656lb New Zealand Bluefin Tuna

[Wetspotnz]

Just recieved the following details of one of the 1st of the New Zealand Bluefin Tuna being landed out of Greymouth which is on the Westcoast of the South Island of NZ. This is the prime time of the year to be chasing these giant Bluefin down our way !



Photos are courtesy of one of my clients Richard Karam and the fish weighed in at 298KG or 656lb's. Charter Boat is called Cervesa and Skipper Larry is the man in charge. This is an average fish and they are taken generally by drifting Hoki dead baits along the Hoki Trawlers as they are lifting there nets or drifting and cubing.



One very very happy angler, caught on Simano 130w Tiagras and I expect 60Kg Mono. Fight time 3.00hrs which is extremly quick. Reports are that the previous fish taken had the angler hard at it for over 16hrs on the same gear.

catch Up soon

Lance aka Wetspot NZ

[Sea Draggin]

Thats a beauty. I take it that the charter kept that one and that it did not go to market.

[paul708]

Great looking fish

[SeaBiscuit]

Have read a lot about your bluefin fishery and appreciate the report. Please keep us posted on the action!
3 or more hours on 130 class tackle sounds like a long time for medium sized giants. Do folks have to use light drags and leaders? Any info you can get us about your fishery will be appreciated.
SeaBiscuit

[waterman482]

Nice fish! There have been some giants caught right out front here off jersey over the past two weeks! I know of five.

[Trident]

Nice fish! There have been some giants caught right out front here off jersey over the past two weeks! I know of five.

Not to derail the thread but 5 in the past 2 weeks?????

I' d love to hear more

[Sea Draggin]

Nice fish! There have been some giants caught right out front here off jersey over the past two weeks! I know of five.

I'm guessing they took better care of them, than the one above, and they went to market?

[Anngler]

That's one great catch! Congrats to the angler and crew!

[Wetspotnz]

Dont dissagree that in this instance the fish was not in the greatest condition, but would have fed a few families for a while and a lot of it would have been smoked.

The logistics of getting it out of Greymouth in timely fashion and properly dressed is also the issue.

8 out of 10 of these fish are tagged and released . Interesting that the stats for my game club ( Whangarei Deep Sea Anglers Club - Tutukaka ) is running at 79% for tagged and released sportfish , in particularly Marlin ( Striped, Blue & Black)

Generally the fish in this area are targeted with a minimum of 80W Tiagras on 37KG - 130W Tiagra on 60. ( Equivalent Penns if you are that way inclined ) Either on stand up or chair if the angler is luck enough. Usually 600lb fluro leader to 12 - 16/o circle hook.

In past years the fish have mainly been caught by following the Russian Hoki trawlers which are between 30 -100nm off shore. You need to understand that this is a particularly rugged bit of ocean essentially last stop to Antartica.

When the nets are raised and the ship in processing mode, the Bluefin are swarming all over the place and you need only drift a dead bait down past the ships to get hooked up, Then hang on baby.

With the reduction in quota for Hoki this season there are less big ships out and about and as such the boys are cubing / chumming the fish up.

The bluefin fishery is essentially spread from 1/2 way down the east coast of the north island of NZ down and around the bottom of the south island and up the West coast.

My nearest fishing grounds Ex-Auckland for the bluefin at this time of the year are East of White island which requires a 4-5hr tow of the boat down to Whakatane and then if we can get the right conditions about 2hrs steam out to sea.

This area also produces some significant Swordfish - Yum Yum.

catch up soon

Lance aka Wetspot-nz

[fish4fun]

130w, 600lb Fluro, 16hrs on the rod = holy shit, that was one bas ass tuna! Maybe foul hooked?