Capt. Adam Peeples with One Shot Charters gives the offshore report after landing a 113-inch, 790-pound bluefin tuna while live baiting for blue marlin. The fish ate a live blackfin tuna and was fought on a Penn 70 with 150-pound hollow core braid backing, 130-pound mono top shot, 200-pound fluorocarbon leader, and a 12/0 Mustad Perfect Circle 4X hook. Adam says the fish fought for about an hour and a half before dying and sinking in 2,200 feet of water, turning the rest of the effort into a long, difficult retrieval from the bottom.
Adam stresses that anglers targeting this kind of offshore fishing need to think beyond the bite itself. A block and tackle would have made getting the fish into the boat much easier, and he says anyone fishing where bluefin are a real possibility needs a large fish bag, plenty of ice, and a real plan for caring for the meat. His crew had a large Reliable blanket and 500 pounds of ice, which helped keep the fish in excellent condition by the time it was cleaned.