Bluefin Tuna UK

The forum to discuss anything related to these other styles of catching fish
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Barry E
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Bluefin Tuna UK

Post by Barry E »

Catching a Bluefin Tuna in Ireland last year was a highlight in my 40yrs+ of recreational fishing.
Currently I am prohibited to do this at home in the UK
Bluefin are now obviously abundant along much of our coast.
A Catch and Release tagging programme will provide greater knowledge of this unique species aiding to their management going forward and bring much "out of season" income to our coastal communities.
We really do have the potential for a worldclass sportfishery on our doorstep

Please support this campaign www.bluefintuna.co.uk

https://www.anglingtrust.net/news.asp?s ... Dby0o57R3c
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Mike J
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Re: Bluefin Tuna UK

Post by Mike J »

A potential sportfishery for tuna has exisited for decades around our coasts.

Examples;
Bonito have been caught with regularity in the near shore bass nets set around the Channel Islands.
Yellowfin have been caught for years off the Sussex coast.
A large group of Bluefin were just off Chesil Beach in Dorset this Autumn.
Last year 20tons of Bonito were netted off Devon and were dumped after failing to sell on the UK market.
The Spanish Albacore fleet that trolls the Biscay always turns back when it sights the Scilly Isles, but the fish continue into the Channel.

I have tried in vain to get anyone interested in fishing for them, even pulling lures as we ran to offshore cod and pollack wrecks was forbidden by two of our top charter skippers.

All thats required is a private boat set-up correctly for trolling to break the stranglehold of the small minded charter skippers and UK sea anglers.
Note that not one of the Supporting Charter boats in the first link is rigged for trolling.
'No Man Ever Fishes The Same River Twice, .... For It Is Not The Same River, .... And He Is Not The Same Man' Heraclitus of Ephesus
Brian Carragher
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Re: Bluefin Tuna UK

Post by Brian Carragher »

Theres plenty of bluefin around our coast and there has been for years and I'm in agreement with Mike j above, they never really left its just that their numbers were so depleted elsewhere and the annual run of herring along the length of the UK's coastline collapsed at about the same time the bluefin were almost fished out in continental waters resulting in stragglers reaching our waters

The herring are back in vast numbers and no ones really fishing for them as boats are no longer feared up to fish drift nets or purse/seine nets in the way they once did, bluefin stocks are on the up and the migatory trails where they chased herring are being used again

The UK's centre of bluefin fishing was historicly up here in the NE between the Tees and the Humber and rumour is from about 15 years or so ago that theyre back, large fish ripping through the surface shoals in the bays off our coast, Henry Mitchell caught his record fish offside of Skinningrove bay which is about 8 miles from me

Albacore and small yellowfins have been taken by netters in their T nets and beach anglers have taken a few too, would be interesting to see this sector opened up and someone having a go up here again

Plenty of small boat owners down cornwall way catch them "accidently" whilst fishing for other species so if small boat owners can catch two or more in a day what would a properly rigged boat manage over a season
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Antony
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Re: Bluefin Tuna UK

Post by Antony »

Fish Locker on YouTube caught two in one day last year 🎣🐟 So they are definitely there lads 😊
Brian do you live near Staithes mate ? I go up there in the summer for the cod and mackerel 👍
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Re: Bluefin Tuna UK

Post by Brian Carragher »

@Antony

Bit further up North, I live in Redcar about half an hour away

By boat Skinningrove is about halfway between Redcar and Staithes
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Re: Bluefin Tuna UK

Post by Brian Carragher »

Do you get out with Sean Baxter at all?
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Antony
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Re: Bluefin Tuna UK

Post by Antony »

No but I used to go out with Johnny, his dad.His boat was called “Golden Days” it was back in 74
I go out with my mate Tim Wright,he has a pleasure boat in the harbour 😊
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Antony
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Re: Bluefin Tuna UK

Post by Antony »

It’s brilliant up your neck of the woods Brian.I love going up there.
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Re: Bluefin Tuna UK

Post by Brian Carragher »

Picture below is an old one but thats Huntcliffe in the background, skinningrove is to the left of it as you look at the pic, you cant see it but after Skinningrove you have Boulby cliff which runs down to Staithes
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Antony
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Re: Bluefin Tuna UK

Post by Antony »

Nice pic mate.Looks like you had a good day weather wise 👍
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Antony
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Re: Bluefin Tuna UK

Post by Antony »

Is that your boat Brian ? Looks spot on 😊
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Brian Carragher
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Re: Bluefin Tuna UK

Post by Brian Carragher »

Yeh, thats me on the engine at the stern, my lads in the middle and the bloke in the bows is our very own Bob Watson

Old photo, boats had a bit of a refurb since then
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Antony
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Re: Bluefin Tuna UK

Post by Antony »

Great photo of you all and our Bob 😊👍
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Re: Bluefin Tuna UK

Post by Jellybait »

There are loads of blue fin about - This year in Ireland there were a number of Blue fin landed with long lines hanging out of them , the japanese are sitting outside and taking what they want but we cant even try for them ... If it was me , Id just go ahead and do my own thing and dont mind the bugrugers ... it just might work out !!! especially when your targeting Marlin ..lol
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Mike J
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Re: Bluefin Tuna UK

Post by Mike J »

Jellybait wrote: Mon Feb 17 2020 10:47 -
There are loads of blue fin about - This year in Ireland there were a number of Blue fin landed with long lines hanging out of them , the japanese are sitting outside and taking what they want but we cant even try for them ... If it was me , Id just go ahead and do my own thing and dont mind the bugrugers ... it just might work out !!! especially when your targeting Marlin ..lol



Marlin are there also.
'No Man Ever Fishes The Same River Twice, .... For It Is Not The Same River, .... And He Is Not The Same Man' Heraclitus of Ephesus
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Re: Bluefin Tuna UK

Post by Jellybait »

yes ive never seen or heard of them off the Irish Coast but im sure there have been a few about , plenty of bonito around this year again and with all this "greta the great " s**t we should be seeing more and more new species in our waters
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Mike J
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Re: Bluefin Tuna UK

Post by Mike J »

Jellybait wrote: Mon Feb 17 2020 12:32 -
yes ive never seen or heard of them off the Irish Coast but im sure there have been a few about , plenty of bonito around this year again and with all this "greta the great " s**t we should be seeing more and more new species in our waters

Big fish hooked and lost, and another netted in the English Channel.
Its also worth remembering that is is normally the largest of a species that pioneers new areas, simply because it is able to withstand lower temps and longer periods without food. Atlantic Blues run into the 1500's and Bluefin above 2tonnes so fishing 80's and stand-up cannot be expected to cut it.

Other examples include all the small bream around yet nobody is targeting the bigger parent fish which run to very impressive sizes.
Stone bass are there but no charter boat will take its anglers (or punters as many skippers call them) to fish where they are to be found.
Meagre have been caught off our beaches yet not one boat is interested in targeting a species which runs to nearly 100lbs and is one of the toughest fish that swims.

We need a few thinking anglers to become charter skippers, not the jumped up commercial fishermen looking for a easy ride into retirement weve been served with for decades.

One Irish boat atleast has been trying for Swordfish which is probably the biggest leap forward for any skipper since Artillerymen pioneered the Western Approaches. Good luck to him, fortune favours the brave.
'No Man Ever Fishes The Same River Twice, .... For It Is Not The Same River, .... And He Is Not The Same Man' Heraclitus of Ephesus
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Antony
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Re: Bluefin Tuna UK

Post by Antony »

Mike did you ever go out with Geordie Dickson ? I went out with his mate Ted Cook on his boat Anglo Dawn a couple of times in the mid channel.I caught plenty of cod and ling back in the late 80’s,brilliant fishing it was.
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Mike J
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Re: Bluefin Tuna UK

Post by Mike J »

Antony wrote: Tue Feb 18 2020 22:28 -
Mike did you ever go out with Geordie Dickson ? I went out with his mate Ted Cook on his boat Anglo Dawn a couple of times in the mid channel.I caught plenty of cod and ling back in the late 80’s,brilliant fishing it was.

Yes, and seen him break off heavy leaders with his bare hands and power through the fleet without a care.
Starting from the early '70's I fished with most of the top southern UK skippers, from coding with old man Coker and Bob Abex (Folkstone), Bob Cox and Kevin Benham (Bradwell) Chris Martin (Newhaven), Tetty (Weymouth) Ted Cook (Brixham) and Plymouth's Geordie, JJ and many lessers.
But top of the pile was undoubtably Ted Cook.

Would go again tomorrow if the fish were there, if stocks recover after we control our waters I certainly will, God willing.
'No Man Ever Fishes The Same River Twice, .... For It Is Not The Same River, .... And He Is Not The Same Man' Heraclitus of Ephesus
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frankcarty
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Re: Bluefin Tuna UK

Post by frankcarty »

I've fished for Bluefin a few times in Donegal bay on charter boats owned ran by Adrian Molloy from Kilcar, and Declan Kilgannon from Mullaghmore. Each time, we had fish to the boat, we had five to the boat with Adrian in October 2018. In October 2016, we had three to the boat, two of which were brought on board and fitted with satellite tags as part the "Tag a Giant" program. The third fish was too big to come on board, estimated at around 600lb. Its the most exciting fishing I've ever done, seeing the Tuna strike the lures on the surface is heart stopping stuff.

Thankfully after years of lobbying, last year Ireland was awarded a recreational Bluefin Tuna fishery to a limited number of approved skippers. I was talking to Adrian last weekend at the angling expo in Swords, his main concerns for the stocks were the EU quota and if they increase. Also, with the UK leaving the EU, there will be more pressure on Irish waters. Last year, a good number of the Bluefin that were landed had long line hooks attached to them.
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Re: Bluefin Tuna UK

Post by Barry E »

Yep it was Adrian I caught my Bluefin with.
Magical experience
Fingers Crossed for the future
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