Sea Pup
 

Thanks Tattoo,this pup will hunt!

Awsome! You should pimp that pic out for the VS photo contest if they still have one.

This one shows it a little more clearly.For anyone who hasn't had one on the line,give it a try,they will test your resolve.

Great pics Chris. Awesome fish.

Very nice fish. Mind sharing the specifics on your setup?

Smith Tokara spinning rod
VS 275
Jerry Brown hollow core 60#
Seaguar 100# leader spliced to JB60 loop to loop connection
Tattoo sea pup with smith 200# split rings and owner st76 3/0 trebles

Spinning setup was plenty strong,me not so much.

Thanks, Chris. Looking for a spin rod, and did not know that one....

Awesome, thanks for the info. What do you estimate that fish weighed and how long was your fight?

Still trying to decide if it's worth it to look into a spinning setup with the majority of fish looking to be in the 200+lb size. With the new regulations, I don't want to get into a 1.5 hr battle and kill a fish that we can't keep because I'm under gunned.

30 minutes for this 180 pound fish at 27 or 28 lbs. of drag.A lot of more experienced guys are putting well over 30 pounds on spinning gear.I have also heard already about 3 hour battle with giant on spinning with a failed knot.

Chris, congrats! Hell of a fish and I can't wait for mine.

Very nice! And just before the new regulations....
Why did you choose the sea pup over the sea dog??
The reason I ask is because I just upgraded the hardware on a Sea dog with 200# rings and 4/0 Owner 76's and it cast well but it does'nt have much action.
Do you think the action of your lure had alot to do with getting that fish to bite?

4/0 is too big for the dog.Heavy water is better for the dog.

Awesome job Chris, congrats!!

4/0 Owners are meat hangers and will weigh the Sea Dog down and make it sink like a stone. Even the 3/0’s are a bit large and will make it sink. You’re going to need to really impart lots of twitching of the rod to get the Sea Dog to dance with hooks of this size.
Best bet would be a 3/0 in the front and possibly a single in the back. I’ve see the jobu hooks used on plugs where they take 2 and zip tie them together for the front hook. I haven’t tried it but its something to think about.

Depending on how these mystical creatures are feeding will depend on how you should work your lure and how you want to present it. The oral orgy that dreams are made of requires anything with a hook most times. Rolling singles here and there with no concentration of them feeding have been more successful with subsurface stuff so a sinking dog that you can work seems to produce better than on the surface. Then of course you have the breezers or waking fish. These are the ones you see on the days where the water looks like grease and the sun tries to melt the skin from your bones. Hundreds of them pushing water here there and everywhere, a stick boats dream. This situation requires the largest sharpest hook possible. Take the hook and jam it into your eye, hand, head, thigh or and other meaty area. Make sure you get it in way past the bard with no chance of removing it easy. This will cause some slight pain and require you to leave the grounds for medical attention. Sadistic, but much less painfull than throwing everything and anything at breezers trying to get them to eat. All of this is from my own experience and by no means should be taken as gospel.

I know of a few 200 + lbers caught on spinning already this year. :) Chris great accomplishment. After 25 lbs of drag it comes down to technique or the fish will actually start to wear most anglers down.
Congrats again. Tuna season has been awesome so far this year. Lots of big fish around.

very nice Chris, quite a fish