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H

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Discussion Starter · #1 ·
This is more of a TUNA question than a LONG RANGE question. I wanna catch a 500lb+ BFT. I would like to select a place where the fish can get deep but not deep enough to completely spool me. Those shallow east coast spots where the boat follows the fish visually don't interest me. So...where in the world can ya find em in say 1000' depths? Anybody know? Anyone else interested in trying some LR style BFT fishing somewhere? :)
 
Wils

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#11 ·
Why go long?

Behind the Channel Islands, where the canyons drop down to about.....1000 fathoms.
Oops....you said "but not deep enough to completely spool me".
Sorry.
Never mind.
 
F

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#13 ·
HD you are cracking me up...first you ask where in the "world" you can catch a 500#bft in 1000 feet of water....then you say you gotta be able to get there only on a short flight...HUH???

Oh by the by you will be fishing in a harness not using the rail .... hope that meets your criteria....unless you have to sit down...8)

any other critieria before any more suggestions are given???:?
 
O

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#14 ·
Why not?

Hill, you got a 200lb YFT and a 350lb halibut to your credit, why not try for a 500lb BFT?? It seems that you are writing off the North Carolina fishery. Dennis Braid went there and caught 5 in a day over 300 pounds (I think 2 went over 500). And that was with the harness...NOT the rail!! Considering he is 5'6" tall and weighs maybe 140lb soaking wet, that's pretty good. If you want to see about his BFT fishing, look here. As Wahoodad says, you can ask the captain not to chase the fish, if you want to fish Cal LR style. If you really don't want to do N.Carolina, and you don't want to fly to Ireland or the Canary Is. (a place, by the way, which is worth visiting, whether you fish or not), then the only place I think where you have a chance of a >500lb BFT is the GOM. And it looks right now like Alabama is the better shot than Louisiana. Maybe Biloxi Mississippi too. The problem is you gotta know which skipper and which boat....and which month. That takes local info.....best go look at a GOM site. If I had the money (ha!) and the time (Ha!) and if I really excluded North Carolina (which I wouldn't), I think I'd go to the Canary Islands to find my BFT. If you spent two weeks during the peak season, you would have a decent chance of getting a >500 pounder. Plus, it's a great place for a family vacation, with a great atmosphere, good food, and great weather. (Yeah, I visited there decades ago when I was a kid, had no money, and couldn't afford to fish. But your whole family would love it. You could rent a villa for a reasonable price, and fish while they enjoyed themselves.) In the process of looking for your BFT, you'd have shots at decent YFT and marlin. Fishybuzz always said that marlin were great fighters. I poo pooed him because I just couldn't imagine a long fish with a big fin fighting as hard as a compact bullet shaped tuna. Well, now that I've had a 100-130 lb striped marlin on 40lb, and can compare them to the 90-100lb tuna I've caught on 40lb, I can say that the marlin seems comparable. Probably a faster swimmer...and when turned sideways, really hard to move. Anynow, the point is that you might get into 300-600lb marlin while fishing for the BFT in the Canaries. EDIT: after I hit post, I realized that PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND in Canada has a strong BFT season in I think July? The average fish is in the 340-400lb range with many going to 650. Here's one charter operation in PEI. There are about 40 that do BFT. Perhaps that would fit your criteria. Let us know what you decide. Good luck.

This post edited by Oldtimer 06/18/2008
 
H

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Discussion Starter · #15 ·
fishybuzz said:
HD you are cracking me up...first you ask where in the "world" you can catch a 500#bft in 1000 feet of water....then you say you gotta be able to get there only on a short flight...HUH???

Oh by the by you will be fishing in a harness not using the rail .... hope that meets your criteria....unless you have to sit down...8)

any other critieria before any more suggestions are given???:?

As a matter of fact, I do have some supplemental criteria.

1. I don't wanna ever fish near M5 or any other communists so Mass is out.

2. Talked to some GOM guys and the big BFT are a rare catch for them so that's out. I want a real shot.

3. I prefer to fish my own country so if the fish injures me I can rely on my English speaking doctor to treat me and accept my PPO. (You laugh, you didn't see what the last two big fish did to me) :p

NC is looking like a good choice...gonna start calling around. Thanks guys.
Click to expand...
 
F

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#17 ·
HD said:
fishybuzz said:
HD you are cracking me up...first you ask where in the "world" you can catch a 500#bft in 1000 feet of water....then you say you gotta be able to get there only on a short flight...HUH???

Oh by the by you will be fishing in a harness not using the rail .... hope that meets your criteria....unless you have to sit down...8)

any other critieria before any more suggestions are given???:?

As a matter of fact, I do have some supplemental criteria.

1. I don't wanna ever fish near M5 or any other communists so Mass is out.

2. Talked to some GOM guys and the big BFT are a rare catch for them so that's out. I want a real shot.

3. I prefer to fish my own country so if the fish injures me I can rely on my English speaking doctor to treat me and accept my PPO. (You laugh, you didn't see what the last two big fish did to me) :p

NC is looking like a good choice...gonna start calling around. Thanks guys.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
New Zealand meets all of your criteria except the plane ride....although there may be commies there...but who's to say they aren't in NC too.8* I friend of mine has invited me to go to NZ this winter for this very deal....and I just may do it.

maybe you should just use your 6# outfit tuna technique and the tuna won't beat you up as much :)
 
dorado_dave

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#19 ·
Geez.....go to North Carolina! It's awesome.

I drove there, set up at the campground in Frisco and fished offshore Hatteras for 3 days straight one May. I had a blast! Caught a white marlin, a bunch of tuna, a nice bull "dolphin" aka dorado, and then fished inshore for big stripped bass, bluefish and even got worked over by this headshaker called a 'drum'. It's a cool place and you can drive on many of the beaches.

Now, if it's a big bluefin you are after, North Carolina in December, January or Feburary is the place to go. Motels are cheap, charters are affordable and the locals are friendly country folks. The local cafe's have some downhome cooking thats the real deal....grits included! Go with a couple of friends and what the hell, have a great time.
 
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