Anglers aboard the Royal Star on Wednesday made the first major bluefin tuna haul of the 2012 San Diego long-range season.
Skipper Tim Ekstrom gambled after leaving Alijos Rocks, west of Baja California, and ventured far offshore in an attempt to find the prized tuna, which typically begin to show off Baja in late May.
The move was successful and the vessel was alone over the schooling fish, which was an unusual surprise given that airplane spotters are quick to locate schooling bluefin for purse seine vessels, which are then quick to scoop up the precious cargo.
Ekstrom stated in his website report: "Feast your eyes on today's photos and reminisce about days of old; the days when we targeted vast quantities of quality offshore Bluefin less the flying circus that has annihilated the fishery since.
"Today there were no boats, no pens, no planes, just us and a whole sea of opportunity to ourselves. We didn't score big in numbers but in significance and relative proportion we made a big score."
The score was 24 bluefin averaging 60-75 pounds, with one weighing 106 pounds.
Pictured at right is Shimano team angler John Kuch, who is credited with making the first bluefin catch aboard the Royal Star. (Danny Lynch caught an 18-pound bluefin last Saturday aboard the Sea Adventure 80.)
Ekstrom continued: "Let's hope that many like this will be filling sport anglers' sushi platters from this point on."
-- Image is courtesy of Royal Star Sportfishing
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