BLUEFINS of FALL

When the first European settlers arrived in Nova Scotia, Canada, from Scotland on board the ship Hector in early fall 1773, they were likely amazed at the similarities in the two landscapes. Even though they were an ocean apart by some 2,700 miles, the near-same plateaus plummeted to rocky coastlines as the green rolling hills and tree-covered highlands met them with open arms, as did the residents of Pictou.

The waters of the northwest Atlantic Ocean, Northumberland Straights in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence, and the Gulf’s sub-basin, St. George’s Bay, were teeming with sea life. Lobsters, mackerel, herring, and ground fish such as cod and haddock were in huge supply, and while these are the fish that supported the residents’ lives, true giants were swimming among them.

HISTORICAL PRIME TIME

It wasn’t until the early 1930s that recreational sport fishing for giant bluefin tuna in Nova Scotia was explored. Primarily using primitive tackle and techniques compared with today’s standards, the methods were effective. When anglers from around the world caught wind of the incredible fishery, they came in droves. Both men and women took part in this quest to catch the biggest tuna ever seen, with many fish topping the coveted 1,000-pound mark. Anglers were anxious to put their skills and tackle to the ultimate test, and legendary names such as Michael Lerner and