Metro tuna

Fair few schools of tuna out the back of the 3 mile off Ocean Reef today. Not sure of type, looked to me like SBT or big eye, lost a few unfortunatly including one boatside ready to gaff that the boy was fighting, oh well atleast he got to feel the grunt of a few runs, was prob 5-6 kg. Water temp was 19 odd degrees, still got a feed of whiting, squid and a 45cm flatty from in close, nice morning, till the wind kicked up 20kn, cheers.

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I am, as I've said, merely competent. But in an age of incompetence, that makes me extraordinary.


beau's picture

Posts: 4104

Date Joined: 24/01/10

Sound like good size Tim!

Mon, 2013-06-03 14:49

Sound like good size Tim! That'd the size I've been waiting for, the biggest bluefin we caught in summer was about 2kgs. Cheers for the heads up

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Naitanui_'s picture

Posts: 80

Date Joined: 31/01/12

I was out there this morning

Mon, 2013-06-03 14:56

I was out there this morning aswell and managed just a few big rays on bait. Never caught a tuna before, were you trolling?

tim-o's picture

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Date Joined: 24/05/11

Yeah Beau its a guess, they

Mon, 2013-06-03 16:33

Yeah Beau its a guess, they are really round, had a good look at the one boat side, would have been about as wide as a coke can is tall, bout 800mm long I suppose. Iv never caught tuna, do they have teeth? I didnt think they did, but one I hooked next cast after loosing the first fish at the boat busted off and lost the lot, cut through the braid, was thinkin the mouth or fins of another did the damage? Hardly got hit when I used wire trace after that, so went back to the lure straight on the fluoro, but failed to get a hook up before headin in when the wind blew up.
Nait, I have been fantasizing about seein birds workin when I am out in 22m drifting for a feed of whiting and today it happened, spotted birds droppin in the water so headed to the action, pulled up, and spooked the school, birds pissed off, bust up stopped so I tried to troll skirts whilst waiting for the birds to do their thing and trolled past the next bust up but again the boat must spook them so next bust up I approached from up wind (east) and drifted to the school, this way I had the fish still hittin bait very close within a cast and first cast with a 25g gold twisty got the hook up. They never were on the chew for more than a few minutes so you gota be patient and watch what the birds are doing. Not too much weed out there but enough to annoy those who want to troll bibbed lures and the water vis wasnt too bad. Man I wish I had tomoz off!!!!

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I am, as I've said, merely competent. But in an age of incompetence, that makes me extraordinary.

tim-o's picture

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Date Joined: 24/05/11

Hah, just looked in me book,

Mon, 2013-06-03 17:17

Hah, just looked in me book, a 65cm tuna would be about 11kg and an 80 20kg! So, think I under estimated the weight just a touch and the length may be more closer to 70 I suppose, guess Im just guna have to boat one then Ill know for sure!

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I am, as I've said, merely competent. But in an age of incompetence, that makes me extraordinary.

Posts: 94

Date Joined: 27/01/10

Good to hear

Mon, 2013-06-03 22:36

Good to hear, its late in the year for tuna. Just looked up our records from 2011 (great tuna year) and 67cm SBT weighed 5.25 KG. Didn't measure the rest, only weight recorded.

spook's picture

Posts: 325

Date Joined: 15/02/10

Went out today Timo and bait

Tue, 2013-06-04 16:31

Went out today Timo and bait schools where there, if I had of read this earlier would have tried harder but had a couple of nice pinkies in the tank so didnt bother to much and just trolled back in for nothing. Like you said, we were just spooking them

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Haunted by water

spook's picture

Posts: 325

Date Joined: 15/02/10

Actually while Im here those

Tue, 2013-06-04 16:33

Actually while Im here those snapper really turn on when the bait schools are out there, me and GT_Fish335 from here had a good day in shallow

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Haunted by water

tim-o's picture

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Date Joined: 24/05/11

Bait balls on sounder? Didnt

Wed, 2013-06-05 08:14

Bait balls on sounder? Didnt see any birds workin or bust ups? In shallow, you mean 3 mile? I never bother much after the sun has risen cos I figure the snaps head off to deeper water unless the water is dirty and stirred up. They must feed on the aftermath of the pelagic feeding frenzie

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I am, as I've said, merely competent. But in an age of incompetence, that makes me extraordinary.

spook's picture

Posts: 325

Date Joined: 15/02/10

In about 15m Timo, I usually

Wed, 2013-06-05 08:33

In about 15m Timo, I usually call it shallow but probably shouldnt. Yeah saw birds working and bait balls on the sounder, a couple of huge schools.

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Haunted by water