# Kayak Bluefin



## fisherman (Feb 20, 2002)

I was cooking Fajitas for my family when Captain Scott Warren of the charterboat Big Tahuna called from Hatteras. He had a day off, the weather was forecast to be tolerable, and he offered to take me and my buddies to target bluefin tuna in our kayaks. While finishing the fajitas, I scrambled to pull together a crew and by midnight, Lee Williams, Matt Shepard, and I were heading for Hatteras. 
We crashed on the boat and met Scott and mate Kenny Koci when they arrived shortly before 6AM. We loaded kayaks, tackle, and gear then pulled away from the dock just as the sun was rising. 
For the past month, the bluefin bite has been phenomenal off Hatteras, North Carolina. Boats running to the edge of the Gulf Stream have been catching 100 to 200 pound bluefin by chunking, jigging, trolling – even throwing top water poppers. This was the first time anyone fishing out of Hatteras would try to catch one of these fish in a kayak. 
We got to the temperature break and landed right in the middle of the fish. Before we launched the kayaks, Kenny put out a couple baits to prospect for fish; within minutes both lines were hooked up. We worked those fish to the boat – each around 50 pounds. While we ran back to the break to launch the ‘yaks, we put another bait out. That lasted less than a minute. After boating another 50 pounder, Scott kept the baits in and took us to the break where we launched the kayaks. 
As usual, the weatherman was wrong about the conditions. Our forecasted 10 to 15 turned into 15 to 20 and 2 to 4 was more like 3 to 5. But we had come so far and worked so hard that we weren’t going to let the weather get in the way of making history.
Each of us carried two medium heavy jigging rods – one rigged with a vertical jig and one baited with a naked ballyhoo. The idea was to drift/troll the ballyhoo while dropping the jig on fish marks. Scott would motor down the line ahead of us and inform us over the radio when he marked fish. Then we would drift behind him while jigging. 
I hooked up first, but it was only a 5 pound albacore. A few minutes later, Lee hooked up with a bigger fish. Much bigger. One second, Lee was bobbing next to me wildly jerking on his jigging rod, the next second he was being dragged through the 3 foot chop and 5 foot swells while screaming and hooting. A minute later his line broke and the fight was over, but we were all amped about the action. 
We continued to work the edge of the Gulf Stream. Drifting with the 3 knot current and 20 knot wind while watching giant hammerheads watch us, passing through hundreds of Portuguese man-of-war jellies, and catching a glimps here and there of swirling tuna. Each of us hooked a half dozen fish, but each battle would only last a few minutes before these powerful fish would break the line or pull the hook. Even though we were all experienced anglers, nothing could prepare us for the explosive speed and mind-bending power of these tuna. Each encounter unfolded the same way: a bluefin would hit like a freight train, whipping the kayak around into the wind and seas, then take off dragging us at up to 7 knots while emptying the spool of line in seconds. When we would increase the drag – to the point of being yanked out of the ‘yak – the line would break or the hooks would pull. But each time we lost a fish, we learned a valuable lesson. 
After several hours in the water, and dozens of fish hooked, fought, and lost, we finally figured it out. 
As the conditions worsened, and we considered pulling the plug, Matt hooked into a big fish that pulled him from the warm water into the cool. He held on while the tuna dragged him and emptied his reel. After a half mile the fish slowed and took the fight deep. Matt let the tuna tow him around, gaining line when he could, loosing line when he couldn’t, and waiting for the fish to tire out. 
An hour and a half and 2 and a half miles later, the fish gave up and came to the surface. Lee was poised to stick the huge fish with a gaff, but the tuna turned towards the boat and Kenny reached out with his gaff and ended the battle. 
The crew celebrated like Super Bowl champions. Matt was hoisted out of his yak and into the handshakes and back slaps from his fellow anglers. His fish weighed 166 pounds – the first bluefin caught off Hatteras by a kayaker.

Doubtful that it will be the last.

Scott is looking for more kayak warriors to take tuna fishing on the Big Tahuna... www.bigtahuna.com


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## O Shin Rin (Aug 31, 2009)

AAAAHHHH my Frigin God thats awsome 


jerry



 Hey hunny I want to go ............


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## Too Busy (Sep 7, 2007)

damn fine work. Congratulations!!!!


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## MetroMan (Mar 7, 2009)

holy crap!


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## uncdub13 (Aug 9, 2003)

aaah, i wanted to make that trip so bad. i knew y'all would have success. next time....


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## SkunkApe (Dec 9, 2006)

That is forkin' awesome!! I'm hopefully heading out Saturday hunting Bluefin and was thinking of asking if I could load the yak. But out of respect for the others, I'll opt out of that craziness. The weather looks rather tempestuous anyhow. 

Nice work gettin' worked!! 

Skunk


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## mytmouse (Jan 24, 2009)

WOW!!! Now thats what I call Kayak fishing!! LMAO

MYT


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## uncdub13 (Aug 9, 2003)

ric, your PM box is full.


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## redgrappler (Nov 18, 2005)

GOOD GOLLY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! What's the next challenge, Mako's? Seriously though, that has got to be some sort of record. I have never seen a sashimi, I mean blue fin caught from a yak that humongous.


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## fish militia (Nov 1, 2004)

I tried it the tuesday, before Ric hit it and I got to say it is one sic arse adventure..

I have a couple people and I need a couple more to book the boat next week..you need to have a flexible schedule and a couple hundred bucks..

I am thinking that if this weather stays like it is, then we might see some Blackfins, amber jacks and albies move in closer, so that it will not be just bluefins out there..

My internet has been screwed for days and I am sure it will not be right in the near future..so..If your interested, then call me..

Rob--252-305-2017

Good Job Ric and company..


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## JAM (Jul 22, 2002)

*Congrats man congrats*

Awesome.... Speechless.... JAM


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## Bullred (Mar 13, 2010)

Awesome dude.


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## fisherman (Feb 20, 2002)

Looks like Matt set the kayak record for tuna.
http://forum.kayak4fish.com/viewforum.php?f=31&sid=d327c23a067d5e2bb36758be49d2596d


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## WILSON (Aug 27, 2002)

Nice fish Matt, glad you guys pulled it off safely!

Good to see you still got that lucky horseshoe


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## Wilber (May 20, 2003)

Pretty work Ric, that's epic. That even beats the Stripers at the Ships.


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## ORF Pete (Sep 26, 2009)

Damn, I'm still kinda speechless a day after reading this. Jerry (O Shin Rin) told me about this report when I talked to him yesterday. All I can say is that is beyond awesome. Great job on landing that freight train.


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## Rob Green (Mar 30, 2010)

That's awesome, I run a charter boat that fishes for tuna on the waters of Cape Cod MA. I have never taken customers with kayaks out before but if anyone is interested I would like to work something out. We start fishing for them around the second week of June.you can contact me through my web site @ http://emfishing.com/cod-fishing.html


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## ruthless (Sep 5, 2003)

Is there any clarification on how to get HMS permitting for this kind of fishing?


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## fish militia (Nov 1, 2004)

ruthless said:


> Is there any clarification on how to get HMS permitting for this kind of fishing?


Yeh..Just go do it..cause I've talked face to face with a lot of enforcement officers and none of them would strike a ticket for this NOAA madness. Can't speak for the New England crowd.

Just don't return with more pelagic fish, then the mothership is allowed to have.

These BS rules were not written, because of or for mothershipping kayaks.

Note..By NOAA standards..one would need to register the yak and buy a permit to capture and KILL a Billfish, Tuna or shark in federal waters..All else is fair game..So, if you want Dolphin,AJs, KIngs etc..you good to go..If your fishing to release then yak away..and your perfectly legal..

And if that doesn't sit well for ya..Tender the yak to the boat your going out on..and then you are protected by that boats permits, but you still can only return with a one boat limit..

But in the end..here is what I think of NOAA's laws..the sticker on the yak says it all for me.


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## Surfishn' Dave (Nov 16, 2005)

LOVE the sticker Rob.


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## ruthless (Sep 5, 2003)

So the locals will not enforce because of clarification? Same reason I will not kayak fish for HMS, until I know what is legal and what I need to have. Especially if I produce media about it.


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## fish militia (Nov 1, 2004)

No..the locals will not enforce, cause it will not hold up..

Deploying a non motorized vessel to kill a fish to be brought back on a registered and permitted boat is no different then bailing over the side of said boat with a mask and swim fins and popping a tuna in the head with a speargun, which happens weekly.

Every person in the know I've talked too agreed on one thing..If people start registering these boats and giving money for this crap, then NOAA will have every inshore and offshore yak registering in 10 years just to make the extra coin..


but--to each their own..everyone feel free to do as you see fit..

and I plan on filming, taking pics and all the above to be published..I'll deal with NOAA if they come knocking..


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## ruthless (Sep 5, 2003)

Thanks Rob, I respect your opinion, it will be interesting to hear the official take on all nonconventional HMS fishing (surf, kayak, and diving).


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## RuddeDogg (Mar 20, 2004)

Freakin awesome. Congrats.


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## JAM (Jul 22, 2002)

*Other side of the Coin is*

if you make me get a permit, I will register 4 yaks, at 35 bucks a pop.. Can't wait to see the mans face when we come back in with 5 bluefin 4 for the yaks plus 1 for the mothership. ... By the way this would be perfectly legal as well... Believe me they don't want to go there.... All ready spoke to the head honcho here in Hatteras... They know that our next step would be coming in with what ever our permits allowed... JMHO don't set a precident... Anywhere under your own power you would need one.. Just leader the fish and let the mother ship gaff it.. If on a mothership trip... IMHO there are all ready to many BS rules and Regs, that do nothing to help any species, they just keep fat govt workers employed, and in my business.... JMHO.... JAM


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## rogue fish (Mar 13, 2010)

Clarification? Of what? There are no laws reguarding this. No one ever intended on anyone catching bluefin tuna from a kayak! All laws regaurding mothershipping and catching tuna were designed to keep guys from using loop holes in the law to keep more than the legal limit of these fish.(Not kayakers looking for the fight of there life). If you are only keeping the limit then whats the big deal. Keep abiding to this gov., they will take all we got and you can forget fishing period! Now get out there and kill some of that tasty flesh! Rob, your a crazy dude brotha! Any word on that video?


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## stonemason (Aug 4, 2006)

was the tuna actually hooked from the kayak or was it hooked fromt he boat and they passed on to the kayak to fight it in?


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## DredRum (Oct 24, 2005)

The fish was hooked from the kayak, on a medium ballyhoo rigged on a circle hook. we dragged the hoo's way way back. big explosion on the bite!
Lee W


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## ledweightII (Apr 4, 2008)

Wow...


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