Memorial Day Weekend Means Striper Fishing Now
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It’s Haddock Time ~ Gloucester Haddock Charters in full swing
Tuna Fishing June 1 Opening Day Shared Charter
Last Minute Gifts for Your Fisherman ~ Tuna Hunter
Pineapple Gang – Haddock and Pollock, and Cusk and Sharks Oh My!
Bluefin Tuna Action Begins – Country Boys Boat Bluefin Beauty
Tuna Hunter participated in the 2015 BOMA Fishing Tournament out of Rowes Wharf in Boston, MA.
Congratulations to June who boated this beautiful 41.5 inch, 26 pound striped bass, the winning fish for Top Female Angler.
The BOMA Tournament marks the beginning of sizable striped bass in the Boston and north shore waters. “Hugies” like this are moving into Cape Ann waters of of Gloucester and the surrounding islands as summer weather and warmer water temperatures settle in.
Treat your new graduate to a fishing charter, or treat the whole family to a Father’s Day outing on the water. Call Tuna Hunter at 978-407-1351 or email captain@tunahunter.com for our latest openings.
Congratulations June and all the 2015 BOMA winners, and Good fishing to all!
2015 BOMA Fishing Tournament – Top Female Angler on Tuna Hunter
Our offshore scouts report jumping bluefin tuna and plenty of bait on our fishing grounds.
This much life on the banks now indicates a June tuna season – Yeah!
Bluefin tuna opens June 1st, and yes we have some June openings.
Consider a Tuna Hunter Fishing Charter for graduation, Father’s Day, or celebrate beginning of summer with a giant bluefin tuna.
Call us at 978-407-1351 for the latest reports and opening – Good fishing to all,
Gary & Karen
Tuna and Bait on the Banks Now Point to June Tuna!
Today NOAA FIsheries also opened a comment period for recreational cod and haddock fishing policies:
NOAA Fisheries Seeks Comments on Groundfish Recreational Measures by June 1, 2015.
Today, NOAA Fisheries published an interim final rule for the Northeast recreational groundfish fishery. This rule implements a reduction to the minimum size (now 17 inches) and a bag limit of 3 fish per person per day for Gulf of Maine haddock taken in the recreational fishery.
This interim rule is necessary to ensure that the recreational catch of haddock and recreational bycatch of cod will not exceed the annual catch limits for the recreational fishery in fishing year 2015.
This rule should reduce discards of cod and haddock by allowing anglers to retain smaller haddock so that they reach their bag limit more quickly.
Read the complete rule as published in the Federal Register, and submit your comments through the Federal Rulemaking ePortal. Or, submit your comments via mail to:
John K. Bullard, Regional Administrator
National Marine Fisheries Service
55 Great Republic Drive
Gloucester, MA 01930
Mark the outside of the envelope, ”Comments on the fishing year 2015 Haddock Recreational Measures.”
The comment period closes on June 1, 2015.
Questions? Contact Mark Grant, Regional Office, at 978-281-9145 or email Mark.Grant@noaa.gov.
We at Tuna Hunter Fishing Charters encourage you to submit comments – we are not heard unless we all speak up for our share of the cod and haddock fisheries.
NOAA Fisheries Seeks Comments on Recreational Groundfish Measures
As of May 1, the recreational haddock rules covering Tuna Hunter and all charter vessels in MA fishing in the Gulf of Maine (the aters off the MA coast north of Cape Cod) are:
- 3 haddock per person
- 21 inch minimum
This is from the latest notice from the MA Division of Marine Fisheries. Read the full notice here.
From that notice note:
- A dual-permitted (state and federal) for-hire vessel fishing in state or federal waters and landing in Massachusetts is bound by a combination of the most restrictive rules: 3 fish and 21” minimum size. The vessel cannot catch or possess GOM haddock from state or federal waters during March, April, September, and October.
and
- A private recreational angler fishing entirely or in part in federal waters and landing in Massachusetts is bound by a combination of the most restrictive rules: 3 fish and 21” minimum size. The angler cannot catch or possess GOM haddock from federal waters during March, April, September, and October.
The MA Division of MarineFisheries (MA DMF) is currently accepting public comment and will be holding a public hearing on Thursday, May 28 on changing the state GOM haddock recreational rules. For more information on how to submit comment or the timing of the public hearing, refer this MA DMF Advisory.
Bottom line: 3 haddock per person. Unlimited pollock. unitl further notice.
With warm weather in site, we look forward to being out on the water, enjoying the sunshine, pulling in tasty haddock.
Call us at 978-407-1351 for the latest fishing charter openings. God fishing to all.
Captain Gary Cannell was the GRAND PRIZE winner of the North Shore Community Tuna Association’s Tag-A-Tiny Tuna Tournament, to benefit the Large Pelagic Research Center’s Tag-A-Tiny program.
TUNA HUNTER – Tag-a-Tiny Grand Prize Winner
Gary has always practiced and encouraged tag and release of all fish that cannot be legally retained, and of all fish that will not be consumed. The Tag-aTiny weekend was no exception. Charters on Friday, Saturday and Sunday were treated to fine bluefin action. Each day Tuna Hunter put here charters onto several bluefin, retaining one fish each day (all between 50 and 58 inches) and tagging all remaining fish. While tied with First Light Anglers on the number of tuna tagged, Tuna Hunter brought home the Grand Prize for most fish caught over the weekend.
Tagging efforts did not stop there – Tuna Hunter continued tagging bluefin tuna through November, and will continue fishing and tagging to support reasearch and preservation of our industry.
The focus of the Tag-a-Tiny Tournament, was promote tag-and-release of juvenile bluefin tuna and to raise funds for Dr. Molly Lutcavage and the UNH Large Pelagics Research Center. The Tag-A-Tiny program studies the migration paths of juvenlile bluefin tuna through internal and external archival tags. The Tag-A-Tiny program has made great progress since its inception in 2005. ( Read more about the Tag A Tiny program here) but funding is needed to continue this important program.
Thank you to the tournament sponsors: Ouellette and Smith (Fishlaw); Grady-White Boats; Gloucester Seafood Display Auction; Gloucester House Restaurant; Captain Carlo’s Restaurant; Commercial Fisheries News; On the Water Media; Madfish Grill; Intershell; The BillfishFoundation; and Seaboard Products Company, proud distributors of Anheuser Busch Products.
Please support these sponsors as they help support our fishery!
TUNA HUNTER strongly supports tag and release of bluefin tuna and other species, and Molly Lutcavage’s efforts with bluefin tagging in particular.
40th Birthday Sushi Party
Rob and friends on a 40th birthday charter tackled this bluefin, their first, and retained it for the birhtday party.. They tagged the next 3 fish, a worthy effort toward bluefin tuna research!
Tag placement just behind dorsal fin
Proper Tag placement is critical – the tag has be on the top of this fish, behind the dorsal fin, in order to avoid the major artery.
The Wicked Tuna Boys had an awesome bluefin tuna charter aboard Tuna Hunter Fishing Charters.
While they are all avid Wicked Tuna fans, they will agree that nothing compares to being there in person to hear the reel scream, feel the power of the fish through the rod, battle fist to reel to angle the fish in crank by crank, see the harpoon shot, and finally pull your bluefin through the fish door.
It doesn’t get any better than this – memories of a lifetime for young crew, the fathers and for Tuna Hunter.
Tuna Hunter is already booking for next year. Consider a Gift Certificate in any denomination for the Wicked Tuna fan on your list. Call us at 978-407-1351 or 978-546-7992, or email captain@tunahunter.com for more details.
Good fishing to all, and to all a good bite!
Wicked Tuna Boys Land Giant Bluefin Tuna aboard Tuna Hunter
If you have not heard, October Bluefin Madness has struck – bluefin tuna arrived off Gloucester in numbers not seen in years, following awesome schools of herring like we have not seen in years.
Of course Tuna Hunter was there, as Captain Gary is “tuna hunter” in every sense of the word. Tuna Hunter will be Bluefin Tuna Fishing every day, weather permitting, through November.
600lb Gloucester Bluefin Tuna on Tuna Hunter Fishing Charters
This 600lb fat boy was landed by the awesome crew of Jeff (“English”), Dave (“Mr. Lucky”) and Jack (Special K) a crew we are honored to have aboard.
Call 978-407-1351 or email captain@tunahunter.com to join us for this late season bluefin tuna fishing madness. Good fishing to all!
Anyone who fishes for giant bluefin tuna knows that “Tail Wrapped” means Done – You Got ‘Em!
(Well, there are a few more things that could go wrong, but one needs to be real unlucky).
We are happy to report seeing lots of this site lately – and plan on many more before the season ends. Tuna Hunter Fishing Charters will be fishing every day weather allows. Call 978-407-1351 or email captain@tunahunter.com to join us.
Tail-wrapped bleufin tuna on recent Tuna HunteR fishing Charters bluefin tuna charter in Gloucester, MA
