Thanks Jason. I got out to Monster Ledge this morning around 8:30AM and got rigged up for the chunk. My anchor broke loose early on and I had to reset so I really didn't start fishing until 9:30. The first 15 minutes I had run-offs. I couldn't seem to hook them. I've never chunked for tuna before so I wasn't sure what I was doing wrong. I didn't have the rods in my hands when the runoffs started so that was probably it. I was too busy cutting butters (I was a one man show today). Anyway I was losing rigs left and right using 60 and 30 lb flouro. When i lost the fish i would reel in and have frayed mono where the hook was. I thought maybe it was sharks so i put a wire leadered hook on one rod and then no bite (except for big dogfish). So i went back to mono leader. Well.. around 1pm after several runoffs, lost rigs, and lost bait I hooked in to a 25lb 38"er. I thought for sure I was going to lose it and was so worried. Once I landed him (rod in one hand - gaff in the other) I noticed he engulfed the hook and the leader was all frayed. I almost did lose him. Anyway what an awesome day. Lots of action. It was my first tuna of any kind and now i'm hooked.
I just got done cutting him up and can't wait to cook some.
I fished and chummed butters and was anchored on the east side of the ledge with about 10 other boats. Most were catching. Some better than others. I was so totally happy with my one fish. I heard someone on the radio said they had two over 48". I took off around 2:30.
Steve