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Thread: TUNA ON FLY CIRCUIT

  1. #1

    TUNA ON FLY CIRCUIT

    Better dust off the 10# & tie some new fly's #
    There's 4 comps this year & I hope to make it to 3 of em
    Here's the dates,
    Hervey Bay Feb 28-29
    Sunshine Coast Tuna on Fly Invitational Challenge Mar 12-14
    Sunshine Coast Longtail Tuna Chase Mar 18-21
    Bribie Is April 16-18
    Hope to see ya there

    Fly'n'hi Chris

  2. #2

    Re: TUNA ON FLY CIRCUIT

    Ill be takin a punt on the 12th-14th, see if I can land 1 at this comp,,,,,,,the 8kg line class rule wont help,,,, I get blown away on 13kg,most of the time ,,,,,,,,,MQ

  3. #3
    Jack_Lives_Here
    Guest

    Re: TUNA ON FLY CIRCUIT

    8kg - sheeesh.

  4. #4

    Re: TUNA ON FLY CIRCUIT

    Yeah 8 kilo doesn't sound big enough but plenty of fish were landed on it last year.
    Just have to use a hard mono like stren or similar & give it a good stretch.
    I got my first longy at last years Bribie comp & hope to get my daughter hooked up to one this year
    Cheers Chris

  5. #5

    Re: TUNA ON FLY CIRCUIT

    Hi Chris,Jack,Quinny,
    I thought the the same when i first started out tuna comp fishing. But now i dont use anything else but 8 kg now.What i use is a very strong flourocarbon leader,straight 2m lenght.If i use anything stronger it seems to break more fly rods then bust off fish! #
    regards Steve

  6. #6

    Re: TUNA ON FLY CIRCUIT

    Im not tryin to cause sh#t,,but,,, youd think in a comp situation where so many fish will be getting hooked that it would be better to use a leader that you can land the fish safe and QUICKLY on, get the fly out and spear it back into the drink,No stuffin around. I dont know alot about Tuna but Ive read the longer you fight them the more acid biulds up and more chance they will kark it.Im all for record chasing and ANSA, IGFA ect but why a class leader in a "freindly comp"?? Just my 2cnts on the 8kg tippet rule, I will fish 8kg(Penn 10x by the sounds of it) during the comp by the way.. MQ

  7. #7

    Re: TUNA ON FLY CIRCUIT

    Hi Quinny, I know where your comin from mate but I think it's been 8kg from the start & they're trying to be consistant from year to year, one thing I've heard is that some Tuna's & Billfish can actually sit on the bottom after release & reduce the lactic acid build up ???. Maybe MaxG can shed some light on this one .
    Cheers Chris

  8. #8

    Re: TUNA ON FLY CIRCUIT

    My info relates to blood sample experiments on Atlantic Bluefin but it would fit most tuna.
    It turns out that there are two types of lactate, blood amd white/pink muscle lactate. One is related to respiratory acidosis which is caused by the pH levels in the blood as the fish runs fast with it's gills and mouth closed. It uses stored oxygen which causes the lowering pH levels. This acidosis causes increased levels of co2 and ammonia which build up as the blood oxygen reduces. The cure for this is breathing and that happens when the fish stops running. Each time it runs about this happens. After about 30 minutes depending on fish size. with little fish its a lesser time, when the fish runs out of blood energy it generates adrenalin which converts the muscle glucose into energy and deposits lactate in the muscle tissue. Its dangerous and can only be gotten rid of by feeding. Big catch 22 situation. Like no energy to catch fish which means no feeding which means, guess. But this only happens if the fish is on the line a long time.
    Actually you can catch the things rather quickly, particularly Longtails if you chase them flatout. You are on their hammer and keep them running so that they end up totally stuffed and have no blood energy left. About 4/5 minutes stuffs a 30lb fish and you can then let it go happy with the knowledge that after it starts swimming around it will fully recover.
    But 8kg is a pretty strong thread and if you set out with a 10 or 11 stick you should be able to gather them in rather quickly. But if you release them don't take them out of the water, don't take flash pictures and DO NOT grab them by the tail peduncle. Don't handle they at all.The tail will eventually fall off. Just take the hook out in the water or cut the point off. They are fragile things really. I caught a lot of tuna in the early days in Shark Bay, dozens and dozens and we got to giving them the fast chase technique. Got to be boring eventually. I fished with a 14 year old kid who caught about 50 of the things on fly.
    Was bloody good at it too. I can't see the point of contests like this, I think contests are rather cruel things, particularly those bream contests which mean storing fish in wet wells. High stress things they are.
    Things I hate, stupidity in catch and release, contests where the fish are kept in tanks and things which target high energy species like tuna, which do get tissue damage from pH levels which fall below about 5 points.
    I'll bet the people who organise these contests know stuff all about the metabolism of tuna and the effects of pH problems in the blood. Or the reality of lactate and what causes it.
    Sorry about this winge Max

  9. #9

    Re: TUNA ON FLY CIRCUIT

    Hi Maxg,
    The Longtail Tuna Chase was started before my time as a fly-fisherman.It was originally started by a group of concrened fly - fisherman who saw the plight of the longtail tuna fishery in Mooloolaba.As you know there are a lot of tuna fishing vessel's who work out of this port.It was hoped by having this competition,that it would bring awareness to fly angler's of this great fishery we have at our doorstep.It was also invented to improve anglers technique,handling and catch n release of the longtail tuna.As for knowing "STUFF ALL" about the metabolism of tuna.No i didn't,but thankyou for bringing it to our attention as usual.

  10. #10

    Re: TUNA ON FLY CIRCUIT

    HI Quinny, Chris
    What Chris said is right.It's to keep all the comp's consistant.But in saying it's too light (8 kg )with the right technique it takes about 15 to 30mins to land them from the time you hookup.This is what these "club" run competitions are about.My first tuna took 1hr to land.Now through watching and learning (asking)other anglers. That has now been reduced to half the time.As max said, by using the right equipment such as 10/11 wt rods with good reels and chasing them down hard helps to reduce fatalities.
    Regards Steve

  11. #11

    Re: TUNA ON FLY CIRCUIT

    G'Day Maxg
    Thanks for imput on these beautifull fish, I had no idea they were such a fragile animal,I have only caught one of them before & treated it kid gloves ( or so I thought). On reading your info I see that through my inexperience & lack of knowlege I may have caused irreparible damage by tailing it. That is where I think these comps have a place for people like myself to learn as quickly & painlessly as possible , true there are some there to "compete" but I think the majority are there for the same reason as me, I will be sure to pass on the information on your post to all who care to listen.
    I understand you are putting out a book soon ,when will it be released & where could I get it. Again thanks for the imput .

    Regards Chris

  12. #12

    Re: TUNA ON FLY CIRCUIT

    anyone know where and how i register for the hervey bay comp this year?
    cheers
    Johhno

  13. #13

    Re: TUNA ON FLY CIRCUIT

    G'Day johnno
    The Hervey Bay comp is being run by Fraser Coast Game Fishing Club ,Talk to Justin Nye( I'll send a pm with his phone no). I won't be at that one (maybe next year)

    Cheers Chris

  14. #14

    Re: TUNA ON FLY CIRCUIT

    thanks chris..i sent justin an email but no reply, so this will help.
    cheers
    johhno

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