Fighting Fish on the Stand Up Rod | Wicked Tuna | National Geographic

Well, here we are. Sounds like the whole rest of the fleet went down south to Chatham. We’re sticking close to home though. We started using the stand up rod last year, and it's been pretty lucky for us. It's a bit different than fighting a Bluefin with our stationary rods, but because it's not connected to the boat while we're hooked up, we have a lot more control during the fight.

I’m just going to throw it in the water. It's using much lighter weight line. So when we do hook up, we have to be much more careful that we don't lose it. Well, I drove the boat here, and the boys slept. They got rested up. Now we're going to switch. I'm going to leave it up to the boys to catch a fish, which I know they can do just fine. And I'm going to go lay down and hopefully they'll get me up screamin with the fish on. All right. Good luck, guys.

Did you take out our live herring? Oh, yeah, yeah. Up. Up up, there he is! Oh, there we go! We’re on! We’re on! Yeah, yeah. Bell’s day! Okay, I'll dig it up. We got a shooter on here on a stand up, holding the rod the whole time. Well, the other guys took the big long ride. And we decided to fish local and fish the lake here. And so far it's working out good. The plans coming together, you know, you don't have to go 100 miles to catch tuna fish. You just need confidence in fishing in your own backyard and picking your own tomatoes.

Just like we had hoped—guys getting a bite while I was laying down. Now all we get to do is get them in the boat. We definitely know it’s a tuna, but we're not too sure on size just yet. Got to get a little closer to be sure. It's another good keeper. Hopefully, it is. Yeah. It's definitely a challenge. Fighting it this way. You really feel it in your legs with this harness, but you do get to control the fish a little bit better.

I feel definitely pretty cool. All the West Coast guys do it over in California this way. So fighting a Bluefin on the East Coast like this. It's pretty cool if we can land 'em. I see him down there. That’s a keeper. That’s a keeper! Yeah. Definite keeper. Jay, back up to him. He’s turning. He’s turning his heads towards me. That right—you just focus on you, Jay. I got this. Don’t worry we'll get him. Good job, Joe. How do you like me now? Coming over with the gal gaff.

All right, my left side right now. Removing the harpoon. I’ll get that out of your left side. Yeah, I got to. Jay, I don't want to hit you. Yep. Okay, clipped. Yup. All right. Hang on. Yeah, it's a big one. I got him. Yeah. All right, get a hold like this. This is a nice one. Hold it. Yeah. Good job, guys. Stuck with the plan. Stuck with the plan. Well done. Well done, boys.