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Random Quote: IF I KNEW RETIREMENT WAS THIS ENJOYABLE,,I WOULD NOT HAVE WORKED FOR A LIVING
Despite less than great conditions on Saturday, the charter toughed out a 30+ mile ride offshore in search of a tuna fish. We didn't let them down! Fighting a steady 6' sea (with a regular 8 footer thrown in for good measure), we had consistent big bluefish action throughout the day (including having 6 rods go down at once and getting them all to the boat!).
We had a good sized bonito, and finally, around 1 PM we got a Bluefin Tuna to hop on a green machine. Unfortunately, it was a Young School fish, too small to keep. We picked a few more blues before calling it a day.
you'll have to ask the charter that question, birdman.
no, honestly, i'm not even go to start joking around like that...i don't want anyone to even THINK that fish came home! but it didn't stop me from flying my flag!
i was actually surprised when i saw the pic. when i turned around to make another pass after catching that one, it was just plain ugly. that pic just doesn't do the day justice. perhaps i applied a little too much photoshop clean-up!
we caught it on 50 lb. class tackle, so it wasn't much of a "fight". you hope to catch that fish on the smaller 4/0's i had out at the time, but that's the way it goes...we'll probably get the 125 lb. fish on the 4/0 next time!
That's exactly what happened to me last week at the Tower, we had out all 50's and Tiagras 30 LRS's and just for fun put out a couple of Avet 4/0 2 spd. reels. Wouldn't you know it we get a knockdown from on of the 140-160 bluefins that were busting water all over I've never seen a reel scream like that before, my buddy on the rod had a "What the Fark do I do now" look on his face, that was priceless. Unfortunately, or luckly depending how you look at it the hook pulled before we were spooled. No more little reels out for me when the big ones are showing!!
Joe
[img]http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0UwDqBEgb0a0aOnQNNMwsj1ekHClIQXvw1!FFpWaQ57mCur09U dOC*uRpDsQDPU3DPrKnFvmjOAL*!RlIQh5NnRpJ00RLBbstVoM *Vu6jCM9HOZvtcN4QAKVhZdNBKuPj/henriques_thmb.jpg?dc=4675359742587480607[/img]
Damn Joey.. those Avet's will push 20#'s of drag at strike.... what did you have set? How do you like them? Thinking of buying a couple in the near future....
The fish hit on the troll, and I keep them at 2/3 strike while trolling,I had the drag set at 16# strike for #50 mono, the night before at the dock. They've got a super-smoothe drag, the rod tip didn't even flinch while the line was screaming out. Overall I like the reels, we've had several 40lb longfin on them and they have worked well. You can't go wrong with the price, Chark's had 'em for $349, with a free reel cover and shipping included. That fish would have been the ultimate test for it though, a Jersey charter boat called "Canyon Runner" landed one about 140 that day in the area we were fishing. I think for 30-60 lb fish the Avet would be just fine.
Joe
[img]http://groups.msn.com/_Secure/0UwDqBEgb0a0aOnQNNMwsj1ekHClIQXvw1!FFpWaQ57mCur09U dOC*uRpDsQDPU3DPrKnFvmjOAL*!RlIQh5NnRpJ00RLBbstVoM *Vu6jCM9HOZvtcN4QAKVhZdNBKuPj/henriques_thmb.jpg?dc=4675359742587480607[/img]
I have a picture of my boat taken by one of the boatpix helicopters about 3 years ago on a really nasty day during a tournament and the ocean looks flat calm. It was blowing steady all day, real steep 4-6' seas, had to run out much slower than usual and this picture looks like we were cruising through the bay. Wave heights never seem to look like much in pictures.
Hey CaptAdamNJ - I beleive that hanging a tuna by the tail, like in the photo, is not a good way to handle a fish that is going to be released. From my experience, you can feel the vertibrae separating when its hanging. I'm sure is really bad for the fish. It would be much better to support the fish under the chin and do a horizontal photo. It also teaches the angler good fish handling techniques and respect for the resource.
Bluefin Tuna (pic) 
. Unfortunately, or luckly depending how you look at it the hook pulled before we were spooled. No more little reels out for me when the big ones are showing!!
