# Bluefin jigging/popping in Cape Cod in 2011



## ksong

I set up a new thread exclusively for bluefin jigging and popping in Cape Cod this year.
Cape Cod becomes a mecca of bluefin popping in recent years.
Bluefin usually move into the area in late May and stay there until early Nov and provide exciting jigging and popping opportunity.
The beauty of bluefin fishing in Cape Cod is you normally fish them one - 10 miles off the beach. Sometimes you fish within half mile off the beach. Besides, tuna are not small. You even encounter giant.

The first bluefin was caught and released by fishermen jigging for cod off Chatham, Cape Cod today.

We'll discuss about tackle, techniques and others for bluefin jigging and popping in Cape Cod.


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## ksong

*06-01*

*06-01*

At least three bluefin were landed by trolled boats on Stellwagen Bank off Cape Cod. I am sure the first bluefin on poppers will be caught within a few days, if not tomorrow.


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## ksong

*bluefin actions in Cape Cod in 2010*

*actions in 2010*


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## ksong




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## ksong




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## ksong




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## ksong




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## ksong




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## ksong




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## mad marlin

Thanks for posting Kil, awesome shots. Need to make a trip to CC , should organize & post it up here for us Texans to join.


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## ksong

mad marlin said:


> Thanks for posting Kil, awesome shots. Need to make a trip to CC , should organize & post it up here for us Texans to join.


I hope many fishermen in Gulf Coast enjoy fabulous bluefin popping in Cape Cod.
I have guest from Japan, Korea and Singapore in June this year to fish Cape Cod.
Compared to them, traveling from Gulf Coast to Cape Cod is nothing. 
Since Capt Dom landed two bluefin on a jig and a popper, nobody has landed on jigs and poppers, but wide open bites are overdue.
A Capt told me his friend's rod got broken in half while trolling today.
I'll be there on Tuesday and hope to land one nice one on a popping rod.


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## ksong

*06-07*

We fished off Chatham.
There were all signs. Whales were there and lots of baits were there, but tuna were missing.
When we joined the fleet north of us. We knew it was the end of action as slack tide was almost over.
When we got there Capt Dom's boat was fighting. We heard later they had double hookups and landed 74" and lost much bigger one.
We had only one legitimate chance as tuna erupted on the surface suddenly.
You got to admire and respect for Capt Dom and Capt Rich of the Black Rose. They ran at least 50 miles from Green Harbor to find tuna for their customers. Not many Capt are willing to do it.
As it happened in early season last year, bites were done by 10 am.
On the way in, we stop by for scup fishing and we enjoyed one of the finest scup fishing with 1 - 3 lb.

I checked the Cape Cod canal. There were some fishermen casting poppers, but action was dead.

I'll go up to Cape Cod again in as few days.


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## ksong

79" bluefin on a Ron Z on Capt Dom's boat on 06-06


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## ksong

*06-15 report*

Tsurusaki san of FCL LABO, Okamura san and Higaki san arrived from Japan and we went directly to a Korean restaurant in Fort Lee, NJ before heading for Cape Cod, MA.









We met Capt Jimmy at Bass River, Cape Cod at 3:30 am. We drove around for hours from Chatham, Golf Ball, Peaked Hill, SE Corner and back to Chatham in search of signs of tuna.
Finally we located them in deep water. 
Okamura san got tight first, but it pulled the hook after brief fight.









He used FCL LABO CSP-S180S









It didn't take long Okamura san got his second fish. There was volkswagen size boil behind Okamura san's lure. When he made another cast, he got tight again after another huge boil.
Tsurusaki san got hit at the same time, but it pulled the hook. 
He used custom 8' Black Hole Cape Cod Special graphite and Saltiga.


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## ksong

He got help, but Okamura san fought most of time.


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## ksong

Thanks Jimmy for your extra effort to find tuna.


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## ksong

*06-20 morning trip*

It was tough to get up at 3:00 am after two fishing trips yesterday. 
Weather was gorgeous and sea was flat calm.
3 - 4 miles before you arrived at our destination, we saw a few tuna pushing on the surface.
Dallen from Singapore threw his first cast and got tight !!
After watching a few minutes, I realized he is not an ordinary fisherman. Even he never caught big tuna before, he made all the right moves while fighting. Judging from the way the rod bent, I knew it was not big bluefin we used to catch here. Nontheless, he fought beautifully and he could release a respectable 120 - 130 lbs. It was only 5:20 am in the morning. The lure was again FCL CSP 150g sinking model.


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## ksong

Dallen did it again, but this time it was a nice striped bass.









It didn't take long before we found a few tuna on the surface.
This time tuna took FCL CSP180 sinking lure on 8' Black Hole Cape Cod Special Graphite with Stella 18000 filled with Jerry Brown 80 lbs/130 lbs Fluoro carbon connected with Mid knot.
Dallen had a hit at the same time, but it pulled the hook.

Khoo from Singapore also never fought bluefin before. He used Braid Power Play full harness with Braids Harness strap. I could tell he was fighting pretty comfortable with the setup though it was her first ever encounter with over 100 kg tuna.
It didn't take long he could adjust using the harness and he landed 74" tuna within 55 minutes. I rarely saw anyone could land 200 plus lbs tuna with long popping rod alone for the first time. Definitely fighting with harness lug help fisherman tremendously.
It was only 6:30 am when we landed the fish.


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## ksong




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## ksong

We saw lots of whales and bird actions, but couldn't find any tuna on the surface, but there were lots of marks in deep. I felt it was time to jig. 
By 9:00 am, Khoo finally hooked up a nice bluefin on LABO SL jig. We knew it was a big tuna as it took lots of line and we had to chase it. 
Khoo let Dallen fight, but it pulled the hooks afer Dallen fought for a while.
The rod was Mogi Special of Valley Hill. I checked the rod and it was great to work jigs as tip is pretty fexible, but I would rate the rod upto 80 lbs.





































We decided to go back to the dock by 10:30 am as action died down and Singapore guys wanted to taste different fish inshore.


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## Roger

More nice pic's, thanks Kil......


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## EagleOne

Man,the Asian brothers wrecked them.Very nice!


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## mad marlin

NICE, did some one notice the double handle configuration on 4 & 5 pictures.


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## Richgoose

Double handles made me do a double take! Thanks for the awesome pics!


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