BY DAVE HURLEY
HALF MOON BAY – Bluefin tuna have become a highly sought pelagic species off of the northern California coastline, and the six-pack Codfather out of Alameda is always one of the first boats out there chasing the tuna.
Deckhand Joseph Green of the Codfather said, “We were out with a crew within the past week, and after arriving just south of the Half Moon Bay Weather Buoy, we threw the lines in. After trolling around for a few hours, we started to see some life, and we got our first hook up on a pink Nomad’s Mad Mac 240. After around a 20-minute fight, the 80-pound tuna came to the gaff. Trolling around for another hour, we hooked into something huge on the short line that was out at 60 seconds. This fish ran off well past the second line at 90 seconds on at least a 300-yard run. I cleared the line, and said to Captain Justin Young, ‘This is a heavy fish.’ We have fought plenty of big bluefins, and I estimate this one at over 200 pounds. But, after around ten minutes on the line, it came unbuttoned. We haven’t been back out since, but there are some private boats picking up a few further south.”
Bluefin tuna fishing off of the northern California coast isn’t for the light of heart, but first blood has been drawn, and when the conditions are right, boats will travel.
