hunter Leo

I'm located in upsate NY and have 4-5 friends including me who want to go on a tuna fishing trip. We prefer it to be in the northeast, NY, NJ, MA, RI area around those parts. We are looking for an independant person who takes out no more then a group close to our size. We are looking to spend $200-$300 a person but are willing to spend "some" more if the place gaurantees fish. I DO NOT want to fish on a boat that takes your fish if you catch a big one. Thanks!

rrules

Look up Tred Bartta in MA. He seems to be a good Tuna Hunter.

Pace Maker

I fish commercially for tuna. It depends what kind of tuna you're looking to catch as to if you can keep the fish or not. I don't know any charter boats here in Massachusetts that would let you keep a giant bluefin which can weigh over 900 lbs and be worth some money. Not sure what you'd do with a fish that big anyways. If you're looking for school tuna, fish up to 150lbs then that's a different story. You can keep these fish on any charter boat. One captain I know that may hook up you, even though he specializes in striped bass charters is http://www.seadogsportfishing.com/area.htm He knows how to catch tuna and with a little persuasion he may take you out after school yellowfin and bluefin tuna in the summer. Another captain I know is http://www.labradorfishingcharters.com/index.htm He has just started a charter business, but is located in a good area for both giant tuna and school fish during the summer months. Hope this helps.

Rockfish1

are they taking you out for free?... they think they're keeping my fish they better be ready for a fight... I book and pay for the charter, the fish are mine... they may buy them but I aint giving them up without a fight...

Pace Maker

lol........99% of the charter boats in my area offer a free trip if a giant is landed. School tuna are all yours if you want to keep them. There is a lot of meat on a 150lb tuna fish, and it doesn't freeze well, it's much better eaten fresh. I personally don't charter, I fish for them commercially and they have to be over 73" for me to keep. There's no guarantees with tuna fish though, especially in Cape Cod Bay. They're not always there for the taking. Offshore tuna charters (canyon fishing) are more productive. Fishing for yellowfin,albacore, and small bluefin, but they'll run you more money, and you can keep the fish!

(quote) they think they're keeping my fish they better be ready for a fight (quote)
You'd look pretty cute driving back to PA with a 1,000 tuna fish strapped to the roof!

Give the guys I mentioned an email, they can tell you more about what's involved. Have a good one!

Rockfish1

PM thanks for the pm... I've heard of boats keeping big tuna before, but didn't realize they were giving up a free trip when they do...

getting rid of a 900# tuna... not a problem, between myself, family and the bunch of fish eating fools I know... just a summers worth of BBQing...

but I did get a serious giggle out of the vision of a big ole bluefin strapped in top of my Toyota Solara a riding down highway 95...

jerseyhunter

http://bountyhuntercharters.com/

well known in these parts

hunter Leo

It might sound greedy not wanting to fish on a boat that takes your fish but when you spend several hundred dollars yourself to go out fishing and catch a monster to have it taken away to be sold for thousands of dollars and you get a free trip valued at several hundred to come back again, do the math. Thats not fair in my book unless me and my group i was with could come back fishing again for FREE. I would rather let it go if i cant keep it instead of somsone else making big money off of it. From what research I have done MASS. is the only state that has this big fish rule.