OK they had the Westport Tuna classic last weekend. Caught the biggest albie in the history of tourny 39.12 Lbs after bleeding. Also caught bluefin tuna here is 1 report. I have to figure where to clear customs on straight line down 160 mile. If I can go at cruise speed would make it in 6 hrs and 600 liters gas. Would make that tourny next year with a couple guys.
But if you would have also told me that TEAM DEFIANCE would catch the largest fish both days, the largest albacore ever seen in an OTC or WTC event, a BLUEFIN TUNA, and a collective 174 fish, I would tell you YOU'RE OFF YOUR ROCKER!
Well....YOU'LL NEVER GUESS WHAT HAPPENED!!!
THERE I WAS....
With two killer crews on the team boats, we were bound to have a good trip. We arrived thursday afternoon to load with ice and bait and put the boats in the slips. The OTC had a new format this year. They consolidated the events from 4 events to two events and made the Ilwaco and Garibaldi events 2 day events, effectively cancelling the Charleston and Newport/Depoe Bay portion of the tournament. This bodes well for us who hale from the Seattle/Port Orchard region.
Friday's new format had a "leave when you want" rule with no captain's meeting but a "lines in" time of 7:30AM. We departed the dock around 5:30AM and headed offshore to arrive at our destination 10 minutes before 7:30AM. We floated around as we readied our troll gear and put in at the mark. We did not even have time to deploy the outriggers and we were bit on the QCOVE TNT Spreader Bar trailing a Ballyhood Albacore Allstar in Purple/Black. We converted to bait and Arvin hooked up immediately. This fish was little more squirrely though, running up to the bow, down through the screws, back out, and diving underneath the boat. As I grab the gaff, two more guys hook up. Arvin calls "color" and then starts studdering...
"COLOR....UM...UMMMMMM. THIS FISH HAS SHORT FINS. IT DOESN'T HAVE LONGFINS...UMMMM......SHORT FINS MEANS BLUEFIN!!!!! HELL YEAAAAA!"
After this fight it was easy to see why bluefin are king of the tuna family. This little 14 lb. bluefin tuna put up the fight of a 25lb. plus albie and didn't do death circles at the side of the boat.