# SA 10.1.2014 First tuna for 2014. (and biggest!)



## islandboy (Jan 20, 2013)

Mate Torren and I launched from Snellings Beach at 8am today for a crack at the Bluefin tuna that have recently turned up along the north coast of Kangaroo Island. We paddled out about three k.s and drifted around waiting for something to happen, and it did. Splashing in the water about a k to the west saw us breaking records to get there before they finished off the pilchards and disappeared. It was total chaos with about 100 dolphins, a couple of bronzies, tuna and pilchards in a swirling ball of activity that left us dumbstruck! Didn't stay strumduck for long though and soon had the lures dragging through the maelstrom for two big hook-ups. I was playing my fish for about ten minutes when Torren paddled over with the remains of his tuna! Apparently it had shot back into the frenzy, and then the line had gone loose. thinking he had lost his fish he started winding in to feel something heavy on his line. Looks over the side to see a bronzy coming to have another go at the head that was left. Came within 5 metres then I guess the Shark shield kicked in and off he went. Torren hooked up later in the day and landed this one, I didn't see it as I was already off the water. Mine took about 40 minutes to bring to the side of the yak, where in went the gaff and the knife to the back of the head and I had my first tuna for the year at 21.5 kgs The wind picked up and I had a fruitless assault on another school of fish, trying everything I had including soft plastics and unweighted pillies.
A top day. Heard of fish up to 50 kg around this year,wooo hooo!


----------



## Squidley (May 8, 2010)

Go Shep! Legend!


----------



## solatree (May 30, 2008)

Fan-bloody-tastic Shep - a well deserved reward for all the hours you have put in - and even better on one of your home made lures ! A really magnificent catch. Congratulations.


----------



## Drewboy (Mar 18, 2008)

I'm in awe Shep... Brilliant stuff. 
I'm counting my sleeps... 7 to go before I get back over there.


----------



## DennisT (Jan 2, 2012)

Good work Shep.

Great fish


----------



## anselmo (Aug 26, 2008)

Momentous


----------



## Geoffw (Jan 23, 2011)

Like everyone has said so far.... bloody great. I'm in awe.


----------



## mrwalker (Feb 23, 2009)

Fantastic fish, very special. Congratulations. What timber do you use for your lures? Cheers, Dave.


----------



## jbonez (Jul 9, 2013)

The water colour looks amazing.. great catch


----------



## suehobieadventure (Feb 17, 2009)

Well done Shep, can't wait to get over there. Beautiful day on the water except for the sharks. Great effort brilliant result.


----------



## GlenelgKiller (Mar 13, 2012)

Amazing stuff! Well done.


----------



## Daveyak (Oct 6, 2005)

.


----------



## Zed (Sep 18, 2006)

So that's a Thunnus thynnus?
Not a long-tail, right?

Awesome. BFT, over here are the tackle busters. They will show you where your short-comings lie, and usu it's the line. Too light and not enough.
Well done and what a nice fat fish. I bow to your thunnus-ness!

OAN:
Our "tuna" season here was well offshore this year (50-200miles from San Diego), and dominated by bluefin (as opposed to yellowfin or albacore). And they were big. Mostly 40lb and up to 150lb. The Mexicans and foreign markets were given a quota for their bft ranching off MEX. The gauntlet of super-seiners that patrol off MEX, now up and quit when they reach the quota, leaving the lanes open for tuna to come N into US waters. It's a great step for a fairly corrupt nation that sells out to the highest bidder re ocean resources. Other years it was truly a net of nets off MEX intercepting the lion's share.


----------



## islandboy (Jan 20, 2013)

I cheated a bit. I should have said " Home painted Lures" I bought the blanks ($1.20 each) fom wlures.com and painted/sealed them. Please forgive me!


----------



## solatree (May 30, 2008)

Zed said:


> So that's a Thunnus thynnus?
> Not a long-tail, right?


Right that its not a long tail Zed - what we call the northern bluefin tuna or longtail tuna in Australia is Thunnus tonggol
But its not a Thunnus thynnus which I understand is the Atlantic bluefin tuna: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atlantic_bluefin_tuna
nor is it the Blue Fin Tuna you get which I understand would be the Pacific bluefin tuna (Thunnus orientalis)

The southern bluefin tuna that we get off off South Australia (and also WA and NZ) is Thunnus maccoyii - see http://www.ccsbt.org/site/about_bluefin_tuna.php


----------



## kanganoe (Apr 30, 2008)

Great work Shep and Torrin.Love the photo of the head .Hope there is a few there next week.


----------



## Zed (Sep 18, 2006)

solatree said:


> Zed said:
> 
> 
> > So that's a Thunnus thynnus?
> ...


Gotcha, thanks.
I bet a T. maccoyii and an T. orientalis met before for a little tuna tango...

I need to fill the blanks for albacore and bluefin on my personal species list. I'm not picky as to which bluefin.


----------



## kanganoe (Apr 30, 2008)

Great work Shep and Torrin.Love the photo of the head .Hope there is a few there next week.


----------



## paulsod (Dec 28, 2008)

Great tuna no matter what the brainiacs want to call it.
Also good to hear that the shark-shield might actually work.


----------



## Zilch (Oct 10, 2011)

That is mind blowing !

Congratulations .

Steve


----------



## Scott (Aug 29, 2005)

Awesome work Shep. A top fish. Nice conditions too. You have set the bar for sure. I hope we see them inshore down here this year.


----------



## actionsurf (Jul 8, 2010)

Brilliant !!


----------



## bunsen (Jan 2, 2009)

That's some killer looking blue water, fish ain't bad either!


----------



## Teo (Jan 3, 2013)

Well done. Looking forward to the tuna season


----------



## Beekeeper (Aug 20, 2011)

Surely it'll be a while before you top that catch, Shep? Some fish! Any idea on how long to bring it yak-side?

Definitely set the bar!

Interesting bit about the shark-shield.

Jimbo


----------



## Yakydeyak (Jan 15, 2013)

Amazing effort and great read. I was off there a few months ago but in shallower water chasing some snapper. Got a few during the closed season so nice to see them swim off into the blue. Such a beautiful area of the world. Looking forward to another post!


----------



## islandboy (Jan 20, 2013)

Not sure how long I was playing it, probably 40 to 45 minutes. When it came up alongside the kayak it was completely spent and hardly noticed the gaff. Felt a bit sorry for it! put up a good fight right to the end.


----------



## Safa (Aug 4, 2006)

Pulled some string I'm sure........well done !


----------



## Sprocket (Nov 19, 2008)

Awesome effort , it looks beautiful down there.
What sort of water temps?


----------



## Minny (Dec 2, 2013)

What can we say but well done. great start to 2014.


----------



## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

21.5 kgs in 40 minutes. Holy guacamole! That is some serious pressure on a YFT Rocket.

Sore arms Shep?


----------



## Stealthfisha (Jul 21, 2009)

Yep Salti im getting all this!

Pity the winds are against us this weekend....might have to head out mid week like minny suggested
tuna bust up all over the place on mainloand too!

Shep and Torren.....WELL BLOODY DONE!
SWEEEEEEEEET!

If only I did not have to work....I could spend a week or to watching and waiting on KI ready to hit it!....but in reality don't we all!

KUDOS really KUDOS


----------



## fishstix (Dec 18, 2011)

Congrats, great looking fish....conditions look perfect.

Hope you guys heading over do as well. Good luck.


----------



## unstable2 (Jun 6, 2011)

Brilliant read Shep, I will be out their this next week when wind drops a bit , unstable2


----------



## solatree (May 30, 2008)

kanganoe said:


> Love the photo of the head .Hope there is a few there next week.


 Very prophetic Russell :lol: 
There were - and you out did Torren ! viewtopic.php?f=17&t=64822


----------

