iStockphoto / FtLaudGirl
A New Zealand man is making waves after catching what is likely the largest-ever yellowfin tuna caught by someone fishing from land in NZ. While fishing for marlin from the rocks, he reeled in the massive yellowfin tuna which measured 172cm/67.7in and was estimated at over 143 pounds.
Fishing for pelagic game fish from the rocks in New Zealand is possible due to how quickly the water gets deep. With volcanic mountains which reach from the bottom of the ocean and jut high into the sky, there are places like the East Cape where this tuna was caught which makes targeting big fish from land possible.
While yellowfin tuna are typically caught by fishermen on or near the ocean surface, they prefer to live in deep water and are actually capable of diving over 5,000 feet deep. This are where New Zealand angler Regan Ellison of Greenmeadows, Napier caught his fish gets deep fast and thus it’s a unique spot where anglers can target tuna and potentially marlin from the shore.
He was seeking to become the first-ever person in NZ to catch a marlin from the rocks when he landed the potential record-setting yellowfin tuna. Ellison shared details of his catch on social media, photos and videos, along with details of the adventure. The NZ Herald put together this reel from Regan’s fishing footage:
On Facebook, Regan said he measured the fish at 172cm which is 67.71 inches or 5’7.7″ and he estimated the fish weighed between 60-70kg which is a range of 132.2 pounds to 154.3 pounds. Regardless of the exact measurements this is an absolute beast of a yellowfin tuna and very likely the largest every caught from land in New Zealand.
Here are his own photos/videos from Instagram:
Regan Ellison landed his fish on a Shimano Tiagra 80W and Diawa VIP Saltwater overhead and he was using a blue maomao as bait, a bright blue fish commonly found in Australian and New Zealand waters.
For context, the all-tackle yellowfin tuna fishing record in New Zealand is 95kg or 209.4 pounds. And the IGFA fishing world record for yellowfin tuna is a 443 pound, 0 ounce fish caught in Cabo San Lucas in November of last year. That fishing world record is currently pending but is already listed on the IGFA website.