♪ominous music ♪
(Jimmy VO) Mid october in
Chatham MA
saltwater options are wanning
on cape cod.
The albies are history
The fall striper run is
fizzling
and the bluefish never showed
at all.
But the cape's largest gamefish
the giant bluefin tuna
is still present in astounding 
numbers.
In a fishery full of
big egos.
Captain John Clothier walks
softly and carries a big stick.
A whole boat full of big sticks
in fact.
-Alright.
So we're gonna rig these up with
a bridal.
A rubber band.
It's gonna go right through
the nostrils of the mackerel
Just like that.
Instead of the shouting 
and cursing
you see on certain
tuna TV shows
John provides calm instruction.
Many fisherman have defeated
their first giants
aboard John's shearwater
and I'm hoping to join
their ranks.
I'm gonna need the 
bigger weight.
-The 18?
-Tube Taylor for 
the next one.
-Now are you looking to set that
at kind of the approximate
depth where you were 
seeing the tuna?
-Yeah.
So I'm gonna try and put this
down about 75ft.
Gonna need one of 
those balloons there.
-So John the terminal gear on
that
about what size circle hook
do you have on there?
-That's a 7/0 offset circle.
-Okay.
-Attached to and how
What kind of leader is that?
It's about a 12 ft.
170lb flurocarbon leader
-And what is your main line
here?
The main line on these 130s is
200lb.
We got something biting here.
Ok! There we go.
We got something on here
I don't know if its a shark
or a tuna but.
(Jimmy laughs)
-Oh man!
-Okay Jimmy you want to.
-Yeah absolutely.
You're gonna have to walk me
through this I've never done
-Sure!
Well we're just gonna let
it run here.
Taylor do you want to see
if you can get him a glove
for his left hand.
Okay so as soon as it stops
running you want to
get on the reel and make sure
you keep that rod
bent over real good.
-That's the most just keep it
bent?
-Yep.
Keep the pressure on it.
And put the drag up to
strike there.
Yup reel real fast here.
Hold the line with this hand.
You don't have to worry too 
much about level winding.
Hold the rod I'm gonna move
the boat for you.
-(Taylor) There's a glove back
here when you want one.
There he is.
-So pull the line down?
-Yep. So you pull down as you're
cranking
Once he stops taking line.
When he's going let him go.
And then once he starts leveling
up then start cranking on him.
-Okay.
-Get ready to reel.
We'll try to bring the boat
towards him a little bit.
(Jimmy) So just crank it as
fast as I can?
(Taylor) There you go.
(Jimmy) He's still there?
-Yep yep keep cranking.
Finally, keep turning.
Keep going keep going.
To be fair I expected a little 
more time to get ready
for this. I didn't expect this 
to happen 
while we were setting out 
the first bait.
There's the balloon.
So presumably 75ft below that?
(Jimmy laughs)
I should be talking more but.
(Jimmy laughs)
-Alright keep reeling
keep reeling.
He's still there.
-Good.
-He's gonna see the boat 
and then he's gonna take off.
-OH!
(Jimmy curses)
♪ somber piano music  ♪
-So John these rods that we're
using I mean what are these.
These aren't your typical
tuna trolling rods.
-No, they're extra long
and they have an 80 class blank
even though your using a 130
reel.
And that just gives it a lot
more flexibility when
You know the fish is diving
or whatever
and it gives you a little more
time to react.
The boat goes down or the fish
comes at you
there's more spring in the
rod.
So the line won't
go slack.
-Ok.
-As quick because a stiffer
rod will
you can put a little more force
on the fish.
But the downside to that is
that you end up with slack line
more often
cause its absorbing less of the
you know, less of the 
stress so
if something comes loose
it will kinda
-Thows a little slack at them
-Its not bent over as far. 
Yeah.
-Now do you want that extra long
cause your fishing 
out of the holder. Out of the sl
rod holder?
-Yeah I like the longer rod
It keeps the line away from
the boat a little better.
And do a little less maneuvering
when they are close to the boat.
Gives you even more of the
absorbtion like I was saying.
-So that one we just lost. 
Probably not a 50 to 60in fish?
Probably a little bit bigger 
than that?
-That was probably 90 to 100
inches.
-No no don't!
Awww.
-Oh no for sure.
I'm not.
-Come on just tell me it
was 65 inches.
-No, no, no.
(guys laugh)
You would have had a 65 incher 
to the boat a lot quicker
than that.
-That's what I was worried
about.
I was worried it was gonna
come up and it was gonna be
50inches and you guys were
gonna look at me like
what the hell is wrong
with this guy?
-No that wasn't gonna be a
problem that time.
(Other boat) Alright there's
definitely a lot of life here.
Whales are here
tuna scratching around.
We'll give it a shot.
Ok. Yup we'll let you know
if we see anything.
-Oh there we go!
Is that going down?
Yep.
Now keep going with that
I need to turn the boat.
-No it's a tuna
-Ok great!
Move that back to the back
Jimmy.
Your drag is still 
way down Taylor.
Ok let's get this out of
the way and then
we're gonna move the rod
back.
You think its good time to
move it?
You've got the drag way back.
You ready?
Another big one for you
Jimmy.
-Oh god.
-You're at your
-Backing?
-Oh yeah.
-Ok guys I'm gonna try to
chase this down a little bit
here, ok?
-So John was just telling us
he's got about.
200 - 300 yards of mono
then the backing so this fish
is at least
three football fields away from 
us right now.
John just started the boat 
to chase it down
Taylor's trying to just 
keep the line tight.
Keep constant pressure on it.
John what's your strategy with
maneuvering while you got one
hooked up.
-Well since it's pretty 
rough out here today
I can't really back down on it
you know.
We'll just be taking waves
over the back.
So I just have it up at
an angle.
Up off the port.
Of the front of the boat.
Just trying to gain line by
coming up alongside it.
His next move after we get
a lot of the line back
it'll want to go down
We're in about 180ft of water 
here so it's got plenty of
plenty of room to go down so.
Whenever you're ready Jimmy
I'm sure Taylor could
use a break.
-Oh yeah ok.
-You want to take over?
-Yeah sure man.
Absolutely.
-Ready?
-You did the hard part.
Late season tuna trips are
always motivation to hit the gym
more in the winter.
At what point do you know
when to let go of the line.
If he's trying to go just?
-Yeah watch your rod tip
When it starts to come up
a little bit
pressures coming up and that's
when you can try cranking.
(Capt. John) Be ready to swing
that rod around the back.
-Oh! 
-Reel reel reel!
-Reel reel go go!
(Jimmy swears)
(Jimmy swear)
♪ somber music ♪
-Yeah it was another real 
big fish.
The other one the hook
pulled.
I think that one was on me.
I think that fish was 
trying to run.
And I tried to
prevent it from running.
I should have let go of the
line a little bit faster.
You know, the thing you
have to realize
attached to a fish that size 
is a
he's in charge man.
If he's gonna head the other way
He's not ready to turn around.
You just got to let him go.
And that's a.
So that one.
That one was on me.
(Radio) Still got birds in
front of you Andy?
-Yeah but we weren't
like tight up to them
They scattered a little bit
They're still in front of me
it looks like he maybe.
Gonna cast for them.
He started this drift but then
they started congregating
again right where I'm at right
now.
-Yep. Yeah we saw some fish
breaking.
♪ acoustic guitar music ♪
So we've got one bait out
fishing and Taylor is
Taylor and I are, well.
He's the one adding to
the live well.
I'm trying to but.
-Uh.
Yeah toss that back.
Probably don't need it.
Sorry Jimmy!
-That's ok.
(the guys laugh)
Just dropping a sabiki to the
bottom and trying to get
more live baits.
-Nice.
-So far he's picked up one sea
herring and
one mackerel so.
Two choice baits and at the rate
we were going through
Through the live baits when we
first got here this morning
its good that.
It's good to be able to 
restock out here.
♪ thumping hard rock ♪
Here we go.
Got a whiting.
Definitely.
-Is that a little better
whiting?
-Yeah.
-Oh nice mackerel.
Wow look at that mackerel!
Alright so let's get a bait
out and wait.
So yeah I don't know if that
ballon is gonna work with that
much weight we'll see.
Yup! It's on!
Alright you ready?
Just, it's probably a shark.
- I don't know, we went over.
-Looked like tuna on the fish
finder.
Kind of seems like a tuna that
just hasn't woken up yet.
I don't know. 
-So when he does that just lay
off
And then when, as soon as I
see the rod tip
go up just start to gain.
-(Taylor) That was a big one.
-Taylor, you want to
tap in.
I wasn't anywhere and a little
gun shy too
after the last one.
Taylor when the sinker
comes up.
Just snap it or
-Yep.
Forward!
-Shark?
-Shark, I don't know.
Forward.
-No tuna, tuna!
-How big?
Looks big enough to keep.
-Yeah you want to?
Harpoon it!
-Jimmy get on the line.
Get on the rod.
-I dunno, set nah.
-Oh oh oh!
-Watch your feet!
-Yeah stick it
-What the (curses)
What did I hit?
What the (expletive) did I hit
the first time.
-Gill plate it look like.
He was straight up and down
for a while and then
all of a sudden he 
just appeared.
-Yup you can just
flip that fish around maybe.
And can get the gaff out.
Nice work!
-Hey all I did was not mess
it up.
So that's that this time.
-Perfect!
-A fish that we're gonna keep
as a recreational fish like
this probably
10 to 15 minutes
just to get it all
bled out.
Tow it for a little bit.
-Oh.
(Jimmy VO) Having lost the two
giants
we elect to harvest the smaller
recreational sized fish.
It's meat will make us heros
among our coworkers
and family back on land.
But the lost giants haunt me.
Well I'm happy we landed a fish
and saved our episode
I chickened out on the fight.
worried that if I lost a third
tuna
our camera crew might toss
me over
to take my chances with
the porbeagle sharks.
I'm happy to hear that John
and Taylor 
are willing to send out one
last mackerel
to give me a shot at redemption.
All of our baits get bit within
minutes of setting them out.
Most of the time it's a shark
mangling the baitfish
or slicing the leader.
But just often enough
its a giant bluefin tuna.
-Yeah so one thing about
the october weather is that it
Kind of does this on you.
You know?
They may predict a calm day but
weather windows get pretty
narrow in the fall and
Weather and waves are definitely
picking up
the wind seems to be freshening
but
We're gonna try one
more bait.
And honestly I don't know if
we've had a bait swim
for more than 15 minutes
all day so.
Spent most of our time
fighting fish and
rerigging very little for a 
bite.
-We couldn't even get 
another rod rigged.
Jesus!
Whoa whoa!
Drag is way off there.
Wow that's just another
(expletive) big boy.
Alright Jimmy!
How's that right arm doing?
-This is gonna have to be a
team effort.
(guys laugh)
(Capt.) Nope you gotta do
it solo.
-I'll be the wiley reliever
-You're gonna have to crank
all that back in.
(Jimmy laughs)
-Just any gain is a good gain.
You know what I mean?
So just a little bit at a time.
-Anything yep.
-That's why you have the
rod that's the shock absorber.
- The flexible rod yeah.
Yeah for rough conditions it
really helps.
-Gets a little stretch in the
mono too helps.
How often do you change over
everything?
Pretty often, you know 
I mean doing this.
Yeah when you're keeping them
you only need to get your one.
You know?
-Exactly yeah!
You go through a lot more 
tackle doing this.
How you doing Taylor?
-I'm alright.
If you want to hop on
be my guest.
-So more than anything you're
watching the rod tip
for ques on what to do.
-Yeah watch the rod tip
exactly. 
As fast as you can go
there Jimmy.
Get that line in.
Get the rod bent back over.
There you go.
Go!
(VO Jimmy) While the first two 
hookups helped me find a rhythmn
to the yank and crank fighting
style.
As my arm fatigues 
my form suffers.
No one would describe my 
appearance fighting this tuna
as wicked.
Big wave coming.
As thoughts of tapping out are
creeping in
I catch my first glimpse 
of the fish.
A giant purple torpedo
Gliding through the trough
between waves.
Just like that
I catch my second wind
and hope against hope
that the tuna doesn't 
catch his.
-Try to back up 
to him a little bit.
-Aw yeah just keep trying.
-Okay hold on.
-Where's that leader Taylor?
You got it?
Right here!
(expletive) it aw!
-Alright.
Help!
(Jimmy laughs)
-Okay.
Move that rod out of the way.
Put it over on the other side or
something.
-Okay.
-Good Jimmy I need you over here
to hold this gaff.
-Okay.
-Okay, I got to put the boat
in gear.
Be ready when Taylor's got
the fish on the swim hooks
to release the gaff, ok?
-Alright, release him?
-Yep.
You got him?
-Yep.
-Alright can someone
help me cleat this?
(VO) Jimmy
With the fish on ice
we have to release this tuna
to give it the best 
chance of survival
Taylor places a swim hook 
through it's lower jaw. 
and John slowly drives the boat.
Alright nice job!
-What's your guess on the
length.
-John what do you think?
Like 100?
That's about a 100" fish.
-That is without a question the
largest fish I've ever been
attached to on rod and reel.
It's not the first time we've
done giant tuna at On The Water.
I know Chris went up to
Prince Edward Island
and had an amazing trip
with some big fish.
But what's really cool
about this
this is right here in our 
backyard on Cape Cod.
You know we're fishing right off
of Chatham,MA.
and it's amazing that fish
like that exist.
(VO Jimmy) After 15 minutes of
swimming this fish.
It's fully regained its color.
John slows the boat.
Taylor removes the swim hook. 
There he goes.
And I watch the biggest
fish of my life
kick out of sight.
sport.
Giant tuna fishing is a team
It requires perfectly rigged
tackle
skilled boat handling
And some schlub who
can put line back on the reel
without messing it up.
I'm greatful to John and Taylor
for letting me be that schlub.
And I vow to return next season
after spending a little more
time at the gym.
