i have an 01 2320 no bracket I’m going to set up for fishing bluefin tuna mostly stellwagon, cape cod bay and occasionally south of Martha’s vineyard. I’m trying to see what others have done with their boats such as rod holder placements and size for 0 degree rod holders, and the best ways of boating jumbo fish. I’ll be fishing penn 80visw on Chatham special longs… thanks all help is appreciated
2320 set up for bluefin tuna
- Thread starter D00nspoon
- Start date
Help Support Classic Parker Boat Forum:
nicknotsebastian
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 16, 2011
- Messages
- 251
- Reaction score
- 28
if you are after gbft i think you are going to need some real/good reinforced rod holders a d a real good bow rail
i suggest you text/call joe for the rod holders at +1 (978) 701-2041. he’s a fabricator in the boston area that makes some of the best rod holders out there.
on my 23 se cc and my 2501 i have three. one on each side gunwall and one on the bow. i will only fight fish from the bow for the obvious reasons.
i am not so familiar with the 2320 and access to the bow - especially while carrying a big rod with a big reel with the drag screaming. that’s going to be the key to me because in any 23’ boat - especially one with a notch transom - i think the bow is the only place to safely fight a gbft. where do you put the put the fighting rod holder that you can get to it?
i suggest you text/call joe for the rod holders at +1 (978) 701-2041. he’s a fabricator in the boston area that makes some of the best rod holders out there.
on my 23 se cc and my 2501 i have three. one on each side gunwall and one on the bow. i will only fight fish from the bow for the obvious reasons.
i am not so familiar with the 2320 and access to the bow - especially while carrying a big rod with a big reel with the drag screaming. that’s going to be the key to me because in any 23’ boat - especially one with a notch transom - i think the bow is the only place to safely fight a gbft. where do you put the put the fighting rod holder that you can get to it?
- Joined
- Feb 24, 2016
- Messages
- 452
- Reaction score
- 267
My plan is to fight them midway up the starboard gunnel. I think that would make it easier to watch the rod and maneuver the boat during the fight. With the pilot house I don’t think there would be an easy way to fight them from the bow. I do plan on plumbing in a removable bait tank. Haven’t thought the process through much yet for that, probably put a y valve and run a bait pump from the same through hull as my raw water wash down. Something simple and removable. I have heard of Joe through others I know who have got his rod holders and I think that’s who I’ll contact. Thanks for the phone number, I had an email address for him phone is much easier.
Fishaddict
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 15, 2011
- Messages
- 279
- Reaction score
- 20
Not to say it is impossible but it is very tough from a pilot house. Are you planning to troll or jig an pop? I’d rather be on 21cc boat than 23 ph. Unless you have a small and tight crew and 2nd station giant bft will walk you around the boat before you get it ( and you crew ) tired. Good harpoon and tail harness and couple of gaffs for end game. A good manual therapist for your neck and lumbar bulging disks
Attachments
Well not the most reassuring post there, I feel like it’s entirely doable with enough good attitude from the crew which I believe I’ll have. Small crew of 3-4 lots of bad words and gusto. I’ve been mainly thinking bait but not opposed to dropping jigs etc on marked fish. I’m going to make it happen. I’m looking for the advise to make it so. Not knocking the advise btw, I’m just not in that tax bracket lol. Im determined enough it’s going to happen no matter what.
Fishaddict
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 15, 2011
- Messages
- 279
- Reaction score
- 20
3 healthy guys with intimate knowledge of operating your boat. You will need a lot of quick maneuvering to keep the fish at your sides. BFT over 100lbs behaves more like an animal than your usual fish. Trolling/ fighting chair set up is WAY easier on you and your crew comparing to jigging and popping but boring. It is DOABLE on your boat, just be persistent with you goal and build a CREW. BFT fishing is addictive and expensive (like drugs).
I follow a woman on Insta that takes giants from her new 21' pilot house! She fishes from the bow.
So it's very doable!! Just my 2cents
Fishaddict
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 15, 2011
- Messages
- 279
- Reaction score
- 20
Spiderwoman?!
nicknotsebastian
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 16, 2011
- Messages
- 251
- Reaction score
- 28
remember. the op is talking “Stellwagen and cape cod bay”, “occasional S of MV”.
a lot of the recent posts are suggesting to me mostly smaller school fish. i oersonally have not seen an “under” S of Nauset in like 10 years.
point being, zero deg rod holders it sounds like he realizes where he fishes its gonna be large endnof rec or giant 90% of the time - which is why i’m not suggesting jigging.
sure - can be done. we’ve got up to 84” on the jig - but that’s not what i’m hearing he’s looking to be doing.
i’m strongly suggesting fight from the bow only - which is going to be a challenge to figure out - mostly cuz in a boat that size its the safest place to be getting dragged around from.
trying to maneuver on the fish constantly from another fixed holder spot in that size boat just isn't a practical possibility and you’d be setting yourself up to fail. nobody’s backing down to in a steep chop in a notch transom and by the time you did a 180 forward to get the fish behind the boat again it’d be going a different direction.
a lot of the recent posts are suggesting to me mostly smaller school fish. i oersonally have not seen an “under” S of Nauset in like 10 years.
point being, zero deg rod holders it sounds like he realizes where he fishes its gonna be large endnof rec or giant 90% of the time - which is why i’m not suggesting jigging.
sure - can be done. we’ve got up to 84” on the jig - but that’s not what i’m hearing he’s looking to be doing.
i’m strongly suggesting fight from the bow only - which is going to be a challenge to figure out - mostly cuz in a boat that size its the safest place to be getting dragged around from.
trying to maneuver on the fish constantly from another fixed holder spot in that size boat just isn't a practical possibility and you’d be setting yourself up to fail. nobody’s backing down to in a steep chop in a notch transom and by the time you did a 180 forward to get the fish behind the boat again it’d be going a different direction.
- Joined
- Dec 26, 2018
- Messages
- 71
- Reaction score
- 17
Like nicknotsebastian said contact Joe for the swivelrod holders. As a retired mechanical manufacturing engineer I can tell you you wont find a better swivelrod holder, his workmanship is beyond excellent and you cant beat his prices. I have a 2002 2320 and am relatively new to tuna fishing, have the luxury of a good friend who is a very experienced tuna fisherman. So far on my boat we have caught a 70" and successfully caught, revived and released a 101" bluefin. We have been using a starboard side transom mount swivel rod holder to fight the fish. Not perfect but it works, maybe if we had a third person on board it would be better. For the smaller fish we fought it from the bow with a harness.
- Joined
- Dec 26, 2018
- Messages
- 71
- Reaction score
- 17
Want to add that my boat has the transom bracket and two of us lifted smaller fish over gunnel into boat.
dstanl01
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 10, 2016
- Messages
- 47
- Reaction score
- 29
I fish for tuna with a 28 pilot house. I have three 0 degree rod holders on each side and one in the bow. The bow is definitely the easiest place to fight a fish but have landed plenty from the cockpit. I usually try to keep the fish off the side and towards the bow when fighting from the cockpit. Plenty of times line has run along the hull up towards the bow without parting it off. Get it in the prop and not good. Moving the rod to the bow isn’t bad. Slack the drag and do a one hand carry. Obviously a safety line attached. That’s with a reel easy rod and 130 reel. It’s always a learning process. You’ll figure it out as you go. Landed the one in the pic from the bow yesterday. 87”.
Attachments
Sweet!!!
That's quite the unique bow mounted rod holder. Haven't seen anything like that before. Is that something you made? Kinda looks like a seat pedestal??
Congrats on the tuna! That would be the fish-of-a-lifetime for me!
That bow mounted rod holder is pretty sweet, I also want to know if you had it made or is there a company that produces them.
dstanl01
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 10, 2016
- Messages
- 47
- Reaction score
- 29
I put it together myself with a seat pedestal base. I had a friend weld a plate to the top. We fought a fish up there for 6 hours last weekend with the drag we’ll over strike—it’s rugged. There’s a bolt that runs through at the base and a small set screw in the side to snug everything up. There’s a guy with a similar rig at my yard that’s a lot fancier—pics below.
