It was a blistering hot summer day and the Gloria J was in the thick of Tuna central...The Grand Banks! I'd been nearly thrown off the pulpit earlier that day as we steamed out and saved myself having one arm and leg still inside the rail to fight my way back into its safety!
A fear that has never left me since!
Chumming didn't take long to produce the BANG from the pink child's balloon we used as a bobber as this 632 pound apex predator of the sea hit our sewed on whole mackerel 25 feet down in our chumline I was cutting and throwing!
Chaos immediately ensued after the big Boom! Engines started, other baits reeled in pronto and my next task was to RUN to the bow and throw the anchor line overboard with it's mooring ball attached! We'll be back for that on our victorious return!
That done the person lucky enough to be wearing the belt that holds the rod as you pump away on the crank of the reel sat in the chair that I get to steer as he fights and we water him down and keep him from dying before the prey we came for! It was a hot and sticky day at the Banks! We took half hour turns wearing the belt.
Three hours plus passed as we fought this behemoth creature to the edge of the Gloria J! I came up again to gaff and tail wrap it! The gaff is a 6 inch stainless steel razor sharp hook on a pole with rope attached! I aligned it under the fish and pulled up as hard as I could and missed! Almost flying back on my ass! The second pull I hit a wall! Got it, and almost pulled myself in the drink while at it! This fish was for the first time ours after almost 4 hours of the hardest work I know of!
But wait there's more! We had to tail wrap with line and get it in the boat through a door in the transom/stern! Yep me again! That fish was a moment away from being completely ours now. Mike held the line and I grabbed the tail with both hands one on each side it the body. To my surprise it started to swing that tail, banging it against the boat nearly breaking both my arms! Both arms black and blue like you read about! I went at it again in a minute and used my head more than my arms and boom! Fish in boat! What a day on the ocean! My first and last tuna hookup. I'd been out a few times before. This was the jackpot! I was in my teens.
Other than that I don't remember much about that day
about how she would enjoy a little Italian for dinner 
. Lmao 
. CL
. 
or if you really want us to stay saying Pine, we can say Pine.....cause I love ya bud. Oh I forgot to tell you, I think I'm getting a 
. CL
. The line screaming off the Penn 4/0 Senator was smoking it was so hot. Both of my arms were numb and my shoulders were on fire 
. Sweat was pouring off me and burning my eyes and then it goes 10’ airborne shaking its head violently and then it throws the hook. I stand there like a deer 
in a spotlight trembling with my heart 
beating out of my chest and think 
fishing 
. CL
