By Quentin Turko
This was easily one of the wildest fishing experiences of my life. I never imagined I’d be launching a kayak off the beach in the Outer Banks and hooking into an Atlantic bluefin tuna. That idea didn’t even feel possible—until about a year ago, when my brother made history by becoming the first person to land a bluefin tuna from a kayak off the coast of North Carolina.
From that moment on, I knew I had to try it for myself. The biggest question was whether the tuna would ever come that close to shore again. These fish are typically caught 30 to 40+ miles offshore from large sportfishing boats, so seeing them within a mile of the beach is incredibly rare—let alone targeting one solo from a kayak.
Almost exactly a year later, the opportunity came. The bluefin were back.
Having caught bluefin from boats before, I already knew how powerful and relentless they can be. But battling one from a kayak is on an entirely different level. What unfolded that day was something I’ll never forget—a true test of strength, patience, and pure adrenaline.
