September 11 2024

Catching a 101in Giant Tuna from Beneath a Dragger

by Jeffrey Cotto

4 comments

It's September 5th at 3 a.m. when the alarm clock rings. Instead of hitting the snooze button, I jump out of bed, excited for the chance to join Captain Cullen and some My Fishing Cape Cod members to hunt Giant Bluefin Tuna.

I'm the only car on the road for most of my drive to the harbor shown below for our 4:30 a.m. meetup.

The ramp is busy with several boats loading up for the hunt and securing bait right from the dock. The morning air is salty and cool, with very little wind. September mornings are refreshing after the August heat.

I meet the three My Fishing Cape Cod members who will be on our trip today. Peter and Steve came from off Cape, while Richard and I live locally.

Cullen shows up, and I can't help but admire how nice the 33ft Conch is. We quickly get underway and head to the area shown below.

The water is glassy, and we enjoy a beautiful sunrise.

The fleet is out, looking like a small city on the water. We avoid the crowds and take turns securing mackerel, which are abundant right under the boat.

Cullen gears up the rods as we mark a few fish in the area. Radio chatter tells us a few lines are tight, and we hear cheers from other boats hooking up.

setting a balloon bait giant tuna fishing

After a while, we move to another spot as Cullen works his network of captains to get a read on the fish.

We approach a few commercial scallop boats to check if they’ve seen any tuna.

tuna fishing around draggers and scallopers 1

tuna fishing around draggers and scallopers 2

Around 10:30 a.m., we’re treated to a close encounter with whales, including a full aerial breach that delights everyone.

I jokingly tell the guys that I’m going to dream about this tiny red balloon if I stare at it any longer. As I turn around to face them, I’m met with shouts of "Reel, reel, reel!"

Fish on, baby!

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About the author

Jeffrey Cotto

I've really been enjoying being part of My Fishing Cape Cod. I've caught more fish this summer than in my whole life and have 10X my knowledge. Thanks for such a great membership and high-quality experience across the board.