Crushed off the Carolina Capes |
| Written by By Captains Cliff & Chuck Parker | |||
Anxious to accomplish angling’s greatest feat?
Anxious to accomplish angling’s greatest feat? Throughout the 20th Century, their absurdly high market value has placed the species under relentless commercial fishing pressure, but through it all, bluefin tuna still exist in sufficient concentrations to sustain an important recreational fishery. And there is no where anglers can find more giant tuna congregated in one area, then off the Carolina Capes. To leave you with a clearer understanding of this inconceivable fishery, let’s take a closer look at the history of bluefin tuna fishing off North Carolina, the tackle, tactics, and techniques employed today, and what local and visiting anglers can expect from the 2005/2006 season. Schools of migrating bluefin tuna have probably visited these waters for hundreds if not thousands of years. Records indicate General Billy Mitchell landed a respectable fish of more than 700 pounds sometime in the early 1920s. Still, not much attention was given to the species until the early 1990s, when commercial fishermen first sighted large tuna exploding on bluefish escaping from their nets. Commercial king mackerel trollers’ also noted that occasionally, large, unknown denizens with the speed of a race car and power of a dump truck would completely spool their reels in seconds flat! Though rumor has it, the Carolina Cape’s bluefin fishery really got under way when Bob Eakes, owner of Red Drum Tackle in Buxton, was trolling home from a marlin trip one February afternoon in 1994.
As Bob made his way over the Manuela, a 400 foot wreck sitting below 25 fathoms of water, he noticed a few oily slicks before three enormous fish crashed his spread. Unexpectedly, his crew suddenly found themselves connected to a triple header of giant bluefins. After all was said and done, Eakes released 9 tuna over 400 pounds that afternoon. Exuberated by his findings, he returned to the dock and reported the incident, disappointed to hear nothing but expressions of disbelief. Eakes believed he could also chunk these fish, a tactic the fleet successfully employed for yellowfin. Days later, he made a return trip to the Manuela, again noticing ‘fishy’ looking surface slicks under the gannets circling above. Once in position, he instructed his crew to toss a few scoops of menhaden chunks over the side along with a pair of hook baits. It didn’t take long for Eakes’ theory to be proven right. Ravenous giant bluefins blasted through the slick engulfing every chunk in sight. The crew was practically hand feeding the monsters.
Bob reports they tallied 27 releases that day with several of the giant bluefins estimated at well over 600 pounds! Once word of the colossal feat spread the name Cape Hatteras quickly became synonymous with the explosive giant tuna fishery. Big-game enthusiasts from as far as Australia, Europe, and Africa, along with anglers from all over the United States flocked to the Carolina Capes for their shot at glory. The majority had no idea what they were getting themselves in to. Overnight, Hatteras Village sprouted to life with countless visitors and the charter crews needed to accommodate them. For the first time, restaurants and motels found themselves over booked. During the mid 90s, fishing for giant tuna off the Carolina Capes was basically a no lose proposition. Once the mass concentrations of fish were located, the designated angler would be strapped into the fighting chair and asked if he was ready for all hell to break loose before the baited hook was tossed over the side. Within seconds an enormous swirl behind the stern indicated a 400 pound bundle of brute force engulfed the offering at more than 40 mph! The angler could do nothing but hold on for dear life as 30 lbs of drag barely slowed the fish.
Back then, the majority of the charter fleet was equipped with fighting chairs designed for lesser fish and fish tales tell more than one stanchion was completely ripped from the deck. Anyone who has ever been on the receiving end of a giant tuna will swear the shear force and raw power these fish possess is unimaginable. Having learned the lesson the hard way, today every vessel in the armada is properly outfitted with fighting chairs and bucket harnesses designed specifically for 130 to 200-pound class gear. Proof the fishery could be perfected, Stewart Campbell, fishing alongside renowned Captain Peter B. Wright, released over 70 giant tuna in a single day. Eakes also credits his friend, Adrian Holler of Morehead City, with equal credit for helping define this world class fishery. Over the last decade, the excitement of North Carolina’s giant bluefin tuna has gradually subsided. Cape Hatteras is no longer impacted by such intense crowds, but the fish still continue to show year after year. For the last several seasons, the main bodies have arrived during the last weeks of November. By Thanksgiving, numerous encounters are already reported and by December, every big game angler from Hatteras to Morehead City is anxiously awaiting the announcement of the final rules and regulations from the National Marine Fisheries Service. Diamond Shoals, 12 miles north of Hatteras Inlet, and Cape Lookout Shoals, located 17 miles from Beaufort Inlet, constitute the geographic area where the majority of this heart pounding action takes place. As winter progresses and temperatures continue to plummet, large schools of bluefin tuna migrating south in search of more suitable conditions take up temporary residency in these shoaling waters. Here, the Atlantic is influenced by the Gulf Stream, which even in the dead of winter seldom dips below 70 degrees. This warm, nutrient rich environment provides a steady source of nourishment where the giant tuna can fatten up before continuing on their annual trek. Thanks to satellite tagging studies, most believe the big bluefin leave the Carolina Capes and either head across the Atlantic to breeding grounds in the Mediterranean, or down the coast and around the Straits of Florida into the Gulf of Mexico. Why the tuna set-up shop here for a couple of months is easy to understand. It’s the vast schools of menhaden inhabiting these same shoals as they push through the area. The behemoth tuna gorge on these snacks by the thousands. Not only will the giants decimate huge bunker schools miles from the beach, but on more than one occasion the non-stop eating machines have been witnessed crashing schools of bait only a few feet from the surf line in water barely deep enough to cover their backs!
Once the season is in full swing, determining exactly where the bulk of the action will take place on any given day is like a cat & mouse game. Since we know menhaden are the principle food supply, common sense would tell you find the bait and you’ll find the fish. Keep in mind giant bluefin tuna never stop moving, thus requiring an endless source of energy. It’s believed a mature giant tuna is capable of consuming a third of its body weight every day!
Just like a decade ago, the presence of big menhaden schools is revealed by screeching gannets and oily surface slicks. Locating both in 60’ to 90’ in the vicinity of structure indicates a prime opportunity. One wouldn’t readily assume a 500 pound tuna capable of reaching close to 50 mph would feed in water so shallow, but Carolina’s legendary skippers will attest that they do. Optimal water temperature is also a key ingredient with 64-66 degrees ideal, though the big tuna are frequently encountered in water considerably cooler.
Once word gets out that the bluefin bite is on, it’s not uncommon to see a hundred sets of navigation lights twinkling in the distance. As the dawn sky begins to fill with color, radio chatter indicates the switch has been flicked! At times, mayhem ensues with multiple captains screaming "Stay away! I’ve got a fish on!" Most guys are very professional and reasonably patient, but when this much is at stake, tempers do occasionally flare.
When a big bluefin inhales your bait, you know it! The clicker screams in agony as hundreds of yards of line literally vanish off the spool. Utilizing bent-butt rods and plenty of drag, the average battle lasts less than an hour. If we intend on boating the fish, a flying gaff, harpoon and tail rope are employed to help drag the enormous tuna through the tuna door and into the cockpit. Fish intended for release are revived and the leader cut as close as possible.
New this season, the National Marine Fisheries Service has already announced they’re altering the bluefin tuna regulations. In December and January, the commercial fishery will take place on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, while Friday, Saturday and Sunday will be reserved for catch & release angling with the option of retaining one large medium per day under the 73 inch mark. We hope this will promote a renewed interest in the Capes’ charter operations. In all truth, the fleet lost interest in chartering when they realized the amount of money that could be made commercial fishing. A lot has changed in the giant bluefin tuna fishery off North Carolina over the last decade and today, these same crews have a renewed interest in re-establishing their client lists. The Big Easy in particular, is one boat that expects to fully participate in this season’s bluefin fishery both commercially and as a for-hire charter vessel. Whether we’ll be moored in Hatteras or Morehead, the bluefin have yet to determine.
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