# Qld 10/6 - A Long Tale(tail)



## paulsod (Dec 28, 2008)

Well if anyone had read my Qld Trip posting they would have seen that I was undecided to go and there wasn't much difference in the morning. 
The thing that finally made me decide that I should go, was that it was only going to get worst as the long weekend progressed and I could always fish closer to shore in Westerlies.
I arrived at 7.06am and of course the wind started to pick up. Aw well I got my wetsuit and Smock to keep me warm and dry. A couple of locals walking past starting chatting to me and I ask which way was the wind direction was coming from. Kings Beach always throws me on direction. He pointed out that Kings Beach is the only one on the Eastern Seaboard that faces south and the sun rises in the East. Due to my late arrival I didn't see which way the Sun has raised. When I looked at Google Maps it seems to face S.E more. Maybe Greg (Hardplastic) can throw some more light on the subject.
Well after a clean beach launch I started to set-up my rods. I have brought my new Shimano Tld 15 out this time and as I put it on the rod, it had me wondering why did it all of a sudden become left-handed and winding on backwards. A minute later and DOH! I had it upside down. 
Well after the fog had lifted off my brain I started trolling to Brays Rock. As I got closer I could see some birds working and heading slightly to my right, so I started peddling at an angle to intercept them. Unfortunately as I got close the activity had stopped. I saw some more birds working out a lot further and up the coast more, but I didn't bother as it is hard to tell the distance and look like it was in the shipping lane, so I decided to head back to Brays and chase the Snapper and there is always a off chance that the tuna might turn up later as they drive the baitfish closer to shore.
Well there was some small Tuna chasing baitfish before I got to Brays and before I got much further, the line on my Penn reel started to peel off at a great rate. Quickly wound in the other reel and turned around to face the fish who had stopped by now. Then he started to take off again as I started to haul line back, this time when he stopped I felt head shakes and honestly believed I had my best Snapper on. Well after the next run I knew he wasn't a Snapper and to prove it he came close to the surface and I could vaguely make out a shape of a Tuna or Cobia. 
About ½ hour later he appeared on his side 10mts away and it was a Long tail Tuna. I wrongly thought I had him and got the gaff ready only to watched as he dive back to the depths and fight for another 15 minutes. He circled around the kayak so many times; the line was in a real twist when the fight finished. Have to put a swivel on the Hawaiian snap for next time. One time the line went horribly slack and I thought he had got off but I still wound the line in as fast as I could he case he was heading towards me and it turned out he was and the hook was still holding. Big sigh of relief after that. Finally he just stopped fighting and I wound him in. Backwards at first and I thought the line had wrapped itself around the tail but it later went back to normal and I pulled him closer. Went to reach for the gaff and bugger, it had been knock into the sea during the battle. So lip grips or tail grab. I decided to tail grab as I didn't like my chance of lip gripping him by the mouth and he was facing away from me. As I grabbed the tail I was waiting for him to come back to the life, but he was spent and it was an easy but heavy lift into the Kayak.




































I was happy and sad at the same time. Happy I had finally caught myself a Tuna and sad that such a great fighting fish was destiny for the table.
I decided to head home, as he was more then enough feed. Putting him in the esky and his tail was sticking out quite a bit and I was worried about what would happen if I turned Turtle in the landing.
So after a bit of rearranging the gear, I was just and I mean just able to squeeze him into the front hatch space.
Well I was 3.8+klms as the crow flies from Kings when I started peddling back at 9.35am, arrived back at 11am.








Pretty tired when I landed battling the current and chop and the kayak picked up a bit of water through the front hatch because the seal had decided to come off that morning.
I was later disappointed to find that I hadn't video the fight but instead the GroPro had taken photos about every 10 seconds. Better then nothing I suppose and I got 1736 photos to choose from.
Of course videos I took before and after that was okay.
Cheers 
Paul
p.s. Who's coming out next weekend?


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## KingDan (Feb 25, 2011)

Great catch and great story! I am wishing I could have made it but good on you for persisting on with the weather. I have some new neoprene gear now and will be trying to head out next weekend if the weather complies. It's a pity it didn't take the tld15 on, it would have been a nice christening for it.

How did you go fileting it, they are a bit of work. Also you should enter it in the June fishing comp.

Dan


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## paulo (Nov 1, 2007)

Woohoo Paul. Your persistence paid off. Well done.


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## paulsod (Dec 28, 2008)

Thanks for thanks Fellas.

I came across this interesting site while looking for Longtail Tuna facts.

http://www.longtailtuna.com.au/Info.asp ... %20tuna%3F

According to the statistics, mine at 104cms,would have been approximately 7.75 yrs old, Dan's 100cms just over 6yrs old and Paulo's at 120cms 16.5yrs old.

There is a lot more interesting stuff on the site as well.

Cheers
Paul


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## KingDan (Feb 25, 2011)

Wow 16.5years... 
That is some interesting reading, they eat 2% of their body weight each day; that's a lot of bait fish.

Dan


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## paulo (Nov 1, 2007)

Thats a great website Paul. Thanks for the link.
This was my mate Steve's first fish off a yak up at Fraser 2 years back. It went 138cm and we had it pegged at over 30kgs but didnt have a a scale large enough.
Didnt realise he went so close to a world record. Must tell him. :twisted: 








Couldnt wipe the smile off his face for a month


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## klappers (Dec 20, 2010)

Wow, cant wait to get out there and catch some fish


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## paulsod (Dec 28, 2008)

paulo said:


> This was my mate Steve's first fish off a yak up at Fraser 2 years back. It went 138cm and we had it pegged at over 30kgs but didnt have a a scale large enough.


That is one horse of a Longtail. Did he win Lotto with his first entry as well. :lol:

I sent a email off to the site this morning before I came across the final results later and a nice bloke answered back.

Hi Paul,
Thanks for the email. Sounds like you have been introduced to longtail with a very nice fish! 104 cm would be around the 14kg mark, nice fish!
Unfortunately we have finished our longtail tuna survey, but it's always good to hear from fishers with regards to their experiences with the species. 
The final results can be found on the website http://www.longtailtuna.com.au
Thanks again for the email.
Regards,
Shane
-----------------------------------------------------------
DR Shane Griffiths
Research Scientist (Fish Biologist)
CSIRO Marine and Atmospheric Research

Of course I sent a email back asking why he was working on a Sunday. :lol:

Hava good day
Paul


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## sport (Mar 31, 2011)

Congratulations on your wopper catch and thanks for your detailed report as a novice at catching anything I learnt a lot from it.
Cheers Vince.


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## Zed (Sep 18, 2006)

paulsod said:


> Thanks for thanks Fellas.
> I came across this interesting site while looking for Longtail Tuna facts.
> http://www.longtailtuna.com.au/Info.asp ... %20tuna%3F
> 
> ...


Thanks for that. Going on 17years for a tuna is long life. Yft only go half that, and tip the 500# mark. We only really see the 1-3 y/o yft w/in 50miles of me here, and those fish are the 15#-60# fish. Side note, the first solid tuna bite just broke out today. Bluefin tuna to 60# @ 200miles SW of San Diego. Just a short paddle.


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## HardPlastic (Jul 2, 2007)

Maaaaaate. Long time coming and well deserved. I don't know anyone who was as hungry as you for their first longtail. Well done and on a solo trip too. That's dedication. By the way, you are right, Kings faces SE. The ramp faces south though. Shite load of other places on eastern seaboard that face south too. Treachery at Seal Rocks is a notable one and its really weird watching the sun go down seemingly over the water in summer.


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## AJD (Jul 10, 2007)

Top fish Paul. Good to see some still hanging around. Might be worth another raodtrip north for a look see.


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## paulsod (Dec 28, 2008)

HardPlastic said:


> Maaaaaate. Long time coming and well deserved. I don't know anyone who was as hungry as you for their first longtail. Well done and on a solo trip too. That's dedication. By the way, you are right, Kings faces SE. The ramp faces south though. Shite load of other places on eastern seaboard that face south too. Treachery at Seal Rocks is a notable one and its really weird watching the sun go down seemingly over the water in summer.


Hi Greg
If you remember, the first Longtail Tuna I hooked and lost, I was solo as well.
Maybe you Blokes should let me fish by myself up there. :lol: :lol:

Hi AJD
If you look at that Longtail Tuna website I posted it shows that they are around for most of the year just not in great numbers.

Cheers
Paul


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