In summer of 2019, my peers and I were EASing (End of Active Service) from the Marine Corps. Being station in sunny Camp Pendleton and having a passion for fishing, we decided to to a Bluefin tuna charter out of San Diego, California. We all signed up for a 1.5 day charter that left at night. Upon boarding, the deck hands made jokes saying I personally would not catch anything, saying my tackle was to light. We had some dinner on the ship and the sleep for about 3 hours while the ship made its way to the tuna grounds. Previous reports had shown for excellent fishing/catching conditions.
Unfortunately, the fish were very skittish of the ship. Fishing through the night to the next day, people began to feel upset with the captain for not being able to put us on the fish. It was the final stop before having to head back to land and it happened. Just like an episode of Blue Planet, the Bluefin began busting on bait fish all around the boat. Tuna around 200lbs flying out of the water like a missile fired from a submarine.
I put on a flat fall jig and began dropping it. Everyone one the charter was instructed that if your bait feels like it has hit the bottom, you have a fish on. Due being in open ocean, in fathoms of water, there was no physical way of actually hitting the bottom. Then it happened. I feel my lure stop falling. I immediately began reeling and setting the hook. "FISH ON" I yelled, notifying all of the other fisherman so that I had the right away. Feeling the sheer power that the tuna had was breath-taking. I spent 1 hour, and multiple laps around the ship battling the Bluefin. Toward the end of the fight I was almost ready to pass my rod to one of my buddies due to physical exhaustion from batting the fish on such light line. But I stuck through, once see a glimpse of the fish underwater I thought to myself, "It's okay if he comes off". Out respect for the fish that just kicked my butt like never before. Fortunately the deck hands were able to get the fish aboard. Once the fish was on the deck I immediately felt emotional. This Bluefin was absolutely majestic. After finally euthanizing the fish, I was taken away. I had so much respect for the fish, and have never taken the life of an fish so large. Not one piece of that fish went to waste. Eating ahi seared steaks, poki, sashimi; it was the best tasting fish I have ever had.
Without a photo showing the size of the Bluefin, it would have just been a fisherman's tale :-)
ReplyDeleteI learned a new term today: EASing (End of Active Service). "Fish On", Ryan ^_^
That fish is HUGE! I love hearing stories like this because I know exactly how it feels with all the excitement and emotions when catching a fish. My mouth is watering just thinking of all the yummy food you could make with it.
ReplyDeleteMan I love this! I have always wanted to do this charter but never got around to it. I hope someday I will be able to have an experience like this. Very cool!
ReplyDeleteThis read was a rollercoaster. It doubles as a great memory as well as a great conversation starter. Amazing. Thank you for sharing the photo.
ReplyDeleteThat fish is MASSIVE.. Seems like a great adventure to go out into the ocean and fish your friends. I would like to learn how to fish some day in my life, just to fish for some tiny ones.
ReplyDeleteWow! That's a really big fish. I've never been fishing might ask for your expertise some day if I ever decided to go. Also the reading was a bit hard for me to understand. I don't know any military or fishing term, so half way through I was kinda lost.
ReplyDeleteMy dad went on a fishing trip a few years ago, and I'm not sure if it was bluefin tuna, but he had a great time with it. Hope I can get a chance to do something like that.
ReplyDeleteI love to fish... I have never caught a fish before :(.
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