tuna blast, vid, 19Mar09

From: "kevin long"
Subject: Fishing 19Mar09 -- afternoon session
Date: Friday, 20 March 2009 10:02 AM

Sorry guys, another longtail story....

Yesterday morning I went out for a quick trip into Laguna Bay before brekky, promising to be home around 9am, which I was. While I caught nothing significant on that trip, I'd seen heaps of tuna rampaging around in the Bay and was keen to have a last crack at them before departing for three weeks, next Monday, for less-fishy places.

The Seabreeze wind forecast for the afternoon being reasonable, I spread the word by email to my regular fishing mates that I intended to have a crack at the tuna and whatever else came along, after lunch. Jaro, of course, agreed to be in it, as did Steven and Charles.

Before heading out I refurbished a couple of lures with new hooks -- some of them were looking a bit battle scarred.

Jaro was out in the Bay before me. I spotted his car in the carpark and as soon as I was ready I called him on the VHF to find out the latest intelligence. He responded promptly, and somewhat excitedly, saying he'd already lost a couple of slugs, that there were birds and fish milling all around him. On asking where he was, he responded that he was straight out from Middle Groyne, which view was obscured for me because the Lifeguard tower was in the way. I moved sideways to get a better view and sure enough, there was a little yellow dot (Jaro's Prowler) surrounded by a wheeling flock of terns, about 1 km out from the beach.

A few minutes later I was paddling toward him, trolling a 10cm hard bodied lure (gold and red), with my casting outfit set up with a slug sitting in the rod holder, ready for instant use once I got to the action. Two hundred metres from Jaro and about 800m from the beach the little hard bodied lure was clobbered. My ancient ABU 10000C let out a howl like a banshee on the fastest and longest run I'd experienced in quite a while. I knew immediately that this was no mediocre fish.

The battle was long and tough, in about 10m of fairly smooth water, ruffled by a 10knot breeze, in the shelter of Noosa Headland. After about 20 minutes I prevailed and I stuck the gaff into the largest longtail tuna I've taken for quite a while.

1326hrs. Just-boated longtail tuna. 

Close up of the lure in its mouth; the tail hook was brand new and good quality, which is more than I can say for the front hook.

By this time, Jaro had already boated a mac tuna but released it. I tail-roped and stowed my tuna and spent the next couple of hours chasing after tuna schools, making still pics and videos, getting soaked to the skin, hooking and releasing tuna, getting busted and generally having a ball. I'll let Jaro tell his side of the story, but here are a few pics to give you some idea of the conditions and situation.

1424hrs. Jaro dealing with some housework as the wind picks up with the approach of a SE squall.




1427hrs. I stopped on the edge of a school of feeding mac tuna, and while I videoed it, it gradually surrounded me. The 3 pics above are stills from the 1 minute video.

1442hrs. At the height of the squall, rain bucketing down and wind at about 15-20knots, I used the video camera. The above is a still from the video.

1608hrs. Back on the beach, my tuna went 92cm.

Jaro took this pic on our rain-soaked beach. Thanks, mate.

Video of the weather and the tuna action


Jaro is getting some of the flesh from the tuna, but there's quite a bit left over (in the fridge right now). Noosa yakkers are welcome to have some. Just give me a call sometime in the next 24 hours or so -- it's better eaten fresh, but will freeze OK.

Off to Egypt for three weeks from Monday, with Jaro and Jim and some other friends, including our wives. I look forward to reading of your exploits yakkers and hope to be back in the action after Easter. Take care out there.

Kev
Red & Yellow Espri, black paddle
VHF channel 09 or 22 (if alone), Call Sign: sunshiner

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