El Presidente Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 I have been away from the forum for the last couple of days as my favourite fishing guide, Gavin Platz, gave me a call Sunday to tell me that the horrendous weather of the last month had cleared enough for us to get a few days Tuna fishing in. I was off Yesterday, Smithy joined us on the water where I would fish fly and Smithy metal lures. We had an early dawn start which after the previous nights wines was a tad earlier than we would both have liked. I wore my lucky fishing pants and lucky fly shirt complete with holes where I have pulled out embedded flies from errant casts in the past We fish for Longtail Tuna. In truth we hunt for them, no trolling...no burley. We look for birds in the sky circling the Tuna packs feeding or following bait schools. The theory is you idle as close as you can get while they surface and cast a fly into the pack. The Tuna don't always co-operate as they spook easily at incoming boats (they stay alive by avoiding big sharks and Marlin sneaking up on them). This year has been particularly difficult to date (season is April -end May) as the Tuna are not schooling nor are the bait balls forming. The theory is that the big recent rains and poor visibility has dispersed both. Regardless, Smithy and I shot at no more than 20 pods of 4-5 fish all day which were moving at speed. They were skittish but if you could reach them you could entice a bite. I casted 3-5 times at Tuna which ignored my fly. Gavin changed from a twenty pound leader to an 8 pound leader to provide a little more stealth. It worked. I had the nice school trailing 8 kilo (17lb) Longtail on a decent cast. I am using a 9 weight Sage and a Tibor 10 weight reel with a Scientific Angler 10 weight Intermediate line. The Fly was a white clouser. Few Things hit like a Tuna on Fly. They attack the fly, pause .......and take off at a hundred miles an hour. Sheer power. 30 minutes later I had the Tuna by the boat. The net was out but it went deep under the boat in a final fling for freedom. My line snapped. Inspection by Gavin saw us move back to a 20lb leader....the 8lb couldn't cut it. Smithy throwing slugs was reaching packs I could not. He came up with a 9 kilo longtail which swallowed the small metal lure whole (gut hooked). We couldn't release him so we decided he would be lunch.....Iced him down for Sushimi later Smithy followed that up with a cracker Mac Tuna. I did get a good cast on a pack of moving Longtails. The Tuna hit like a train and I hung on for grim death. I have been fishing for a long time but this was the smartest fish I have ever caught. We saw colour early so we knew its size. It ran almost immediately under the boat in order to conserve energy. The fight took close to an hour and a full San Cristobal Fuerza. Every time I thought I had this bastard it would simply dive deeper and straight down under the boat. I knew the limitations of my Sage 9 weight and it was taking it to the brink as I needed to repeatedly haul it up at an angle that simply was not feasible. The Tuna made sporadic runs 30 metres from the boat but feeling the hard Tibor drag it came straight back up under the boat and made me work for every inch...inch by inch by inch. It rolled and we knew we had it. It surfaced and circled the boat........I brought it into the side........my rod snapped at the butt. Pandemonium struck and Gavin and I handlined it into the net and into the boat. 12 Kilo's / 26.5 lb. In all the excitement no photo's were taken but we have it on video which we will show later on this week. Time for Lunch! Smithy's Longtail Tuna from a few hours before. After lunch we headed back for an afternoon session with a decreasing breeze, perfect skies and unco-operative fish. There were plenty of Tuna in the water in small schools but we could not get close enough before they would vanish. Smithy had some throws through the middle of some packs but nothing was biting. Late in the day with another San Cristobal Fuerze in tow (excellent) we came across another school of Tuna which drifted within range. I took the cast but breeze was across me and on the second false cast the fly hit my shoulder and staid. Smithy threw into the pack....retrieved....no strike. I had recovered to throw my best cast of the day.....20 metres into a fish which just broke the water. He took the fly instantly. A great day with great mates, great cigars and chock full of banter, laughter and experiences we will never forget. Thanks to Lise for holding for fort. You are never far from our minds honey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sounddust Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 Great pics Prez, they pretty much narrate option 1 for the grand prize don't they? Mmmmm, toro sashimi... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginseng Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 Goodness but that tuna looks delicious! Wilkey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asmith Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 Thanks for a fantastic day fishing mate. There is nothing quite like bringing in a Tuna while still smoking a fine cuban. Please note the skill of the man as he never put the cigar down during the fight. By the way have you told Lisa that we are doing it all again on Friday? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warren Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 Hemingway would have been proud. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anacostiakat Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 Damn that fish looks good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colt45 Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laficion Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 Rob, Thanks for a truly great review on a fantastic day out with friends and the pics. are really neat. OH, by the way, that tuna lunch looked yummmy, can you please give us the name and address of that Japanese Delicatessen who delivered your lunch. Oups, Sorry, but it really looked delicious. Thanks for shareing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sliver54 Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 Awesome commentary and pics Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jquest63 Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 Very Nice! Ah, I could smell the sea! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PartagasIV Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 Great story, Rob. Nothing quite like catching tuna on a flyrod...nor the subsequent sashimi! Best tuna I've ever eaten by far. If you want another great fishing story, read the first section of Hemingway's Islands in the Stream--epic battle with a marlin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyFishingDude Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 Ah!!!! Sashimi.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
habone Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 I've never been sea fishing but after seeing these pics I want to. Man, I want a bite it looks so good and as fresh as you can get. I'm surprised you didn't fall off the boat you look wasted! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sepp Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rudder Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 WOW, that looks great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicago Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 Tuna- solid muscle with fins, love em! Great narration. Now I want to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CIGARHead Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 Very nice Rob, Smithy! A true pro indeed with the cigar in the whole time fighting. The sashimi looks amazing - wish I was there mate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FlyFishingDude Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 With all the hard work, video reviews and cigar smoking you guys deserve a break... I'm leaving for Idaho thursday, so hopefully I'll catch some fish, if not I'm planning on lying..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Northshore04 Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 Must have been a blast. Great pix too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Van55 Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 On a billfishing trip many years ago, I hooked a tuna. What a struggle! I must have fought the fish for 40 minutes before I finally landed it. I don't remember ever being so muscle tired. Damn thing was a 65 pound citation fish. Pure strength and built like a torpedo. I would have rather fought a 300 pound marlin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jimmy2 Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 Great Stuff !!! Fun is all i can say Fresh caught Tuna is EXCELLANT !!! My Friend caught a 400 + pound one out at the tip of Long Island had some right after when he came in with it .All i can say it was the most tender Sushi i have ever had !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lutharthegreat Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 WOW Very nice day indeed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Habanos2000 Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 Great story, I feel like I was there! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wiley Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 you should write a little book about all your adventures Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crasmith Posted April 29, 2009 Share Posted April 29, 2009 Wow! I could use a day out like that! Great job guys! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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