TUNNY FISHING

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 132, 30 November 1935, Page 30

TUNNY FISHING

THE SPORT IN BRITAIN

WIDENING THE AREA

The tunny season in the North Sea opened on August 3, a few days earlier than last year, says a writer in the "Manchester Guardian." Off the Yorkshire coast the fishing will continue until the end of the summer. During early October the tunny move out of British waters to return to their whiter habitation, which is believed to be somewhere in the deep waters of the Atlantic between the Azores and the coast of ?V;jn. Up to the present all tunny in our waters have been caught off Yorkshire, but experiments which began late last season will be continued this year in Cornwall. It is hoped that from the information gained suitable methods of fishing will be found and a new big-game centre established in the South-west. There are many districts off Ireland and Scotland where tunny would probably be caught were anglers to try for- them. Although it is six years since the first rod-caught tunny was brought into Scarborough, we are still only at the beginning of the possibilities for big-game fishing around our coasts. MIGRATION. It is said that the tunny in their migration during the spring, from the Atlantic to the North Sea, pass up the St. George's Channel. There is little likelihood that any but stragglers take this passage, the main shoals keeping a course to the west of Ireland and the Hebrides. The warm waters of the Atlantic drift, the socalled Gulf Stream, enter the North Sea between. the Orkneys and the Shetlands, flow down our east coast, and, at about the latitude of mid-York-shire, turn eastward to1 the shores of Denmark and Norway. This is the path the tunny follow, and it is probably for the same reason that many species rare to British waters are at tunes found off the east coast. During the last couple of seasons the majority of tunny have been caught between thirty and fifty miles east-north-east of Scarborough, in about thirty-five to forty fathoms of water. On the Dogger Bank, some eighty miles off shore, the water is much shallower, but settled weather is necessary before the angler can attempt to go so far out to sea. Usually tunny are exceedingly numerous in this area. It is unfortunate that up' to the present the fish have not come as close inshore as they are known to have done a few years ago. In the 1932 season hundreds of tunny were reported round one angler's yacht. It is said that many could have been reached with an ordinary rowing-boat. One fish was hooked within two miles of the shore. COST OF THE SPORT. Many more anglers would take up tunny fishing were it not for the belief that the cost of the sport is beyond their reach. The man who cannot afford any heavy outlay need not buy his rod • and reel, the two most expensive items, for these may be hired, together with gaff and harness, at a reasonable figure. • Lines and hooks will have to be bought; but a smaU economy is possible if the angler makes up.his own traces.

In the North Sea the boats for tunny fishing are either the open or the

decked-in coble. A rowing-boat must also be taken, as it has been found that when the tunny makes a long run the manoeuvring power of the coble is not quick enough to stop the fish from emptying the reel of line and breaking away. Fishing from the light row-ing-boat, the angler is able to keep in touch with his fish, his line being of sufficient strength to act as a towrope.

The cost of the open coble is approximately £4 per day; the decked-in boat about £6, plus, with either type, an extra £1 for the rowing-boat. A small party of anglers combining together and sharing expenses should not find the charter of these boats prohibitive, but of course only one member will be able to fish at a time; were more to do so, their tunny might tow them in different directions and the parent boat lose touch with, them.

In Cornwall tunny are all close into the shore, within a hundred yards or so. They appear to be smaller than the North Sea fish, and ii: this is correct, and when more is known as to the fishing methods most likely to meet with success, lighter and therefore cheaper tackle will reduce the cost of the 'fishing. Suitable boats may be hired in the Penzance district for about £2 per day.

Anglers unable to go to Scarborough for any length of time do not have to decide against the fishing for that reason. During the first season in the North Sea an angler fished for one day only and caught the record tunny a fish of 7351b. Shortly after the start of the present year's fishing another angler able only to spare a couple of days had three fish on his line during his stay, one of which was successfully brought to gaft.

From all reports, tunny this summer are very numerous; provided there is good weather, anglers who go out will almost certainly get in touch with fish.

The Chief Constable of Soulhport declares that road accidents for which cyclists were to blame have doubled in two years.