Inshore Tuna NH!
Posted: Mon Jul 04, 2022 9:51 pm
Been a minute since I’ve posted on here. I have only been on champ 4 times this year, having mainly switched to saltwater. My adventures this year have expanded into an obsession with landing a tuna. Since this forum really is what lead to this progression I felt like I should post here. (All the help with salmon and lakers on champ, then Harry and Fishy1 Ontario exploits, and the salt water posts from ocean city.)
Today was the day we made that happen.
We left Montpelier yesterday morning at 6 heading to Newburyport where I store my ocean boat. We hit the water and left the mouth of the Mack at 10am. The plan was to head to Jeffries ledge, then head in and anchor in Gloucester harbor to watch fireworks and try for some squid that have been being caught at night. We would then fish Stelwagon bank in the morning.
We headed south out of the mouth out to 180FOW and set a trolling spread and worked south toward Southern Jeffries Ledge. While trolling Sam asked if we should get some bait for when we hit the ledge. Last weekend the bait was so thick on Stelwagon that I assumed it would be thick on Jeffries. We got to Jeffries and pulled the trolling gear. Started looking for bait and after an hour of hunting I was beyond frustrated. I couldn’t function, as I didn’t really have a plan B. Sam decided we should set troll again and work south to stelwagon.
We did that and arrived at Stelwagon and found a total lack of bait there as well. After a while we were able to jig up a couple whiting and set them out on the tuna rods. We dropped the anchor and hung out. We were having trouble keeping baits away from the boat, but didn’t think much of it since there didn’t seem to be a current. Little while later we decided it was time to head in to get a spot in the harbor and prep for the evening. As we went to pull the anchor we found that our anchor D ring had come undone and our anchor was gone.
Well crap! How are we going to anchor for the night with no anchor? We spent 20 minutes thinking of a solution with no luck. I decided it was best to just head back to the Merrimack and we could load the boat and call it a failed trip.
On the way in Sam posted in a Facebook group looking for an anchor, and got a reply from a guy who had a spare and was right on the river. At around 11pm we got to his dock and he GAVE us the anchor we tried to pay him and he wouldn’t take money. We headed back down the river to make the best of things, we stopped at my truck and grabbed my tow chain to use as the anchor chain, and Jerry rigged it all together. We anchored in a spot I like to anchor on the river and ate dinner at midnight, and tossed a couple baits for striper (no luck)
At 3:30 I woke up and asked Sam if he wanted to tuna fish now or striper fish and sleep longer. He said let’s sleep. Then 39 seconds later he was like actually no let’s tuna fish. Having gone all the way to Stelwagon and then motored back we were low on gas, so our options for spots were only inshore. We made a plan, head to 180fow troll till 7 then look for mackerel to anchor. We followed the plan lines in at 4:15. Trolling north we were tired and looking at our phones when all the sudden we hear drag going out. “Oh crap I hooked a lobster pot I think”.
I grab the rod and feel what is not a lobster pot. Sam clears the gear and I say I think it’s a shark it’s not running, and feels too easy from what I think tuna should be. With the other lines cleared I say back off the throttle. As soon as he does the fish becomes a big fish. We trade off the rod so I can maneuver the boat as it takes line. We get heading at a 45 to the fish, and are gaining line, then we are vertical. Every time Sam pumps up and reels down he picks up and loses the same amount of line. Then it takes a run. Ok this is happening not ready for this at 5am on 2hr sleep!
We get the boat positioned better and i take the rod. I get us back to our mono, and then close in on the leader. I hand off to Sam as I want to do end game, we get to the spreader bar and can see color… an odd tan, is it a BIG cod? Doesn’t look like a tuna… I grab the spreader and pull it toward me and then make out it is a tuna. We get it boatside, and I realize in all this we didn’t prep the gaff… the fish is tired, so I decide to take a tail grab. I get ahold of the tail and go to pull it in, then discover this fish is not a small as it looks. I can’t lift it without my hands slipping. Sam grabs the small gaff and we get it in the boat.
High fives and hollars commence. We measure it 51.5 inches. We get it bleeding and reset trolling gear. We decide since we don’t have much ice that we will troll till we have the fish gutted then head in.
We get it gutted, and on ice. I’m driving and Sam is clearing lines when the same rod in his hand goes crazy. FISH ON!!! Oh crap we are less prepared for this, gear everywhere from the last fish. It does a blazing run then comes back and heads under the motor. I’m clearing lines and it’s wrapped on our way back rod. After some chaos we get the rods clear, and I get the boat positioned, Sam gets it to the boat and it’s another 50 inch. Too big to keep based on the regs. We swim it and head for home.
A successful day that will be a memory for life.
This is the first of what I hope is many tuna we catch!
Today was the day we made that happen.
We left Montpelier yesterday morning at 6 heading to Newburyport where I store my ocean boat. We hit the water and left the mouth of the Mack at 10am. The plan was to head to Jeffries ledge, then head in and anchor in Gloucester harbor to watch fireworks and try for some squid that have been being caught at night. We would then fish Stelwagon bank in the morning.
We headed south out of the mouth out to 180FOW and set a trolling spread and worked south toward Southern Jeffries Ledge. While trolling Sam asked if we should get some bait for when we hit the ledge. Last weekend the bait was so thick on Stelwagon that I assumed it would be thick on Jeffries. We got to Jeffries and pulled the trolling gear. Started looking for bait and after an hour of hunting I was beyond frustrated. I couldn’t function, as I didn’t really have a plan B. Sam decided we should set troll again and work south to stelwagon.
We did that and arrived at Stelwagon and found a total lack of bait there as well. After a while we were able to jig up a couple whiting and set them out on the tuna rods. We dropped the anchor and hung out. We were having trouble keeping baits away from the boat, but didn’t think much of it since there didn’t seem to be a current. Little while later we decided it was time to head in to get a spot in the harbor and prep for the evening. As we went to pull the anchor we found that our anchor D ring had come undone and our anchor was gone.
Well crap! How are we going to anchor for the night with no anchor? We spent 20 minutes thinking of a solution with no luck. I decided it was best to just head back to the Merrimack and we could load the boat and call it a failed trip.
On the way in Sam posted in a Facebook group looking for an anchor, and got a reply from a guy who had a spare and was right on the river. At around 11pm we got to his dock and he GAVE us the anchor we tried to pay him and he wouldn’t take money. We headed back down the river to make the best of things, we stopped at my truck and grabbed my tow chain to use as the anchor chain, and Jerry rigged it all together. We anchored in a spot I like to anchor on the river and ate dinner at midnight, and tossed a couple baits for striper (no luck)
At 3:30 I woke up and asked Sam if he wanted to tuna fish now or striper fish and sleep longer. He said let’s sleep. Then 39 seconds later he was like actually no let’s tuna fish. Having gone all the way to Stelwagon and then motored back we were low on gas, so our options for spots were only inshore. We made a plan, head to 180fow troll till 7 then look for mackerel to anchor. We followed the plan lines in at 4:15. Trolling north we were tired and looking at our phones when all the sudden we hear drag going out. “Oh crap I hooked a lobster pot I think”.
I grab the rod and feel what is not a lobster pot. Sam clears the gear and I say I think it’s a shark it’s not running, and feels too easy from what I think tuna should be. With the other lines cleared I say back off the throttle. As soon as he does the fish becomes a big fish. We trade off the rod so I can maneuver the boat as it takes line. We get heading at a 45 to the fish, and are gaining line, then we are vertical. Every time Sam pumps up and reels down he picks up and loses the same amount of line. Then it takes a run. Ok this is happening not ready for this at 5am on 2hr sleep!
We get the boat positioned better and i take the rod. I get us back to our mono, and then close in on the leader. I hand off to Sam as I want to do end game, we get to the spreader bar and can see color… an odd tan, is it a BIG cod? Doesn’t look like a tuna… I grab the spreader and pull it toward me and then make out it is a tuna. We get it boatside, and I realize in all this we didn’t prep the gaff… the fish is tired, so I decide to take a tail grab. I get ahold of the tail and go to pull it in, then discover this fish is not a small as it looks. I can’t lift it without my hands slipping. Sam grabs the small gaff and we get it in the boat.
High fives and hollars commence. We measure it 51.5 inches. We get it bleeding and reset trolling gear. We decide since we don’t have much ice that we will troll till we have the fish gutted then head in.
We get it gutted, and on ice. I’m driving and Sam is clearing lines when the same rod in his hand goes crazy. FISH ON!!! Oh crap we are less prepared for this, gear everywhere from the last fish. It does a blazing run then comes back and heads under the motor. I’m clearing lines and it’s wrapped on our way back rod. After some chaos we get the rods clear, and I get the boat positioned, Sam gets it to the boat and it’s another 50 inch. Too big to keep based on the regs. We swim it and head for home.
A successful day that will be a memory for life.
This is the first of what I hope is many tuna we catch!