Bluefin Tuna Sighted off SC Coast.
Captain Jim Pedersen of Yonges Island reported encountering a school of
bluefin tuna on March 17, 2002 off Charleston in 60 feet of water.
Captain
Pedersen reported that he was returning from a snapper/grouper trip
when he
chanced upon the school. They first saw a large number of small terns
circling and diving about 2 miles east of the Charleston 60 artificial
reef.
Slowing down and moving to the congregated birds, they saw large
tuna-like
fish swimming just under the surface. Over the next hour to hour and
a
half, they followed the school as it moved south watching the fish
occasionally break the surface with their backs as they chased
baitfish.
One fish, estimated at 150 pounds, jumped clear of the water along with
several encounters with the fish passing near the boat provided a
positive
ID. With only one 50 pound test outfit among their rods, they rigged a
ballyhoo on a blue and white seawitch but were unsuccessful in their
attempt
to destroy the outfit at the fins of a bluefin.
This is one of the latest winter reports of bluefin tuna being sighted
off
the SC coast but the location of the sighting is in an area where they
have
been reported sighted in previous years. The winter of 2002 saw the
fewest
reports of these giant tuna off SC.
Anyone with additional information about bluefin off SC is encouraged
to
report their information to Don Hammond.
This information provided as a courtesy of the Marine Resources
Division of
the SC Department of Natural Resources.