Kingfish mission turns into 213kg bluefin battle

By Mark Bell, Bay of Islands

A routine livebaiting session off Cape Brett turned into the fish of a lifetime for Bay of Islands angler Mark Bell and his crew.

Every angler dreams of landing the fish of a lifetime. On 21 August 2026, our day started at the Opito Bay boat ramp at 6:30am, headed for Waiwere Rock at Cape Brett. What began as a routine kingfish mission would soon turn into an unforgettable battle with a giant northern bluefin tuna.

The plan was simple. The weather was near perfect, with a light south-westerly breeze and calm seas. We headed out in a 5.5-metre centre console armed with kingfish gear, hoping to bring home a few fish for the table.

Around eight boats were working bait schools offshore, but one of the crew, Blake, suggested we leave the fleet and head back towards Waiwere Rock where nobody else was fishing. On the way we caught several jumbo-sized koheru for livebait and deployed two baits in approximately 15 metres of water.

We were equipped for kingfish — not tuna.

One rod was a Speedmaster outfit with a livebait setup, while the other, which ultimately hooked the fish, was a Kilwell Live Fibre 24kg stand-up rod paired with a Tyrnos 30W loaded with 37kg braid and an 80lb leader.

To be honest, while we'd tied our knots carefully, little thought had gone into what might happen if a giant bluefin decided to eat one of our baits.

Everything Changed

At approximately 7:45am, everything changed. Three minutes before the strike, we noticed a large school of fish on the sounder. We thought they were kingfish and prepared ourselves for the usual excitement. Instead, one reel suddenly erupted as line disappeared at an alarming rate.

The first fish was hooked and managed to be brought back towards the boat before the second rod was taken. What followed was complete chaos.

Blake hooked a fish that was clearly much larger and significantly faster. Despite heavy drag and every effort to slow it down, the fish won the battle and disappeared into the depths.

The remaining fish felt completely different. It pulled with relentless power – almost like being attached to a sheet of plywood being towed across the ocean at high speed. Rather than us controlling the fish, it felt as though the fish was controlling us.

Carter took the helm while Blake and I worked together to slowly gain line whenever the opportunity presented itself.

For every metre recovered, another hundred seemed to disappear. We'd claw back 150 metres, only to lose 200 again.

The first part of the fight was filled with uncertainty. Was it a shark? A thresher? We simply didn't know, but we remained hopeful.

The teamwork from the crew was outstanding. Everyone had a role and everyone contributed. Looking back, that's probably the reason the fish eventually made it into the boat.

"Holy Crap!"

Approximately 50 minutes into the fight, we finally got our first glimpse. "Holy crap!" probably sums up the reaction best.

The fish just kept circling beneath the boat. Every time we thought we had it beaten, it would find another gear. The fight eventually stretched to around one-and-a-half hours, with the fish repeatedly testing both our tackle and our resolve.

The final moments alongside the boat were some of the most intense I have ever experienced.

Our old second-hand gaffs, which had seen years of service, were suddenly being asked to handle something they were never designed for. One gaff struck the fish's belly while another found its mark near the head. I managed to secure the tail while the crew worked together to bring the giant aboard.

The call for assistance went out and Toby – the legend – answered, arriving to put another gaff in and help with the retrieval. Once safely alongside, the sheer size of the tuna was almost hard to comprehend.

Only then did we notice a bite mark in the fish – evidence that something even larger had likely taken an interest during the battle. Whether that injury assisted us in landing the fish is impossible to know, but at the time we were simply grateful the fish was ours.

213kg on the Scales

Back at the dock, the local community showed incredible support and shared in the excitement of the catch.

We estimated the fish would weigh somewhere around 200kg. Remarkably, we were spot on.

Thanks to Russell, who made scales available to us, the fish officially weighed 213kg – comfortably making it the largest fish I have ever caught, and then some!

The days that followed involved a massive processing effort. A tuna of that size is no small undertaking, and special thanks must go to Ben, Brad and Charlotte for helping process the fish over the following three days.

Lessons From a Fish of a Lifetime

Like any memorable catch, the bluefin taught us some valuable lessons. Don't be outgunned by your tackle. Have a plan before hooking a truly large fish. Carry proper game-fishing gaffs. Assign roles before the pressure arrives.

Most importantly, remember that successful fishing is rarely an individual achievement. Safety, teamwork, preparation and good seamanship make all the difference.

We're still chasing that elusive marlin, and hopefully this season we'll have another story worthy of sharing. Until then, this bluefin will take some beating.

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