Giant bluefin bite is still on fire out of Morehead City

Local tackle stores report numerous 600+ pounders

Offshore anglers are still catching plenty of giant bluefin tuna out of the Morehead City, N.C. area.

While fishing aboard his boat Fish N Frenzy out of Morehead City, N.C. on Dec. 21, Capt. Tommy Adkins teamed up with Dale Jones to land a 614-pound bluefin tuna. The fish was 102 inches in length. It was the first live tuna catch that Jones has ever participated in.

The two were trolling using ballyhoo covered with Joe Shute lures they purchased from Saltwater Bait and Tackle in Atlantic Beach.

The fish didn’t come to the boat easily.

“It took close to an hour to land because the water was rather rough that day. Dale (Jones) is my rookie mate, and it’s the first tuna he’s ever seen,” said Adkins.

In other bluefin action, the F/V LOBO TOO crew weighed in a 600-pounder at Portside Marina. The crew trolled a Blue Water Candy Lures JAG rigged on a Baitmaters of South Florida ballyhoo purchased from Chasin’ Tails Outdoors in Atlantic Beach.

Strike Eagle crew lands 6th and 7th giants of the season

The Strike Eagle boated their sixth bluefin of the season on Dec. 22. Rachael Applebee reeled this one in on on Iland Lure rigged on a Baitmasters of South Florida ballyhoo purchased from Chasin’ Tails.

And on Dec. 20, Brandon Bond and Brett Lancaster pulled in another 600-pound bluefin. They caught it on a Blue Water Candy Lures JAG rigged up with a Baitmasters of South Florida ballyhoo, the deadliest combo of the season for tuna anglers in the area.

With the same lure setup, Capt. Al Morris, Al Morris, Jr., and David Lucas caught their own 600+ pounder, also on Dec. 20.

The Grade A crew of Trey Grady and Scott Tyson got in on the giant bluefin action on Dec. 17. They caught a 500+ pounder trolling an Iland Lure rigged up on a Baitmasters of South Florida ballyhoo.

Capt. Andrew Gould and the Strike Eagle crew got back on the board, catching their seventh bluefin of the season on Jan. 7. It was Rachael Applebee again that reeled this one in. And once again, the tuna bit a Baitmasters of South Florida ballyhoo from Chasin’ Tails.

Bluefin bite is hot, but it’s not the only species biting

If you want to get in on the hot giant bluefin bite, give the folks at Chasin’ Tails Outdoors Bait & Tackle a call at 252-240-3474. And check out their Facebook page to see all the other species of fish currently biting in the Atlantic Beach area.

Click here to see the 800-pound giant bluefin caught out of the same are a few weeks ago.