any tuna ? - Striper Talk Striped Bass Fishing, Surfcasting, Boating

Flaptail · 09-28-2005, 10:10 AM

CapeCodder, trolling is not the way to go in CC Bay unless your targeting giants. Catching two after trolling all day with rigs is not very productive in my book especially from a fifty footer trolling God knows how many rigs. Might as well watch paint dry. If you want to troll them with a higher degree of success then go east of Chatham but your boat is a wee bit too small for that water. That being said if you want to catch fish in CC Bay get a chart and find Fishing Ledge. That's all you need to know. Get there right at or better yet just before sunrise. You will see them believe me. Cruise up on a pod and let go with any popping plug you have. Cut face traditional styles work better than pencils. Chrome with green, chartreuse or Mackerel patterns are best. If the popper floats even better. A three foot 30 pound Flouro leader to a good ball bearing swivel to the braid and a Breakaway 80lb speed clip completes the rig. Forget blind casting you need to put the plug right into the middle of the breaking fish and pop it good but not real fast. Nice and steady. You will know when you hook up and hold on. Watch for the lobster pot buoys and try to keep the fish away from them, which ain't easy. If you can't be there at dawn try ther evening. It doesn't mean they will not break in between those periods but it does seriously increase your chances of hooking up. The rest is up to you.

capecodder · 09-28-2005, 02:00 PM

Flap and Freak,
Thanks to both of you. I think Flaps method will be the way to go for me. May hit the SW corner as well. Then Ptown for bass afterwards.

I'll report back Monday...

capecodder · 09-28-2005, 02:47 PM

Now that I have my intinerary down, how does one properly bleed and clean a bluefin? Got to be prepared... From what part does the best sashimi come?

Flaptail · 09-29-2005, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by capecodder

Now that I have my intinerary down, how does one properly bleed and clean a bluefin? Got to be prepared... From what part does the best sashimi come?

First off, the tuna regs change October 1st. one fish between 47 and 73 inches I beleive, one per boat. I do not have the bulletin in front of me. That's a substantially larger fish. They are out there but the smaller ones outnumber them by a long shot. A tuna found to be legal should be chin gaffed. Gaffing in the belly or across the back ruins good tuna flesh. Use two in the chin or cheek if needed for weight. Just where the gills meet the lower part of the throat mkae a slice and free the gill where they attach at the bottom. Tie a tail rope and hang the fish over the side unless you like blood on everything. Give him five to ten minutes and bring him back aboard and finish the gutting process then pack him on ice even the belly cavity. Tunas don't "fillet" like normal fish. Two from the shoulders back to the tail and two from the cheeks and belly back. You will find an area around the latereal line that is dark red and full of minute veins and hundreds of small white threadlike nerve endings. Cut that off. It's tuff and it just sucks anyway. Skin and cut the piece into medallions 3/4 of an inch thick. I don't do shashimi. I rub with a mix 1/2 cajun spince and 1/2 brown sugar both sides and each side three minutes on the grill. Yummy.

capecodder · 09-29-2005, 09:32 AM

Thanks Flap, got to be prepared and optimistic!

Steve K · 09-29-2005, 09:37 AM

I caught my first sbft last Friday on a popper. Now I have tuna fever. Bleed out the fish by making two vertical slices just behind the pectoral fins. The slices do not have to be deep. You should also plunge a knife through the soft part of its head into its brain to kill it immediately. These fish will continue to produce lactic acid which degrades the flesh if they are not killed immediately. It needs to be gutted immediately and have its cavity packed with ice especially if you are going to eat the tuna as sashimi.

thefishingfreak · 09-29-2005, 11:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve K

I caught my first sbft last Friday on a popper. Now I have tuna fever. Bleed out the fish by making two vertical slices just behind the pectoral fins. The slices do not have to be deep. You should also plunge a knife through the soft part of its head into its brain to kill it immediately. These fish will continue to produce lactic acid which degrades the flesh if they are not killed immediately. It needs to be gutted immediately and have its cavity packed with ice especially if you are going to eat the tuna as sashimi.

dont plunge a knife anywhere. especially in the good head meat.

do like flap said and cut there throat while the hearts still pumpin' and hang them bye the tails to bleed.

don't kill them right away. bleed them out til the heart stops beating.
then gut them, remove head/gills/guts. then ice them down good.

capecodder · 09-30-2005, 07:40 AM

If one does not have shaved ice is regular ice ok? Will it bruise or ruin the meat? Do you mix with some salt water?

Steve K · 09-30-2005, 09:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thefishingfreak

dont plunge a knife anywhere. especially in the good head meat.

do like flap said and cut there throat while the hearts still pumpin' and hang them bye the tails to bleed.

don't kill them right away. bleed them out til the heart stops beating.
then gut them, remove head/gills/guts. then ice them down good.

I have to disagree with the above. Here is a link to proper tuna handling.

http://www.fishep.com/fep/documents/Sashimi.pdf

thefishingfreak · 09-28-2005, 08:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flaptail

trolling is not the way to go in CC Bay unless your targeting giants. Catching two after trolling all day with rigs is not very productive in my book especially from a fifty footer trolling God knows how many rigs. Might as well watch paint dry.

hmmm,
in my book, trolling up three tuna on a 58 footer in 4-6 footers, with a 6hr charter, is very productive....
especially when the rest of the fleet is home... and there's no fish showing on the surface.

Raider Ronnie · 09-28-2005, 08:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thefishingfreak

hmmm,
in my book, trolling up three tuna on a 58 footer in 4-6 footers, with a 6hr charter, is very productive....
especially when the rest of the fleet is home... and there's no fish showing on the surface.

Mike,
I need a ride on that boat!!!

thefishingfreak · 09-28-2005, 08:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raider Ronnie

Mike,
I need a ride on that boat!!!

you busy this weekend?

Raider Ronnie · 09-28-2005, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thefishingfreak

you busy this weekend?

Where we going?

thefishingfreak · 09-28-2005, 08:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raider Ronnie

Where we going?

not far..... 10 miles from graves..in the bay

Flaptail · 09-29-2005, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thefishingfreak

hmmm,
in my book, trolling up three tuna on a 58 footer in 4-6 footers, with a 6hr charter, is very productive....
especially when the rest of the fleet is home... and there's no fish showing on the surface.

Mike, you know I luv ya but you gotta go east. A bad day is ten fish.