An exhausted captain has spoken about his battle after a five-person crew in Texas took on a 676-pound bluefin tuna that broke the rod in half throughout a two-hour battle.
Captain Tim Oestreich was aboard the Dolphin Categorical constitution fishing boat along with his crew and 16 anglers on March 24 on the Hoover Diana oil fields, round 130 to 160 miles from Port Aransas.
Oestreich mentioned the journey started in tough seas with six- to eight-foot waves, however the yellowfin tuna have been biting.
After an exhilarating 2.5-mile chase, the fish snapped the captain’s 30-pound rod in half.
As every individual took it in turns to land the fish, some have been solely capable of final two to a few minutes earlier than they grew to become drained out, Oestreich instructed Sport Fishing Journal.
Pictured: The crew members subsequent to the massive tuna fish. Captain Tim Oestreich (left) and a five-person crew in Texas took on a 676-pound Bluefin tuna that broke the rod in half throughout a two-hour battle
Pictured: The Bluefin tuna fish. ‘It took two hours to reel within the bluefin, and it in the end broke the rod,’ Oestreich mentioned
‘When one angler was completed, I’d name for “recent meat on the reel”,’ he mentioned.
The captain mentioned the bait was within the water for simply 10 minutes earlier than the bluefin took it and dove, taking 800 yards of line with it.
‘That is nearly half a mile straight down in a couple of minute,’ Osetreich mentioned.
Forty-five minutes later, the fishermen had reeled the tuna again to beside the 95-foot head boat, however then it took off once more.
The captain tried to maintain the fish transferring to empty it of vitality.
‘You possibly can’t chase a giant tuna in deep water otherwise you’ll battle it for hours,’ Oestreich mentioned.
The boat then adopted the operating tuna for round 2.5 miles.
After 45 minutes, the fish was again beside the boat.
Nevertheless, it took off once more, snapping the rod in half.
Pictured: Tuna fish at Dolphin Dock. Dolphin Dock’s Deep Sea Fishing calls the 56-hour-long journey the ‘Texas Safari’
Oestreich grabbed the damaged rod and pulled the fish in by hand for 40 ft.
He mentioned it took eight individuals to elevate the tuna out of the water and into the boat.
‘It took two hours to reel within the bluefin, and it in the end broke the rod,’ Oestreich instructed Houston information outlet Chron. He additionally famous that the rod price $1,000.
Oestreich mentioned: ‘The rules for catching bluefin within the Gulf of Mexico is strict with just one per boat. It is not widespread to catch one as a result of they’re focused and that large.’
Through the 56-hour journey, the anglers additionally caught three yellowtail tuna every and 11 wahoo fish.
Dolphin Docks Deep Sea Fishing mentioned in a Fb publish: ‘Nice job anglers.’
‘When my arm recovers, I would like to go once more….. quickly as I discover a greater freezer,’ wrote one visitor on Fb.
Pictured: Recent catches at Dolphin Dock. Through the 56-hour journey, the anglers additionally caught three yellowtail tuna every and 11 wahoo fish
Commenting on the fishing constitution’s Fb publish, one individual wrote: ‘Yay Tim! You’re the fish slayer!’
One other posted: ‘Good catch guys!!’
One of many pictures within the publish reveals the crew posing with the bluefin tuna, which is the size of 5 males.
One other photograph reveals the fish hung up for show on the dock.
The boat catches a most of three yellowfin per individual on a mean journey.
‘I in all probability land 1,100 tuna each 4 or 5 months,’ Oestreich mentioned.
Dolphin Dock’s Deep Sea Fishing calls the 56-hour journey the Texas Safari.
After bringing the massive fish again to shore, it was filleted and divided between 14 prospects, in accordance with Chron.
A distinct Port Aransas boat caught a 750-pound bluefin only a few days later.
The bluefin is the biggest sort of tuna on the planet, measuring between six and 10 ft. They’ll weigh as much as 1,500 kilos and dwell for 35 years on common.
They’re predators, searching for out faculties of fish comparable to herring, mackerel, and even eels.
Round one billion kilos of tuna are eaten yearly, in accordance with the Nationwide Fisheries Institute.