Blue Fin Tuna

[doubleclutch]

Our nephew, (in the red coveralls), and his partners, caught this Blue Fin Tuna off the coast of North Carolina. While reeling it in, it was followed by a 15' shark looking for an easy meal. If you have ever had a prize fish on the line and have it ripped off by a predator fish, leaving only a head, then you know what was going through their minds as they were trying to get a fresh caught and full of fight fish this size on board.

Feel free to view the several images before and after the link below.

http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/2439149880034225501eXZKbR

 

[IndyIan]

Wow, nice fish! What do you do with lunker like that? Package well and freeze it to eat for the next couple years? Or can he sell it to a restaurant?
Ian

 

[Pablo]

NICE FISH!!!! Dude.....awesome.

I've had bonita snapped in two by sharks. Funny, once (BC - before children). My wife and I went on a 2 day fishing boat trip, wife hooked into a nice bonita....she battled that dude and was asking for me to take over...but she hung in there and about 30 feet from the boat a shark munched it to the head.....she was SO ANGRY!!

 

[doubleclutch]

The Tuna weighed 300 pounds. It was sold, packaged in a special container, put on a plane to of all places, China. To be able to sell fish, one must purchase a commercial fishing license. The license costs $3000.00 dollars. The sale of the fish more than repaid him for the license. It brought $16.00 a pound.

 

[tom slick]

NICE!! a 20 lbs tuna is tough enough to bring in, I can't imagine 300!

 

[MarkC]

Of course, Pablo is referring to bonito, although they can be quite bonita.

Speaking of which, that is a nice tuna. How far offshore was it caught?

 

[moribundman]

Maybe it was caught near la Isla Bonita!

 

[MarkC]

Como puede ser verdad?

 

[moribundman]

Se sobrestima la verdad.

 

[doubleclutch]

MarkC

They weren't that far offshore. They came through a school and had three on their lines at one time. Two got off. You talk about some heart pounding excitment!! The 15' shark that was following their Tuna in added to the drama also.... They didn't have the time to let the Blue Fin tire it's self out, they had to bring it on board fresh... Ever wrestle a 300 pound fish... I wish I had been a fly on the bridge!! They didn't get any images of the fish in the water or bringing it on board, they had their hands full! All hands on deck!!!

 

[MarkC]

Sounds like a blast.
I come from a couple of hours south of Morehead...Carolina/Kure Beach

 

[doubleclutch]

MarkC

Yep, I remember that you are from the coastal area.

 

[mechtech2]

He should have nabbed the shark and sold it also!

 

[doubleclutch]

Hey, that's right! Shark Fin soup! The only thing they had on their mind was not donating that Tuna to the shark. We were fishing in the Gulf Stream off the coast of North Carolina one time when a boat not far from us caught and brought on board about a 10' shark. It got loose from them and was actually trying to bite them. It chased them up on the flying bridge. It was funny afterwards, however, during the episode they were in real danger. That would have been some good training film footage. Never bring a "fresh" large fish on board, and never, ever, wrap the fishing line around your arm when you have a fish on the line. A few years ago some fishermen off the N.C. coast had a large Blue Fin Tuna on the line and one of the fellows wrapped the line around his arm in an effort to bring the fish in. He was jerked overboard, a fellow jumped in after him, but, could not catch up as he figured he was about 30' down and still going. That was the last time anyone ever seen the guy.... Folks just don't realize that there are some extremely large fish in the ocean, not far off shore..... Some even like to eat peoples too!! lol