# Bluefin jigging/popping started in NC.



## ksong (Jun 30, 2004)

We left dock at 4:30 am and there was no boat when we arrived at fishing ground. It didn't take long to locate tuna.
But, for some reason, tuna bumped jigs, but didn't take them. Michael got a nice fish on his Labo jig and tuna pulled the hook after fighting a few minutes.
A couple of boat came including the Tuna Dock and Capt decided to troll to locate tuna.. As soon as Capt announced he marked lots of tuna, we heard one trolled reel screaming. David fought the fish and it turned out to be 222 lbs nice bluefin. Capt called other boats.










Our misfortune of jigging continued. Michael got another solid hit on his Labo jigs and he must hooked up a big tuna as I was afraid he got spooled of PE8 reel.
After fighting for a whole, Varivas Avani PE8 main line got broken.
Michael used 100 lbs Yozuri fluorocarbon leader line and PR knot on about 25 lbs drag.

Michael fighting a big bluefin with 450g Black Hole Cape Cod Special and PE8 reel.



























As tuna bites slowed down I suggested Capt for bottom fishing.
It turned out to be a bad decision on my part. I thought bites were over by late in the afternoon based on my last two years' experiences. While we were jigging for bottom fish, we heard bites were still on. 
We decided to resume tuna jigging. we immediately hooked up a few tuna, but we lost them for various reasons.

Then, we saw some surface action nearby. Michael did again. He got a 100 lbs bluefin on a special custom lure purchased from Saltywater. 
He could finish the fight, but he offered Mark to fight.
The Gipang 70XH popping rod was very powerful and the 100 lbs tuna was quickly brought to the gaff range and the tuna was released safely.

Soon after, David hooked up a monster bluefin with Shibuki. We were chasing small tuna, but I saw huge swirl not far from the boat and David cast right to the swirl. 
Unfortunately, the line got broken when the tuna dove suddenly.

Michael and myself used Labo jigs and David/Mark used other various jigs.
Labo jigs must be working yesterday and Michael and myself had about 9 - 10 hit combined while David/Mark had only a few hit with other jigs.


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## ksong (Jun 30, 2004)

222 lbs bluefin. Toro quality is excellent. I am going to have a sashimi party today.


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## mad marlin (Jan 17, 2008)

Very nice Kil , David face says it all.
Question is the Varivas line still running bad batches ? Glad to see you posting some awesome reports here:wink: Thank you


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## dpeterson (May 3, 2007)

*"toro quality is excellent"*

Which "toro" are you referring to? Is this the reel that was used to catch these large tuna?


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## mjz (Jan 11, 2008)

dpeterson said:


> Which "toro" are you referring to? Is this the reel that was used to catch these large tuna?


http://www.sushifaq.com/sushi-items/sushi-items-tuna-maguro.htm


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## dpeterson (May 3, 2007)

*I was way off!*

MJZ, thanks for the attachment. Very informative and gives me info i wasn't aware and I love sushi. This is good for my next visit to a sushi bar.


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## ksong (Jun 30, 2004)

12 fishermen fished on two boats on Thursday (April 24) and we had decent action on jigs with smaller 100 lbs bluefin.
However, my friend Carl's group found big bluefin on the Bite Me on the same day. Carl is 77 years old and he is enjoying tuna jigging like a kid. He used to be a commercial giant tuna fishermen. 
Carl released 76" (about 250 - 260 lbs) caught on a jig with 450g Black Hole Cape Cod Special/JM PE7.
Another big 78" (280 - 290 lbs) was released by other fisherman on the trip using 450g Black Hole Cape Cod Special rod/Accurate BX2 500N.

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150096504190957&oid=157583447586020&comments


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## ksong (Jun 30, 2004)

*03-02 trip*

After two days blow, we had to troll for a while to relocate tuna.
We finally marked tuna after 2 hour trolling. As soon as the boat stopped for jigging, a tun took trolled ballhoo. Jim fought the fish on fighting chair and landed it in 10 minutes. It was about 67" - 68"










We had to look around for a while as we didn't see good concentration of tuna marks. In the afternoon, Capt stopped the boat and said to drop jigs to 150 ft down. Before I dropped my jig, Roam hooked up one with Shimano Butterfly jig on 450g Black Hole Cape Cod Specil rod/JM PE8 reel. We knew immediately this was a big one. When I set the drag for Roam, I set 25 lbs as I was not sure what lb of line was on the reel. We you see in the pictures below, we gave constant pressure for the whole fight. As soon as we managed to bring the fish within 50 - 60 ft, it ran 200 - 300 yard at will.
We thought the fish is 400 plus lbs giant. But when the fish came up to the surface, we were surprised it is only about 80".
This tuna probably was the hardest fighting tuna I've ever encountered.

I normally use Jerry Brown $80 - #100 with 130 lbs fluoro carbon so that I can give pressure over 30 lb drag.
However, I couldn't use heavier than 25 lbs drag this time as the leader line looked #80 and I was not sure the main line was #60 or #80. Even so, the tuna showed incredible power.


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## ksong (Jun 30, 2004)




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## ksong (Jun 30, 2004)




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## ksong (Jun 30, 2004)




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## ksong (Jun 30, 2004)




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## ksong (Jun 30, 2004)

*03-17 report*

I heard fishing was excellent, but bluefin moved up to north.
It is too far from Hattera now (60 miles).

More tuna were caught on popping rods than any other method today.
I talked with a Capt who trolled the areas and he said he had 6 bluefin and smallest one was 68" ( 170 - 180 lbs).


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