With the help of a boat
Even if it is possible to touch very nice fish from the shore, the search for big specimens must be done either by boat or by kayak. To touch a very big fish from the shore, it is already very rare and especially the fight will not be done in the best conditions. To hope to touch the fish of your dreams, it is better to move away from the shore. It is sometimes useless to travel miles to meet a yellowtail or a bluefin tuna on the hunt.
The denture
Emblematic fish of the Mediterranean, the denti is a very sought after fish by fishermen. The arrival of new techniques such as fire-ball fishing combined with the development of electronic equipment has allowed many fishermen to look specifically for this fish. The denti being a sedentary fish, the fishing pressure has a certain impact on its development. The very large subjects, which can exceed 6 kg, are unfortunately becoming increasingly rare. To preserve the resource as much as possible and thus continue to catch large denti, no-kill fishing is becoming a priority for this species.
The amberjack
The amberjack is a fish that can weigh more than 50 kilos and exceed 1m50! It is a pelagic fish that moves most often on bottoms of 15 to 80 meters, which means that it is within reach of rods. The fishing of the amberjack is practiced either with livebaits (mackerel, mullet, cuttlefish or squid) or with large lures (slowjig, jig...). From the carangidae family, the amberjack is a fish that also makes fishermen dream of exotic fishing.
Pagre
Of the sparidae family, the paddlefish can largely exceed 50 cm and weigh more than 6 kg. A solitary fish to be sought not far from the coasts. As soon as the water warms up, it becomes possible to touch nice specimens on the bottom between 30 and 50 meters. The pikeperch can be searched for on the spot, vertically with large soft lures or jigs. A nice size fish will offer you a nice fight.
Bluefin tuna
Without any doubt the sport fish par excellence, which makes all the thrill seekers fantasize. Bluefin tuna weighing more than 80 kilos are not rare in the Mediterranean. Bluefin tuna fishing in the Mediterranean is subject to authorization. There are two different fishing permits to be requested from the Mediterranean DIRM:
- an authorization allowing the practice of no-kill over a pre-defined period each year
- an authorization to catch, retain on board and land bluefin tuna (subject to having requested and obtained a tag) over a pre-defined period each year
Proper equipment
It is clear that to face such fish the equipment used must be up to the task. There is no point in trying to fish for big Mediterranean fish with entry-level equipment. To fight the fish of your dreams, a powerful rod, a reel of size 14,000 to 20,000 equipped with an ATD style drag system, solid and perfect rigs will be necessary. Everything must be thought out and checked beforehand, no room for improvisation or guesswork.
Caution
Going after such fish requires the utmost caution, especially when targeting bluefin tuna or big amberjack. The strength of these fish is far from being insignificant and fighting a bluefin tuna weighing more than 50 kg requires a good physical condition. Once the fish is brought back, after very long minutes of fight, you must remain extremely vigilant! These large fish are so strong that they can cause serious injuries when handled. Never try to fight such fish alone on board, nor alone at sea if you are in a kayak.
