Virginia has a new state-record bluefin tuna. Capt. David Wright and mate Andrew W. Flory with angler Mike Rogerso on board the High Hopes, out of Virginia Beach, landed an 832.6-pound bluefin. This fish eclipses the old record by more than 100 pounds.
A few weeks ago, I wrote about how difficult it is to land a big bluefin. I was thinking we might get a few shots at some 300- to 400-pound fish, but the nasty, cold weather and high winds have chased the bluefins south before we had a chance to try them out. Currently, they are in range of Virginia Beach and Oregon Inlet, N.C. boats, and this one is a true giant.
To land a bluefin of this size takes teamwork. They had him on a Penn International Two-Speed 80-Wide, which is just a little small for a fish of this size. The captain and the angler must work together to keep maximum pressure on the fish, and the mate must keep an eye on the line to help direct the captain in maneuvering the boat in reverse. The fact they had the fish in shallow water certainly helped.
The fight took 90 minutes and, fortunately, the angler was young. Once the big fish was alongside the boat, the mate had the job of getting the monster on board. I would think the angler and even the captain would lend a hand.
I have known Capt. David Wright since 1989, when I first moved to Virginia Beach to take the job as executive director of the Virginia Coastal Conservation Association. He was already running the High Hopes then, so he has plenty of experience. I am always pleased when an experienced person sets a record. Too often, some once-a-year fisherman lucks into a big fish and sets a record.
Then there is my son Roger. He currently holds two all-tackle world records. The first is for snowy grouper.
When he lived in Virginia Beach, he often fished with Dr. Ken Neil on the Healthy Grin. Neil was a dentist and is now retired. He is also a representative for the International Game Fish Association. As such, every rod and reel and all lines on his boat are set up to conform to IGFA rules. Therefore, any fish that is caught and is large enough to set a record is legal.
As I have mentioned in previous articles, Roger has the Golden Horseshoe when it comes to catching fish. He first demonstrated this on Ken’s boat by catching a world-record snowy grouper. Before the ink had dried on the record book, that record was broken a couple of times. Then Roger went back out and broke it again, and this time it held.
On another trip, Roger caught a fish that neither he nor Ken could identify. Turns out it was a spineycheek scorpion fish. Roger now holds the all-tackle world record for that species.
Then there are folks who head out to set line-class records. They fish with special light tackle and lines as light as 2-pound test. Fly fishermen use tippets that light to set records as well.
When we were catching bluefins out of Hatters Inlet, I was on a private boat and another angler on board was a fly fisherman who wanted to catch a big bluefin and perhaps set a record. I was doubtful that his outfit, big as it was, would stand up to the bluefins we were catching over the wrecks using live menhaden as bait.
Once we had a live well full of menhaden, we headed to a wreck and the fly fisherman got ready. He had tied a big white-and-gray fly that did look somewhat like a menhaden. When the mate tossed the second net full of bait over the stern, the angler made a cast that landed right in the live bait. A big bluefin ate the fly and promptly stripped all the line from the reel quicker than the time it takes to read about his record attempt.
Others have been more successful.
At least two enterprises have been setting world records across the world. They have a mothership that carries a large group of sport fishermen to whatever part of the word they believe holds the best chance for them to set a new world record. They then fly there and fish for an extended period, catching whatever they are after and setting world records in several line classes.
Then you have guys like my friend, the late Al Paschall. He was just your average angler who caught a world-record 10-pound, 4-ounce black sea bass out of Virginia Beach on New Year’s Day 2000. I am happy to say his record still stands.
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Eric Burnley is a Delaware native who has fished and hunted the state from an early age. Since 1978 he has written countless articles about hunting and fishing in Delaware and elsewhere along the Atlantic Coast. He has been the regional editor for several publications and was the founding editor of the Mid-Atlantic Fisherman magazine. Eric is the author of three books: Surf Fishing the Atlantic Coast, The Ultimate Guide to Striped Bass Fishing and Fishing Saltwater Baits. He and his wife Barbara live near Milton, Delaware. Eric can be reached at Eburnle@aol.com.
