As I was scrolling through Instagram a few weeks ago, mindlessly flicking past generic selfies and food posts, I came across a picture that made me stop and look again. At first I thought it was a dolphin, but there was something different about it — the fins were sharper looking and the tail was vertically orientated.
On further inspection — and having read the caption — it became apparent that the photo was of a magnificent bluefin tuna. Long, full-bodied, bullet-shaped and powerful looking, the fish was erupting from the deep blue sea in all its majesty. What a beauty! I gave the photo a ‘like’ and was about to move on when I saw the hashtag, #cornwall. I couldn’t believe it, Cornwall, UK? I had no idea we had fish like that in our waters.
A little bit of digging soon yielded some fascinating results and I began to read more extensively about the history of tuna fishing in Britain. It transpires that during the 1920s and 1930s, bluefin tuna were prevalent in much of the water around Britain and big-game fishing became big business.
The fish being caught were of an extraordinary size as well. In 1933, an 851lb tuna was landed at Whitby; this still stands as the biggest ever fish caught on rod and line in UK waters.
Denne historien er fra September 30, 2020-utgaven av Shooting Times & Country.
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Denne historien er fra September 30, 2020-utgaven av Shooting Times & Country.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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United we stand
Following United Utilities' decision to end grouse shooting on its land, Lindsay Waddell asks what will happen if we ignore our vital moors
Serious matters
An old gamebook prompts a contemplation on punt-gunning
They're not always as easy as they seem
While coneys of the furry variety don't pose a problem for Blue Zulu, he's left frustrated once again by bolting bunnies of the clay sort
Debutant gundogs
There's lots to think about when it comes to making the decision about when to introduce your dog to shooting
When the going gets rough
Al Gabriel returns to the West London Shooting School to brush up on his rough shooting technique
The Field Guide To British Deer - BDS 60th Anniversary Edition
In this excerpt from the 60th anniversary edition of the BDS's Field Guide To British Deer, Charles Smith-Jones considers the noise they make
A step too far?
Simon Garnham wonders whether a new dog, a new gun and two different fields in need of protection might have been asking too much for one afternoon's work
Two bucks before breakfast
A journey from old South London to rural Hertfordshire to stalk muntjac suggests that the two aren't as far detached as they might seem
Stalking Diary
Stalkers can be a sentimental bunch, and they often carry a huge attachment to their hill
Gamekeeper
Alan Edwards believes unique, private experiences can help keepers become more competent and passionate custodians of the countryside