Update: "The Blue Devil"
Ok Ok...Maybe you guys don't care...But I do hahaha... So you get to hear about fishing adventures.
If you're a fisherman... Chances are you've heard the stories of the giant Blue Fin Tuna. Massive......sometimes up to 800 lb Kings of the ocean. This species of Tuna is known to be the best Sushi Fish on the planet...at least in the oceans. Paying head to preference as well though.. But anyways... A buddy of mine Nam, has been trying to get me to head out to try and nail one. These Fish haven't been in our local waters in Years.. Let alone sizeable. Whereas in the past 5-10 years...if you landed a Blue fin.. You were happy despite size... but if you landed a 50 Lb Fish... you were the man. Only mainly hearing about larger Blue fin off the coast of the eastern Side of the States off Main. But Down here in Huntington beach...Southern California.. we don't get blue Fin Tuna.
So a couple weeks back... I went out of Longbeach on a Cattle boat where they had been suppossedly landing 80-100lb Blue fin. Well I went out. and Got Skunked haha It was just one of those days..but truthfully... I feel like I knew I wasn't going to hook up with a fish the whole time I went out. It was a full day trip. Sleep on the Boat, (2) nights.. fish the day in between and hopefully hook up with, and land a trophy! But I didn't... I came home empy handed. LAME!!
Well the next weekend my buddy Nam convinced me to go out with him on a different boat on a Day and a half trip. To the same place about 95 Miles offshore. "Tanner Bank".... Infamous as of late for Blue fin. And man were people pulling in some big fish. 50-115Lb fish were Average numbers!!
The night started at 9pm when we left the Long Beach Harber..
A quick stop at Catalina for some fish Candy AKA "Live Squid" and we'd be off to the hunting grounds "Tanner Bank."
Sea's were pretty damn rough...but luckily I don't much get sea sick. I took some Dramamine just in case the night before. But we were getting tossed with 8-12 Ft swells in 5-6 Second Duration the whole trip. I didn't so much mind it... But it was damn near impossible for me to sleep because the bunk I was in was a bit narrow....and the couple times I almost dozed off...I almost got tossed out of the bed. I'm actually surprised more people don't get seriously injured from falling out of the bunks haha. There were a couple people that hit the floor pretty hard hahaha. Being out in the ocean is pretty sick though. It was the night of the #SuperMoon... The brightest moon we'd be having in some 45-55 Years. And it shown down on the ocean like a massive Torch... You could see for Miles at night. Super bright...and an experience I'll always remember.
We got to tanner Bank at around 5AM. People were tugging on fish within Minutes.. I wasn't feeling the "Magic though"... But by 9"AM Nam had hooked up with a fish and landed him within the Hour on his Back up rod..since he'd lost his leader and line on his nice set up. It was a single speed but he got the fish in safe and sound. I was pretty Pumped for him, but def feeling left out for the Second Weekend in a row!!! There's nothing like stricking out on a fishing trip when people are hooking up around you!!! Especially when you're used to being one of the first people to hook up hahaha. (Such a premadonna these days aye?)
So Me and Nam are fishing Side by side..... and were talking about being in the zone.. Energy and the feeling you get right at around the same time you hook up with a fish. He's telling me he's feeling it and I'm telling him.. I'm kinda feeling a bit of energy and he said... "Bro..one of us is about to hook up!!!"...and I'm not even kidding you... As I was replying.... BAMMMM!!!! WHIPPPP!!!!! My SPOOL IS HOT!!! DRAG BURNER!!! NAM YELLS AT ME!!! ""BRO CLICK TO STRIKE"..ANd for those of you familiar with heavy ocean fishing reels.. There are multiple settings... free spool, Stricke, and some have dual speeds....manual push drags to slow fish down....and even Carbon Discs for Big fish on the drag!!! I might have to get exedy to build me a disc eh? haha. But As He's Yelling at me.. I slowly move my thumb over to slow the spool over the line... and as smoothly as possible switch the manual lever from free spool to "Strike" mode which allows you to reel the fish in with Drag. There is one issue though.. If you push the Manual lever too far..... It'll go straight to Manual Drag... which is set high enough because of the size of the fish we were catching...to Actually Break the line due to the abrupt Halt. These Fish are NO JOKE!!! So i'm slowly pushing the Manual lever to strick..... ANd get it there nice and smooth... The Deck hand Yells!! FOLLOW HIM!!!! I look at my line and he's OFF!!!... My fish Booked it... So maneuvering through 35+ Anglers on a single side of a boat after hooking up with a Trophy Blue IS NOT something that is EVER done very smoothly!!! The Deck hand is yelling.. I'm busy watching my line and following the fish.. and not allowing any Tension to let up.... Keeping my rod tip up and Going Full Bendo on the devil! The Deck hand is pushing people out of the way as I weave in and out... on top of.. behind... of other anglers trying to keep the fish in front of me. And FinallyI get tot he front of the Boat.. Clean and Clear of people.... PHEEWWWW!!! But off the back the fish shoots!!! Luckily on the side of the boat where there aren't any people... I follow him over there.. and this is only about 15 MIN into the fight. I'm reeling and have already hit the second gear on my reel to try and get this devil in! My Arm is burning from keeping the Rod Tip up.. my right hand is in Jack Mode cranking on the reel handle... and The tip of the rod is wedged into my abdomen to keep the reel up. This fish is NO JOKE!!! And then Light at the end of the Tunnel.. about 25 Min in... on of the Anglers on the Boat yells.. "I see Color!!!!"..... And I give a nice long exhale..... I look out towards me and see the fish... Then the fish turns towards the Boat and comes right at us... I'm thinking.. Pfffffftt... this guy just made the worst mistake ever... Reeling like a Crazed Adrenaline pumped Zombie.... I swear the fish looked up and saw me.... ANd I saw him...It may seem crazy... But I swear although it was under water vs out... Our Eyes Locked... and the Blue said "Not Today." The Blue fin Tuna Took off... ANd when I say he took off. I had roughly 400 Yards on my Reel. When it gets down to about 80 Yards.. My Yellow FlauroCarbon Turns White....to let me know I'm running out of line. The fish Took off.. and he wasn't stopping.. My Reel was screaming... And I'm just sitting there Tensed at about 80% core strength trying to brace this fish vs the Rocking Boat. The deck hand is telling me.. "Dont worry man, He'll stop." And I'm trying to trust this guy.... But about 5 min later... THe fish is still booking it.. the Reel's squeel has increased and Yellow Line Disappears!!!! I see White!!!! And this is when I started getting nervous... Because I looked over and the Deck hand is obviously taken back... His eyes wide open and mumbling shit to me that I couldn't even take into thought.. over and over he saying something to me and all I can think is "This dude has no clue".... But that's just me being older and experienced in Life at this point.. But I snap out of it and and Stop and listen to what he'saying and he says.. "HOW MUCH LINE IS left when it hits White?!!!" I answer.. "80 Yards.".. He Grabs the Rod out of my hands and asks "What my Drag is set to?!" I Reply "18Lbs" He says "OK, I've got this." He Slowly starts putting pressure on the Manual Drag lever.... which COULD break the line.. and the whole time I'm thinking.. the line is GOING to snap!!...but over the next 20 Seconds...the fish starts to slowly slow... and then Stops 100%....Turns around...and Books it Straight at the Boat... The Rod already in my hands.. The Deck hand Sweating like a Pig... Myself Sweating like a Pig... He looks at me in the eye and says.."REEL." He didn't have to tell me twice... I cranked fast.... and I cranked Long. The Devil came at the boat for a nice 50 Yards... Still in the White line... He tried to make a last Run... I did the same thing the deck hand did and slowly pressed the manual Drag lever... Then Faught the fish for the remaining 35 Min..... A glimmer of Hope again... SOmeone Yells "COLOR, COLOR!!!" But I made that mistake in the past once before..and wasn't about to do it again.. I didn't even look. My arm was shot... Shaking from un-relenting pressure... My hand was hurting but I didn't give two shits... I kept cranking.. one Deck hand Yells "GAFFFF!!!!!" the other one Yells... "GET ANOTHER GAFF!!" and I see them rush off.. Meanwhile I'm Cranking like the Dickens... And finally.. THey Gaff the Blue... Line goes slack... and I hear a massive "Thud" on the boat deck. I look at him... and there he is in all his Glory. I rush over to him and Immediately issue the Kill. For me....Taking life should never be taken for granted...and being more spiritual and thankful is the way it should always be. I Put my hand on the Blues side... Look into his Eyes..and Cut Both Gills to bleed him...all the while Giving Thanks for the beautiful gift.
When I think of a fish this size... in the middle of the Ocean.. I know this fish was a winner. It had done the hard work and beat the Odds.. it was already a winner and it was literally just living out the rest of it's life to fulfill it's duty. For me to take it's life...is a big deal. So I had better honor it and be thankful for the gift. Utilizing the whole fish is important. No use killing unless i'll be eating...and no wasting any of the fish. Right After I cut the Gills... I totally pulled a Solid and told the Deck hand I had to eat the Heart. Half Joking.... He looked at me and said..."OK." He pulled out his knife.. and pulled the heart out with the quickness. I guess he was the guy who cut up all the fish. But he had it out so quick it was crazy. He handed it to me and weirdly enough it was still beating in the palm of my hand. I didn't think about it... I just put it straight up to my mouth and took a fat Hunk out of it. It tasted...like... warm Irion tasting sushi....smooth texture but STILL BEATING!! I took a second huge bite of the Heart... and it's BIG!! about half the size of my palm... and was happy to complete the ritual. Here's a Video of me eating the Heart!
And the only Photo I got of my fish! 84LB BLUE FIN TUNA!!!
Spent the entire next morning cutting the fish up on my own. Sorting.. Vac sealing and labeling. Man there was a lot of meat!! Beautiful though!!
Look at how expensive a single Fillet was in the store!
And here is just one half of 4 Loins I had cut into !!!!!
ChuToro.... or the second most fatty section..
Otoro....highest grade other than the Head of the Tuna which holds some of the best delicate meat in the whole fish..
After the cut
Vac sealed
Some Fresh as...Seared Blue Fin Steaks!!!!
so good!!
The end of a perfect week....Experience.... IN life!! Otherwise you will live an entire life without tasting what this planet has to offer! Be thankful...remain humble..and LIVE!
More Updates Soon!!!
Stay Tuned!!
#ThisistheWolf
P.S. if anyone wants more frequent pics of my Advenures, feel free to Add me on IG!!
