There are fishing trips you forget a week later, and then there are the ones that burn themselves into your memory. Catching my first bluefin tuna off the coast of Cape Cod was the latter. It was hard, humbling, and unforgettable — and I made more than a few rookie mistakes along the way. Here’s the full story, from prepping the gear to landing the fish, along with what I’d do differently if I could do it all over again.

The plan was ambitious: chase school-sized bluefin in late June just outside Stellwagen Bank, a hotspot for tuna off the Massachusetts coast. I had some offshore experience, but this was my first real shot at bluefin.

Our setup was a 28-foot center console, and we were rigged with 50-wide conventional reels spooled with 80 lb braid backing and 100 lb mono topshots. I opted for fluorocarbon leaders — 130 lb — crimped to 8/0 circle hooks. We packed a mix of topwater plugs, trolling lures, and the real prize: live mackerel we caught at first light near Barnstable Harbor.

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