SapperDawg
03-31-2019, 07:58 AM
It has been two really good weeks at our hours. First, went on a tuna charter out of Orange Beach, AL last weekend. We managed to fill the boat with yellowfin, black fin and triggerfish.
https://i.imgur.com/I46FyZFl.jpg
Trip started with a very, very rough ride out about 110 miles to the rig we fished for yellowfin. The next morning broke calm, which was welcome indeed.
https://i.imgur.com/pe2ZFY0l.jpg
We hit a rig closer in on the second night to fill the rest of the boat with blackfin.
https://i.imgur.com/WnXnbDjl.jpg
After cleaning, sashimi was on the menu.
https://i.imgur.com/jtyCVQZl.jpg?1
I was lucky to have experienced eating a tuna collar in Japan....and loved it. I asked the deck hands what they did with the collars, and they let me know very quickly I could have them all. I grabbed the heads from the four largest yellowfin (70 lb class), and carried them home to butcher. This is what you end up with:
https://i.imgur.com/WOxoyGjl.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/CyzBHocl.jpg
Thats a 22" Weber kettle for reference, and only 1/2 a collar. Grilled this over light hickory smoke with some soy and lemon. Amazing. You get raw parts, cooked parts, and the fatty belly area tastes like the most moist, tender steak you have ever had. Dont let these go to waste!
Smoked up the blackfin and have these portioned out for fish dip and tuna salad throughout the year.
https://i.imgur.com/ajhzJnvl.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/6wBZa9il.jpg
Now to this week. I got it done yesterday. I have been hunting a tiny portion of public land in north Alabama for three years, and have been getting schooled by those smart mountain turkeys during that time. Vengeance was finally mine.
This guy gave me the slip at 0715, crossing above me on the mountain. I made a huge Hail Mary move that took over an hour to get set up. Softly called when I got setup and he blew up about 50 yards away. Rest is history. These birds are notoriously hard to hunt, and needless to say I am very proud of this bird. 9"beard and 1" spurs.
https://i.imgur.com/6gzM7tjl.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/uKZf300l.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/I46FyZFl.jpg
Trip started with a very, very rough ride out about 110 miles to the rig we fished for yellowfin. The next morning broke calm, which was welcome indeed.
https://i.imgur.com/pe2ZFY0l.jpg
We hit a rig closer in on the second night to fill the rest of the boat with blackfin.
https://i.imgur.com/WnXnbDjl.jpg
After cleaning, sashimi was on the menu.
https://i.imgur.com/jtyCVQZl.jpg?1
I was lucky to have experienced eating a tuna collar in Japan....and loved it. I asked the deck hands what they did with the collars, and they let me know very quickly I could have them all. I grabbed the heads from the four largest yellowfin (70 lb class), and carried them home to butcher. This is what you end up with:
https://i.imgur.com/WOxoyGjl.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/CyzBHocl.jpg
Thats a 22" Weber kettle for reference, and only 1/2 a collar. Grilled this over light hickory smoke with some soy and lemon. Amazing. You get raw parts, cooked parts, and the fatty belly area tastes like the most moist, tender steak you have ever had. Dont let these go to waste!
Smoked up the blackfin and have these portioned out for fish dip and tuna salad throughout the year.
https://i.imgur.com/ajhzJnvl.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/6wBZa9il.jpg
Now to this week. I got it done yesterday. I have been hunting a tiny portion of public land in north Alabama for three years, and have been getting schooled by those smart mountain turkeys during that time. Vengeance was finally mine.
This guy gave me the slip at 0715, crossing above me on the mountain. I made a huge Hail Mary move that took over an hour to get set up. Softly called when I got setup and he blew up about 50 yards away. Rest is history. These birds are notoriously hard to hunt, and needless to say I am very proud of this bird. 9"beard and 1" spurs.
https://i.imgur.com/6gzM7tjl.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/uKZf300l.jpg