Tuna in the keys

jumper · Post by **jumper** » November 21st, 2002, 1:31 pm

Here are a couple of some Tuna we got into last week in the keys. My first tuna ever.

One on the gaff.

Post by **Cranfield** » November 21st, 2002, 1:55 pm

Nics photos,

I have a biiiiiig Guy Harvey framed print, of a Blue Marlin chasing those little chappies.

jumper · Post by **jumper** » November 21st, 2002, 2:06 pm

These things are a kick to catch on 20 pound tackle. We did great until the Bull Sharks showed up and started eating them whole. The sharks were huge. So I decided to catch one. Unfortunately, I did not have tackle near large enough to even slow the thing down.

What a ride for awhile though. Went straight to the bottom in 700 foot of water. No moving him. Finally cut wire leader. I am out of shape for a fight like that.

Gonna eat some tuna tonite. These are skipjack tuna. Supposed to be good to eat.

Post by **Tom Keels** » November 21st, 2002, 5:04 pm

Very nice. Tuna is on my short list of fish I would love to catch. We had blackfin and yellowfins offshore this summer but we never got into them.

jumper · Post by **jumper** » November 21st, 2002, 5:17 pm

It was quite a ride out to these. A friend bought a new 29 foot Century WA and this was the first offshore trip on the boat. 25 NM to the Marathon hump. 4-6 foot seas. Boat rode great. The fish were just everywhere. Did not get to the hump unitl 2:00 PM and left at 4:00 PM. Brought home 9 keepers. Probably let 10 smaller ones go and got 6 big ones cut off by sharks.

We had one huge fish that ran like a tuna, but we could not get him near the boat. We had put some bigger rods out to try and get the fish to the boat faster due to sharks and on 40 pound tackle we could not get this thing in. Finally shook the hook. Would of liked to see that fish. May have been a big tuna or a wahoo.

Post by **Blue Dolphin** » November 21st, 2002, 7:15 pm

nice pictures and nice fish we caugt a few backfin out of St Pete and Tarpon Springs lastyear good eating fish when fresh..........

weatherguy · Post by **weatherguy** » November 25th, 2002, 11:06 am

Those are what I've always heard called footballs.....and man they are scrappy little suckers......I bet that was a fun trip! I am down here in Fort Lauderdale but Tom's site is so fantastic I surf it more than the local sites! I've seen a 4.0 senator literally smoking from a 30lb class blackfin........sweet!ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

jumper · Post by **jumper** » November 25th, 2002, 5:31 pm

They sure looked like footballs. They pulled great and were not the least bit boat shy. Made for a great day.