Intense!

[Fubar512 1,350]

Now this is fishing as it was meant to be!

 

[Skyviper 1,101]

... That's great and all that but where I'm from the video ends with a bunch of drunk idiots frying what they caught ... just saying.

[Fubar512 1,350]

... That's great and all that but where I'm from the video ends with a bunch of drunk idiots frying what they caught ... just saying.

 

Well, frying a tuna or a king mackerel would be a waste.  Both can be somewhat oily, so the former is best served as sashimi, or baked, and the latter is great smoked.

[TeargasHorse 287]

My 7th grade bio teacher always said, "use barbless hooks and turn em loose."

[Skyviper 1,101]

Well, frying a tuna or a king mackerel would be a waste.  Both can be somewhat oily, so the former is best served as sashimi, or baked, and the latter is great smoked.

 

You what I was saying ... they would've been dinner ... for me I'd go with the baked tuna sounds good.

 

But people in my area like frying things so...yeah.

[+Dave 2,322]

If I catch it, its going to get eaten.

[Fubar512 1,350]

You what I was saying ... they would've been dinner ... for me I'd go with the baked tuna sounds good.

 

But people in my area like frying things so...yeah.

Before the DB crash and subsequent restoration, you asked about catching a giant bluefin tuna, what we call a "money fish", one that would pay your salary for a year.

 

Well, first you need a vessel that's set up for that sort of fishery, and one that meets CG safety and NMFS license criteria.  That would run you about 50K for a used downeast-style, single screw boat in serviceable condition (they'll set you back 250-400K new). Add to that at least 5-10K in 130 lb-class tackle, gaffs, terminal tackle, etc.  Then you have to pay for dockage (at least 2K per season, and that would be cheap).  Then you have fuel costs (think between .75 and 1 nautical mile per gallon, and your average tuna trip will run about 60 nautical miles round trip).  Next comes bait (about $150-200 per trip, again keeping it on the cheap side), and at least one pound of ice for every pound of fish...so think 1/2 ton of ice just to be safe.

 

If you're successful (locally) , it will take you at least two averaged size fish to start paying your expenses, which come right off the top. And this is assuming you can get two or three of your friends to work deck for you for free....lol

 

the real pros fish the circuit from the Outer Banks of NC to Gloucester, from May through January (unless NMFS decides that the GBFT quota has been met and closes down the season).  And they generally have annual expenses in the 25-50K region.

 

Below are some of the regulations you need to deal with (notice that recreational anglers can keep one giant per year north of Great Egg inlet, NJ this year):

 

2014 Recreational Atlantic Tunas Retention Limits

Effective May 8, the bluefin tuna (BFT) daily retention limits are increased from the default of 1 BFT measuring 27-<73" to the following. For HMS Angling-permitted vessels: 1 school BFT (27 to <47") + 1 large school/small medium BFT (47-<73"). For HMS Charter/Headboat-permitted vessels: 2 school BFT (27 to <47") + 1 large school/small medium BFT (47-<73"). These limits are effective for all areas except the Gulf of Mexico. The recreational BFT trophy fishery (73"+) is closed for the southern area (for landings south 39°18’N, i.e., south of Great Egg Inlet, NJ), but is open for the northern area (for landings north of Great Egg Inlet, NJ) with a limit of 1 BFT measuring 73" or greater/vessel/year. For further information, see notice in library (at left). The recreational yellowfin tuna retention limit is 3/person/day or trip. The minimum size for yellowfin and bigeye tuna is 27" curved fork length. There are no recreational limits for bigeye, skipjack or albacore tunas.

 

Bluefin Tuna Angling Category Southern Trophy Fishery CLOSED

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) closed the Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) Angling category fishery for large medium and giant “trophy” BFT (measuring 73” or greater) in the southern area effective 11:30 p.m. local time, April 11, 2014, through December 31, 2014. The southern area is the area south of 39°18’N (off Great Egg Inlet, NJ) and includes the Gulf of Mexico. The intent of this closure is to prevent any further overharvest of the Angling category southern area trophy BFT subquota. Fishermen may catch and release or tag and release BFT of all sizes, subject to the requirements of HMS catch-and-release and tag-and-release programs. For further information, please see the notice in the library (link at left of page) or at: www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/news/breaking_news.html.

 

Atlantic Bluefin Tuna General Category Fishery CLOSED Until June 1

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) closed the Atlantic bluefin tuna (BFT) General category fishery for large medium and giant BFT (73" curved fork length or greater) on March 21, 2014, until it reopens on June 1, 2014, for the June through August period. Based on the best available BFT landings information for the General category BFT fishery, NMFS determined that the General category January BFT subquota of 23.1 mt has been reached. Although it is called the “January subquota,” the regulations allow the January fishery to continue until the 23.1-mt subquota is reached, or March 31, whichever comes first. Retaining, possessing, or landing large medium or giant BFT by persons aboard vessels permitted in the Atlantic tunas General and Highly Migratory Species (HMS) Charter/ Headboat categories (while fishing commercially) is prohibited through May 31, 2014. The General category will reopen automatically on June 1, 2014, for the June through August period. The intent of this closure is to prevent any further overharvest of the General category January BFT subquota. Fishermen may catch and release or tag and release BFT of all sizes, subject to the requirements of HMS catch-and-release and tag-and-release programs. For further information, please see the notice in the library (link at left of page) or at: www.nmfs.noaa.gov/sfa/hms/news/breaking_news.html

 

 

The last boat I ran...it cost the owner about 100K per year in ownership and operating expenses.  It also sucked down diesel fuel at a rate of 96 gallons per hour at its 30-knot cruising speed.

 

Edited May 14, 2014 by Fubar512