Cabo Tuna

[JohnMckroidJr]

Congratulations on a nice kayak Yellowfin Tuna. A fresh caught tuna is releasing heat, that will melt ice faster than if you wait till it is dead before putting it in the fish bag. Bleeding and gutting a fish does wonders to preserve freshness. If just the tail is sticking out of the fish bag, I tie a plastic grocery around it -- blocking direct sun light and keeping the skin from drying out. The tail is full of tendons and not the best meat, so it's a minimal loss if it gets a little cooked. If the fish is way too big for the fish bag, head for shore asap. For the peddle in,wet towels, plastic bags or anything else available to block direct sun light and prevent drying is helpful.

[Baja Marty]

Originally Posted by JohnMckroidJr

A fresh caught tuna is releasing heat, that will melt ice faster than if you wait till it is dead before putting it in the fish bag. Bleeding and gutting a fish does wonders to preserve freshness.....

You think I should bleed the fish and then gut it while still out on the water? I didn't think of that. I'll try it. Thanks!

[JohnMckroidJr]

Originally Posted by Baja Marty

You think I should bleed the fish and then gut it while still out on the water? I didn't think of that. I'll try it. Thanks!

In South Florida we take a good amount of Blackfin Tuna off kayaks,and it is standard procedure to bleed them while they are still alive. If not too busy fishing gut them as well. Once the bite slows down, usually gill and gut. The guts are the part of the fish that smells the worse, if you can dispose of them on the water it makes a difference when cleaning later. I prefer to keep the fish bag on the back end as the extra weight on the bow makes the kayak directionally unstable, and harder to steer on the way in.

[Baja Marty]

Originally Posted by JohnMckroidJr

bleed them while they are still alive. If not too busy fishing gut them as well...... I prefer to keep the fish bag on the back end as the extra weight on the bow makes the kayak directionally unstable, and harder to steer on the way in.

That's great information, thanks. Kayak tuna is new for me, so I appreciate the advice.

I picked up a medium Hobie kill bag and was planning to put it in the forward hatch, but didn't consider the impact of bow weight on handling. Not sure if there is enough room on the stern of the Revo 13 behind the bait tank. I'll check it out.