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Hello,
new to this site, am hoping someone can answer a few questions:
I'm asking these questions as a novice,been fishing for BFT for a few years but just boated my first last week. - 68" I BELIEVE IN POGIES!
As I understand, a BFT must be landed (brought to shore) with tail intact, but head can be removed. (i've got a rec. permit)
In the interest of getting the meat on ice asap, can I quarter up the fish at sea, (then I'd be able to put the meat in my cooler on ice) as long as I bring back the entire carcass of the fish intact?
Also, when butchering these beasts up, is the real deep deep red meat okay? What sections are considered the best cuts, and what cuts if any do I stay away from?
Any other tips regarding prep, etc would be greatly appreciated. -The only advice I don't need is how to eat it.
I believe you have to leave the tail and one pec fin. You cannot fillet it, probably because they want some accountability that you didn't high grade two fish and keep more than you could have with an intact carcass.
As for the bloodline, not even my cats will eat that part of the flesh. But it's personal preference.
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Terry Jason 35, Yanmar 370 hp, Lots of fun at a leisurely pace
“You may remove the head, gut the fish and remove most of the fins. However, the tail and at least one pectoral fin must remain attached through landing.”
WOW! - a detailed guide on how to bleed, ice, prepare! Perfect. Thank you so much!
I'm still hoping to find out what cuts of meat are better than others, if anyone can help me out. I know that mercury can be an issue (right?). I've always been told to stay away from the dark meat in a bluefish. Does anything similar apply to Bluefin?
Norbear if your eating it as sashimi the fatty parts of the underbelly are the best. its an awesome buttery tasting type of sashimi, in japanese markets its called Toro. The upper part of the fish is good too but has less fat content so therefore not as desirable and is called Maguro. If you bleed the fish and still have the blood line which you always get a little you can cut it out.
__________________ 19' Pro-Line Sport CC Mercury 125 TS: Location Broad Sound Lynn, Ma
Yes, the bloodline runs along the length of the fish along the side, roughly cutting from the pec fin to the fork of the tail. Bleeding will help, but I've seen it in all tuna.
Generally I make a cut right along it, then remove each side in two long fillets. Then I trim the dark red meat off.
Remember to get the meat off the head as well, some people really think it is some of the best chunks on the fish.
There are those who will take a surgeons precision to cleaning the fish. I don't normally target bft's, and when you have a bunch of meaty yft and/or albacore, I have to admit I'm not that careful to get every last morsel out.
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Terry Jason 35, Yanmar 370 hp, Lots of fun at a leisurely pace
Yes, the bloodline runs along the length of the fish along the side, roughly cutting from the pec fin to the fork of the tail. Bleeding will help, but I've seen it in all tuna.
Generally I make a cut right along it, then remove each side in two long fillets. Then I trim the dark red meat off.
Remember to get the meat off the head as well, some people really think it is some of the best chunks on the fish.
There are those who will take a surgeons precision to cleaning the fish. I don't normally target bft's, and when you have a bunch of meaty yft and/or albacore, I have to admit I'm not that careful to get every last morsel out.
Thanks guys for all the useful info. You guys are the balls. I saw a video on Youtube of a japanese guy filleting a large tuna. After he cut the upper and lower portions off one side, he scraped meat off the bone rack and immediately put it on a serving plate , where it was wisked off by a waiter, presumably to a customer in the other room. When he was done filleting that fish, there wasn't a speck of meat left on it. Very cool.
gotta go- getting hungry....
Do yourself a favor and take the time to get every last piece of blood line off the loins before bagging them. The fish will taste much better than even waiting till later.
The toro is the fatty belly cuts, very desirable.
The leaner upper meat is the akami.
The area in between, both physically and in fat content, is the chu toro.
It's all outstanding, anyway!
__________________ Frank 30' Hydrasports Vector "Jolly Roger"
BFT- after-catch questions 
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