Bamfield Tuna-Shootout 2020

[michael_reiber]

Hey guys, looking for some insight from some of you seasoned veterans on this derby. We are fishing out of a 20foot podded double eagle which we used for tuna last year, our main issue is were limited to about 20 fish.

What are guys doing for ice and care of there catch? We are just in the works as to how we can enter the derby this year. Are guys running to Port each day to take fish home? and then where are you getting more ice?

Where do most guys stay do you sleep on your boat or rent a cabin?

Pretty vague questions but any information on the logistics of this trip in a smaller boat would be great!

Cheers,
Mike

 

[fishin solo]

@getbent or @Derby can help you out with all of that info

 

[getbent]

Hey guys, looking for some insight from some of you seasoned veterans on this derby. We are fishing out of a 20foot podded double eagle which we used for tuna last year, our main issue is were limited to about 20 fish.

What are guys doing for ice and care of there catch? We are just in the works as to how we can enter the derby this year. Are guys running to Port each day to take fish home? and then where are you getting more ice?

Where do most guys stay do you sleep on your boat or rent a cabin?

Pretty vague questions but any information on the logistics of this trip in a smaller boat would be great!

Cheers,
Mike

Hey Mike,

Two of the concerns for sure are fuel range and ice load. Mills Landing sells great salt ice that most boats utilize as well as the cleaning area, chamber sealing, and flash freezing facilities. Mills is the home base for the Bamfield tuna shootout.
Most boats and crews stay in Bamfield for sure, some on their boats, but many take up cabins or other accommodations. Typically at that time of year there are many openings available for rent. When the weather windows and all other requirements for tuna line up you generally want to head out with the fleet right out of Bamfield. At a minimum you want one buddy boat.

Some guys utilize kill bags to store additional ice or fish but they are limited as well as they do take up deck space but are a great option. When I started fishing tuna back in 2012 I was told then that you want 1 lb of ice for every lb of fish, this ensures a quality product as cooling them off quickly in a slurry and then icing down is imperative to treat the catch as best as possible. If you aren't going out on back to back days, we will leave our fish on ice overnight or even a couple of days...firms them up and super chills them down, we have had great fish this way...just an option. I fished for years out of a 25' Carolina Classic and we were limited on our catch keeping abilities as well, however, 20 tuna is a good haul. I know boats come in plugged with 40+ fish and I can't speak to how most care for their fish although I do know that at times many aren't on ice when they come to port. As you know tuna are a hot fish and definitely need to be bled and cooled as quickly as possible and then on ice.

I suggest contacting Jerry at Mills Landing at 250-728-2300 with any other specifics for this years event.

Hope that helps...

Guy

 

[trophywife]

cool them down and keep them cool. no need to over do the ice.. when you get back, pack them well and clean the next day.
hope to sea you out here.

 

[Derby]

Contact Jerry @ Mills Landing <cottages@millslanding.com> for the derby info... if you pm me your email address i'm send you the 2 SFAB papers regarding tuna

 

[Brian Reiber]

We were able to use our floor hatch for a slurry as we didnt have room for a garbage can. Two large coolers in the cuddy....one full of ice and the other was to pack tuna in. We were out of room at 21 fish. At the end I started cutting the heads off and pulling the guts out. That freed up a lot of space but for a derby where weight matters that wont work. What is the derby rule on bleeding, gills out etc? Nobody wants to experience scromboid poisoning. We are pretty anal about gutting and gilling at sea if we are just out recreational fishing.

 

[Derby]

we all bleed out our tuna

 

[getbent]

you have to bleed them

 

[trophywife]

use flagging tape to identify weigh in fish. or if doing overnight and you want to know which ones where from the day before. i think, but dont quote me, we will be allowed to bump our aggregate total up by bringing in a max of 4 fish per day to weigh in.Jerry will have the offishal word. trying to keep it more even with the boats that can stay out for multiple days.
daily weigh in prizes would be good too! see where we get too.. i hate too many rules but there has to be some balance struck.

 

[Brian Reiber]

we all bleed out our tuna

Sorry, I wasn't implying that you guys don't. Just looking for clarification on the derby rules.

 

[Derby]

of course..