Captain Dom Petrarca with Coastal Charters Sportfishing landed a 597-pound bluefin tuna. While that fish by itself is an awesome catch, his charter group caught this monster … ON SPINNING GEAR!
What makes this more unbelievable is that just 2 days earlier Captain Bobby Rice with Reel Deal Fishing Charters, also from Cape Cod, caught a 423-pound bluefin tuna ON SPINNING GEAR. Both captains say these are the largest bluefin tuna ever caught on spinning gear – and no one has proven otherwise.
Here’s a YouTube video of James Triay catching a 270-pound bluefin tuna on spinning/popping gear to give you an idea on the level of difficulty:
Captain Dom summed it up best on his article for OnTheWater: “No one would have believed 10 years ago that catching the larger models on light gear was possible. As we advanced our skills, and the tackle industry advanced its spinning reels and rods at warp speed, we discovered that we could also target some of the bigger bluefin that swim in our waters with success. We use strictly artificial offerings – plastic, rubber, metal, and wood – delivered to the fish directly by the angler. To handle a 200-pound fish on spinning gear is world-class level, with very few catches of this size common save for a few elite anglers and captains. A 300-pound fish is undoubtedly a “real” fish by anyone’s standards, regardless of the gear. When you reach the high end of the 300-pound class, the numbers dwindle so dramatically that you could begin to name them and the fishery where it occurred… 400 is a benchmark very few have attained, anywhere in the world.”
For the hardcore anglers, here’s the specs on the catch:
Reel: Shimano Stella 18000 SWB (2013 model)
Rod: Race Point 200
Line: Jerry Brown Hollow Core 100#
Leader: BHP Tackle Wind-on leader, 100# Seaguar Fluorocarbon
Terminal gear: Spro 240 pound power swivel, 150 pound split ring
Terminal connection: Palomar knot
Lure: RonZ 4X in herring color
