Page 69 - Tuna Fishing in St. Ann's Bay
Published by Ronald Caplan on 1991/1/1 (225 reads)
8.30 p.m. sighted three (or more) large Tuna at inner net. Dragged for scallops for first time & got three. Aug. 9th. Harpooned two swordfish off Cape Dolphin. One dressed 244 lbs. of meat. The smaller was stmck straight through the back to the spine & rolled over at once stunned - it was hauled up in 1 hr. The larger took 1 hr. 25 mins. Two perfect swords! Aug. 11th. Sailed out on this fine Sunday afternoon and sighted Tu? na • swimming low just East of Fad? er's Cove. Several schools of mackerel. Aug. 13th. Saw Tuna break in rough weather in outer bay off Montgomery's beach. Aug. 19th. Saw four schools of Tuna in outer Bay, from Faders cove to Grapplin Beach • drew old Squid & mackerel (fresh): but they were playing in slow circles & although they started for , the bait several times, we had no luck & had to give up at sunset. i Aug. 31 St. Tuna were sighted in in- I ner bay last night in numbers. Since j it began to clear at noon I went out at 1.45 Rain & wind squalls came I up. Finally saw fin passing close to ; stern of Tuna boat & we sped down wind to catch up with the school. l With a 6 ft. high burst of white water a Tuna struck the bait and swai- ' lowed the Mackerel right down to hook himself in the stomach. This caused him to make a wild mn which stripped 2/3 of the reel. Bleed? ing internally his fight was short for his weight. He was beached and gaffed at the iron bridge in less than 30 minutes • weight 330 lbs. Tuna Boat Rebaiting with large Mackerel we drew twice through smaller fish with no success. Upon examining bait, at Percy's suggestion, we found one string of weed on the hook. After removing this we drew through the same school and immediately hooked a small fish, which took in the usual way • hook through the corner-joint of the mouth. This fish, weighing 200 lbs. (full) was beached & gaffed in less than 20 minutes. Sept. 2nd. Hooked 115 lb. Tuna & gaffed him in 8 mins. Inner hartx)ur. 1936 July 7th. Learnt Tuna had been sighted on the 6th at C. Dolphin & in the entrance. July 10th saw a Tuna boil opposite Edge house at the entrance. July 11th. Saw Tuna in Tuna Cove: one showed twice: a large one by the fin-spacing. July 13th saw Tuna splash twice in Tu na Cove again. The fish have only just showed for a moment so far this season • at hioh or low tide everv time!... Three days swordfishing with the fleet from Glace Bay to Cape North • saw 5 swordfish, 8 sharks & a herring whale. Ironed one swordfish in Aspy Bay but stmck him in one side as he dove, 5 ft. un? der water & he got away after being on for 5 mins. The swordfish & even shark seem much more timid, & swim deeper, this year • doubtless owing to the increased number of boats after them now. Aug. 24th. A calm day small Tuna sighted & then the line on the sur? face of large fish swimming slowly • at the upper end of the inner Bay on the South Shore just short of the last point before entering S. Gut. On first draw, with Gaspereau the bait was taken under the surface without making a ripple and with such force as I have never felt • the reel screamed and the rod jeri
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