AS mentioned a couple of weeks ago, Port Stephens is being visited by schools of Longtail Tuna (Bluefin).

From Shoal Bay to Salamander and on to Soldiers Point you will notice the surface of the water erupting with big fish leaping and baitfish making every attempt to avoid the snapping jaws of the tuna.

This is a yearly occurrence that has been recorded way back into the late 1880s when eager fishermen did battle with cord rope and primitive lures in the hope of landing one of these marine torpedoes.

Salamander local John Wise has been hypnotised by these monsters.

Making the permanent move from Sydney to Salamander Bay it has been John’s plan to land a longtail from his kayak.

Paddling out off the Salamander Bay jetty, John tossed a 12 gm metal slice in front of a highly excited school of tuna feeding on small white bait.

Whammo!

John was on!

The time was 6.10am and the mighty fish was landed at 6.45am.

In the meantime John was given a guided tour of Port Stephens by the tuna.

Lemon Tree champ Wayne Coles has been catching tuna for many years but still maintains the enthusiasm to target the fish each tuna season.

Tossing an assortment of lures, Colesy loves the battle.

I am yet to know what to do with a tuna on capture.

There are a number of choices.

One is to release the fish, another is to thin slice the fillet and feast on sashimi for weeks to come or smoke the fillet.

Then I suppose the tuna makes excellent snapper bait.

By John ‘Stinker’ CLARKE