THE BEAST CUTS HIS THROAT.......A GALLON COMES OUT INSTANTLY.......THE VIDEOS DON'T LIE

WE HAVE AVERAGED AROUND $14.85 FOR OUR SEVEN FISH THIS YEAR WITH THE HIGH BEING $17.80 I THINK...........

IF YOU WANT TO SWIM ONE IN NORTH CAROLINA WATERS....THIS MAY HAPPEN TO YOU AS SEEN IN THE VIDEO....I'M SURE MANY OF YOU HAVE SEEN THIS ONE BEFORE.....THE BFT ON THE END OF THIS ROD DIDN'T STAND A CHANCE....THE OPENING SCENE HAS A SMALLER BFT COMING TO GAFF...AND THEN BINGO.....OUT FROM THE DEEP COMES

CRANK IT UP! www.wahoonbox.com/videos/sharkattack.wmv

keeper · 01-25-2006, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JB2C

How often do you kill them when you harpoon them vs. not? Do you always harpoon them, or do you try to bring in smaller ones and lip gaff them?

JB

yes we always stick them. But the size of the fish here in New England average quite a bit larger than you guys are used too. As for killing them with the dart maybe 15-20% of the time and we do throw. Try to hit them just under the pect fin and avoid belly (toro)at all costs.

keeper · 01-25-2006, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chumtini

Keeper, good stuff!! Where in NE? What about coring? I never have the right stuff!!

Glouster and Cape Cod Mass.
When you say coring does that mean dressing?

01-24-2006, 11:18 PM	#1
keeper Weaky wacker Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: stonington ct Posts: 27 Credits: 4,749.0 Occupation: commercial fishing boatbuider	cooling down your fish I am new here but I have some advice for getting the most $ for your fish. I have caught alot of GBFT in the NE and when I started doing this I really noticed an increase prices from consignment returns. you guys must know that the fish get hot after a long fight. And they produce alot of lactic acid in there meat. Which can burn the meat (yaki in Japanese) What we would do is; After you dart him provided you don't kill him with harpoon. Two tail ropes for safty. Tie a piece of line (rope) to a big hook 12/0 or bigger remove the barb. If the bite is red hot you probably won't want to do this! Hook him in the jaw, cleat off the tail ropes to either corner along with the dart line with adequate slack. Start towing him 10-15 feet behind the boat untill you see his color coming back and he seems like he is starting to swim. This can tack anywhere from 15 to 30 min. When it looks like you could release him and he would swim away then it is time to kill him. The blood comes out very quickly when you do this.The bigger the fish the more important this is. Having been a commertial tuna fisherman for 17 years I know that evrything you can do to make the product the best it can be is worth it. BY THE WAY THAT GUY WHO SAID HE AVERAGED $10 A POUND IS DREAMING for sure !!!!!!!

01-25-2006, 02:11 AM	#5
tunatamer4 Crab mustard is good Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: wilmywood, nc Posts: 752 Credits: 5,888.2 Best Catch: my wife, how cliche' Occupation: does it matter?	Great tip. Thanks Keeper....And Welcome __________________ tunatamer4 Make something idiot proof and they build a better idiot.

01-25-2006, 10:43 AM	#8
WAHOONBOX I'M SPEECHLESS Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: MOREHEAD CITY NC 28557 Posts: 15,317 Credits: 52,893.9 Boat: I AM A FREELANCER Home Port: MOREHEAD CITY, NC Best Catch: PONEYTAIL Occupation: OFFSHORE MATE VIDEOGRAPHER	DIFFERENT STROKES FO' DIFFERENT FOKES THE SCENARIO ABOUT DARTING THEM OR LIP GAFFING THEM CAN BRING OUT CONTRO- AMOUNGST MEN.... ...SO I HOPE THAT THIS BE NOT THE CASE HERE.....I SEE THIS POST GOING STRONG AND IS A GOOD ONE....SO LET'S ALL BE SURE THAT WE JUST SHARE OUR INDIVIDUAL WAYS AND TECHNIQUES AND THEN IT BE UP TO THE READING INDIVIDUAL TO DECIDE WHAT WORKS BEST FOR HIM NORTH ...POON SOUTH....LIP/HEAD GAFF WHY? BECUASE IN THE SOUTH WE HAVEN'T HAD THE YEARS OF EXPERIENCE TO EXPLORE THE HARPOON TECHNIQUE..........WE HAVE ONLY HAD ABOUT 6 YEARS OF KILL SEASON DOWN HERE ...AND SOME OF THESE YEARS ONLY 3 DAYS OF KILL SEASON.......SO.....WE NEVER BOUGHT A POON! THE DOLLAR RULES I HAVE ONLY HARPOONED TWO IN MY LIFE......AND I WOULD BET THAT NEW ENGLANDERS WOULD WINCE IF THEY SEEN IT..... IN THE SOUTH.....WHEN THE FISH POPS UP.....WE POON IT......IN THE NORTH...YOU GUYS THROW THE POON. I HAVE HEARD A FULL TIME -WELL KNOWN GIANT KILLER FROM MONTAUK CLEARLY STATE THAT WHEN HE SEES COLOR...THE POON FLYS....HE RARES BACK AND LETS HER FLY...... NOW IF I HAD LET ONE FLY ON THE 75 INCH FISH BACK IN DEC.....WOULDN'T THAT BE A BIT PREMATURE ATTACK? I THINK SO..... MOST CASES ....WHEN THE FISH HITS OUR DECK AFTER LIP GAFFING....WE PUT A HIGH-GPM SALTWATER WASHDOWN HOSE INTO THE MOUTH....JUST LIKE THE STANFORD UNIVERSITY TAG-A-GIANT CREWS DO....IF THEY CAN PERFORM OPEN GUT SURGERY THIS WAY AND THE TUNA STILL BREATHES ...THEN I FEEL I CAN 'SWIM " MY FISH ON THE DECK THIS WAY AS WELL...MAYBE NOT FOR 15 MINUTES ...BUT IT DOES WORK NOTICE THE BLOOD FLOW WHEN THE BEAST CUTS HIS THROAT.......A GALLON COMES OUT INSTANTLY.......THE VIDEOS DON'T LIE WE HAVE AVERAGED AROUND $14.85 FOR OUR SEVEN FISH THIS YEAR WITH THE HIGH BEING $17.80 I THINK........... IF YOU WANT TO SWIM ONE IN NORTH CAROLINA WATERS....THIS MAY HAPPEN TO YOU AS SEEN IN THE VIDEO....I'M SURE MANY OF YOU HAVE SEEN THIS ONE BEFORE.....THE BFT ON THE END OF THIS ROD DIDN'T STAND A CHANCE....THE OPENING SCENE HAS A SMALLER BFT COMING TO GAFF...AND THEN BINGO.....OUT FROM THE DEEP COMES CRANK IT UP! www.wahoonbox.com/videos/sharkattack.wmv __________________ I STRONGLY SUPPORT: DEEP DIVING AND EASY TRIPPIN' OLD SALTY PLANERS FINRAZOR RODS & THE ABSOLUTELY DEEPER ATTACK WEAPON: SNIPER PLANER RODS THE GIANT BLUEFIN TUNA HEART STOPPER: POON HARPOON

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01-25-2006, 12:38 AM	#2
sea scape I think Admin is going to let me have this space Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: New Jersey Posts: 2,962 Credits: 3,774.4	I have heard stories of fishermen doing this before I have never done it myself but they say it works BTW- welcome to a great site!!

01-25-2006, 12:39 AM	#3
74Formula233 I think Admin is going to let me have this space Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Southern Rhode Island Posts: 2,087 Credits: 1,243.3	Great first post! Welcome!

01-25-2006, 02:08 AM	#4
JB2C Hide- My Wifes Logged On Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 132 Credits: 1,350.8	How often do you kill them when you harpoon them vs. not? Do you always harpoon them, or do you try to bring in smaller ones and lip gaff them? JB

01-25-2006, 03:06 AM	#6
chumtini I think Admin is going to let me have this space Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Mass Posts: 1,637 Credits: 2,973.0	Keeper, good stuff!! Where in NE? What about coring? I never have the right stuff!!