The picture above is grainy but it illustrates the reason why grown men leave home at 3:30 in the morning to be on the water at first light when it’s a cutting 36 degrees, with no respite on an open boat. Had the photographer (me) not sucked, he would have captured more elegantly the 80 pound bluefin busting the surface right in front of the boat. Instead he got a small bit of fin.
I am not the hardcore one here. That distinction belongs to Capt. Chris Hessert and his buddy Squid Vicious, who took me along on one of their Quixotic quests to hook a bluefin on spinning gear. I experienced it a week ago with Capt. Dave Azar and had to try again one more time.
It’s a low percentage game, but the chance to sight cast to giant pelagic fish has been driving these guys to delay hauling their boats another day, to burn through tanks of gasoline, and to temporarily lose feeling in their hands and toes due to cold running. It’s a trade-off that, for even one hook-up, is totally worth it.
Pete McDonald
Any shots?
A couple of good shots on each trip but you remember what it was like with small bluefin on the fly.