Record-Breaking Bluefin Tuna Caught Off Maine Coast

Captain Kurt Christensen, a seasoned angler with years of experience battling colossal bluefin tuna aboard his 45-foot charter vessel, the Molly Jane, recently achieved an unparalleled feat. On Labor Day morning, Christensen and his team landed a bluefin tuna of extraordinary proportions, the largest he has ever encountered in American waters.

The expedition commenced with meticulous preparation; Christensen strategically positioned his boat over a 164-foot underwater ridge, a known aggregation point for baitfish, approximately 20 miles offshore. Under the cover of darkness, with winds gusting at 25 knots, the crew anchored and illuminated the water, attracting an abundance of squid and their predators. Fishing began around 12:30 AM, utilizing 14-inch live squid as bait, meticulously rigged with 10/0 circle hooks and robust 130-pound braided line, complemented by high-performance Alutecnos reels, a brand Christensen highly endorses. Their early morning efforts were interrupted by a mako shark, which they eventually disengaged from, their sights firmly set on claiming victory in the Boothbay Harbor Tuna Challenge with a prize bluefin.

Shortly after dawn, a monumental tuna struck, initiating a relentless struggle. The crew was forced to unanchor and pursue the leviathan as it navigated a treacherous maze of lobster trap buoys and lines. Having lost a significant tuna to a similar entanglement the previous day, Christensen skillfully maneuvered his boat while angler Brandon LeBlanc valiantly wrestled the immense fish. The intense battle persisted for three grueling hours until the tuna was finally brought alongside the vessel. Despite attempts to hoist the 1,036-pound catch aboard using a heavy-duty hydraulic lift—a method typically successful for 800-pound specimens—the sheer size of this particular tuna proved too great. They ultimately secured its head above water with the lift and made a slow return to shore for the official weigh-in.

The true scale of their catch was fully realized at the Carousel Marina’s certified scales, where the tuna officially tipped in at an astonishing 1,036 pounds, measuring 115 inches in length and boasting an 86-inch girth. This extraordinary capture not only earned Christensen and his crew $55,000 for winning the tournament but also secured a commercial sale at the dock, with the fish promptly iced to maintain its quality. Reflecting on the challenge, Christensen jovially remarked that while fighting such a massive fish with heavy tackle is demanding, the true mastery lies in navigating the boat through a labyrinth of lobster lines while simultaneously pursuing the agile tuna, a testament to the captain's exceptional skill and experience.