[KILSONG]

I always dream about catching a giant on jigs.
After I heard Dennis Braid got 630 lbs bluefin tuna on stand up, I was willing to go to Prince Erward Island to catch a giant on jigs.
But, when I checked the round trip airfare from NY to Price Edward Island, it was over $900. Then I checked the distance from NJ to Prince Edward Island, but I gave up my plan as it is over 850 miles.
I discussed with Dennis Braid last year for the possibility to catch a giant on jigs and he encouraged me to go ahead as it is definitely possible. Before too late, I am going to try it.

Dennis with his catch of 629 lbs giant on stand up.

This post edited by KILSONG 09:30 PM 08/19/2008

 

[codmaster]

Kil

Oh what the heck - go for it!!!!!!

 

[KILSONG]

codmaster wrote:
Oh what the heck - go for it!!!!!!
Yes, I have nothing to lose.
I planned to go to NZ for giant bluefin jigging this summer, but I gave up becasue I have a chance to fish only one day out of 10 days due to bad weather.

 

[645764]

Kil, wouldn't it be a little easier on ya to wait for the North Carolina Season and jump on one of the top profromers from last year. Swell Rider brought 2 of the largest blue fins in last year I think He had 7 or 9 brought in. And I am sure his boat can get you around all those bait balls that you will be looking for.

 

[capttrav]

The BFT bite in NC is a different bite than in NZ. THe NZ tuna are in a feed like what we have here in NJ. The NC tuna are in and out, if it were what it was 10 years ago off Hatteras than it would be a different story. I plan to fish NZ this year and have already started tackle research. I think that is what started the spark for Kilsong to make this post.

 

[KILSONG]

capttrav wrote:
The BFT bite in NC is a different bite than in NZ. THe NZ tuna are in a feed like what we have here in NJ. The NC tuna are in and out, if it were what it was 10 years ago off Hatteras than it would be a different story. I plan to fish NZ this year and have already started tackle research. I think that is what started the spark for Kilsong to make this post.
I have been planned for jigging a giant ever since I hooked up a giant in Butterfish Hole off Montauk.
I planned to go to NZ for three years, but the concern of weather prevented me from going to NZ. If you plan to go NZ this year, go before Sept 15. Aug. is usually prime month to go.


tripplegs,
If you think NC is the best destination for bluefin tuna, you don't follow fishing reports. See how many giant caught in NC in winter and how many boats participated. It is getting worse.
In NZ, they say about 30 giants are behind one single dragger.
I believe they caught 13 giants on the same day Dennis caught the fish within 5 minutes ride from the harbor.



This post edited by KILSONG 11:21 PM 08/19/2008

 

[capttrav]

Kil if you ever plan to go let me know. I will join you. I think I have all the details worked out soon. My troubles are that I don't think I'll have the reel in time. Non of my current reels will withstand the pressure by a giant. I'm hoping to find fish under 600lbs as that may be too much. Good luck, and keep me in mind when playing with new blanks. I have ideas, but don't trust all the blanks. I will have some back ups though.

 

[Meirowitz]

Having fished for giants with Dennis out of Morehead City, N.C. and taken giants using standup gear, I have doubts whether it is advisable to try for giants using jigging gear. Dennis uses a short rod and a Penn 70 specially modified by Cal with drags that approach or exceed 70 pounds, which is what you want to bring in a fish like that. The reel is tethered and added precautions are employed to assure safety. Dennis uses knee pads because of the pressure he places against the gunnel of the boat. He has perfected a technique for these fish that is hard to duplicate. Here are some pictures I took of Dennis taking GBFT in the 500 pound range out of Morehead City a few years ago. The guy is definitely a master when it comes to taking GBFT using standup gear.

This post edited by Meirowitz 05:35 AM 08/20/2008

 

[KILSONG]

capttrav wrote:
Kil if you ever plan to go let me know. I will join you. I think I have all the details worked out soon. My troubles are that I don't think I'll have the reel in time. Non of my current reels will withstand the pressure by a giant. I'm hoping to find fish under 600lbs as that may be too much. Good luck, and keep me in mind when playing with new blanks. I have ideas, but don't trust all the blanks. I will have some back ups though.
You got to use a reel with at least 500 yards of 130 lbs lines and most jigging reels we use are not strong enough and don't have such a line capacity. In NZ, jigging with heavy tackles is not an issue as you get bites within a few minutes you start to jig.
If I go to NZ, I start with 70 or 80 reels with heavy rod first. After catching one with them, I scale down my tackles.

 

[GloucesterToo]

That looks like work! I thought fishing was supposed to be FUN ?

 

[SwellRider]

I have to say there are better place's to fish True Giant BFT than in NC. As for myself NC is now were I live, Fish and run my charter Business so this is were I put my effords into catch these great fish!!! I had a better than average season last winter catching some of the largest fish landed one going over #650 and a couple over #500 and the rest in the #350 to #450 range. Yes I did put in my time as did alot of other guys and the efford payed off for me,but every year is diffrent. I will be putting in alot of time this winter on catching a True Giant on a jig I know it can be done. I've put alot of time into tuna fishing , from the canyons to working Long Range down into Mexico to commercial BFT in the NE so I have the knowledge and skill on fighting and handling these larger fish. Hopefully the chips will fall in my favor again this year and I can produce a few nice fish. Good luck to guys if you Head to NZ but be carefull. Ken

This post edited by canyonfvr 01:39 PM 09/06/2008

 

[capttrav]

Ken you know it can and will be done!! We have the right plan and we will eventually execute. I've signed back up to Gold's to work out the kinks in the back. THe down side is giant fishing will take away from the regular fishing, just not enough vaca time. LOL!!

 

[Meirowitz]

Well, anything is possible, but ...

Recently, Mike Jung of Peace Token took a 77 inch BFT that weighed 270 pounds on a jig. It took him three and one-half hours to do it. Mike was using an 8' 6" G Loomis rod with a Daiwa Saltiga SA50 reel. I don't think anyone would dispute the fact that Mike is probably one of the best tuna jigging anglers around.

I'd like to hear his response to the likelihood of taking, say, a 500 pound, 100 inch GBFT on a true jigging setup!

Mike Jung

This post edited by Meirowitz 09:11 PM 08/20/2008

 

[Leprechaun]

Wow, when I saw the title, I was thinking along the lines of something to do with a combo of Katherine McPhee and Eva Mendez, but sadly I see its all about fishing. Rats. My bad.

Man, them be some nice fish up there. Nice, nice pix.

best, Lep

 

[SwellRider]

It's definiatly going to take some work but Im confident in my skills as a angler and capt to get the job done!! Here in NC the water is very shallow were we fish for BFT so it will be more of a run and gun style of fighting the fish. A big plus is fishing out of a Center console, getting spooled is not an option, if that happen I didn't do my job!!!Myself and capttrav will land a TRUE GIANT on a jig this winter in NC!!! Ken

 

[KILSONG]

Leprechaun wrote:
Wow, when I saw the title, I was thinking along the lines of something to do with a combo of Katherine McPhee and Eva Mendez, but sadly I see its all about fishing. Rats. My bad.

Man, them be some nice fish up there. Nice, nice pix.

best, LepLep, didn't you know I am dreaming about fishing all the time.

 

[645764]

KILSONG wrote:

In NZ, they say about 30 giants are behind one single dragger.
I believe they caught 13 giants on the same day Dennis caught the fish within 5 minutes ride from the harbor.




Thats to easy!!!!!!

 

[638475]

Kil what would your tackle consist of? I would think that something like a Cal Sheets blueprinted tiagra 16 would have to be used for a true Giant....

 

[Meirowitz]

SwellRider wrote:
It's definiatly going to take some work but Im confident in my skills as a angler and capt to get the job done!! * * * Ken
Ken, good luck with that effort. In my opinion, that would really be an accomplishment to land a true giant (say, 500 pound class, 100 inch fish) on a jigging setup like Mike Jung used.

 

[KILSONG]

Meirowitz wrote:
SwellRider wrote:
It's definiatly going to take some work but Im confident in my skills as a angler and capt to get the job done!! * * * Ken
Ken, good luck with that effort. In my opinion, that would really be an accomplishment to land a true giant (say, 500 pound class, 100 inch fish) on a jigging setup like Mike Jung used.
Dick, you are out of tuna fishing too long.
You didn't follow new tends and new development. You got to see my new tuna jigging setups. Did you ever imagine I would use spinning gear for tuna jigging ?


This post edited by KILSONG 06:06 PM 08/21/2008