When the weather cools, thoughts typically turn to whitetails but as soon as the rut passes here in the Carolinas, it’s time to break out the heavy tackle. The annual migration has been a real boom for local charter boats, a winter gold rush that until about fifteen years ago, was unheard of. That’s when the fish began showing up a short ride from the Outer Banks of North Carolina, becoming so huge the state created the T.A.G. program – Tag A Giant – to track these huge fish. Fierce fighters, a single bluefin tuna can bring huge dollars at the dock where Japanese buyers snap them up (I can remember an angler getting $17,000 for a fish in the mid-90s).
The photo above was taken by someone aboard the Pole Position, a 57′ war wagon captained by Gene Ingle and based in Wrightsville Beach. After the jump, check out the fish Gene’s crew caught, splayed out on the deck next to a mate for a size comparison. The crew in the smaller outboard (above and after the jump) are unknown, but they sure have their hands full! These fish were caught off Morehead City, North Carolina on December 5th, 2009.
Thanks to Beach Billy for sending these in!
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The photo above was taken on Stellwagon Bank off Massachusetts. Not NC. The Crew is from First Light Anglers, Capt Nat Moody in Rowley Ma. The fish was 760 lbs landed on a stand up 50 2 speed Shimano. You have to drive a long way north from NC to catch a fish like this skippy!