Narrator: To catch a giant
bluefin in the outer banks...
[beeping]
nick: There he is.
Narrator: Some locals
carry a big stick.
Cliff: Hell, yeah, boys.
Narrator: But will
the greenstick give
one captain the edge...
Tj: Nick the stick is on fire!
Greg: He's lazy and doesn't
want to turn the handle.
Nick: Haters gone hate.
Tyler: We're on! Doubled up!
Tim: He's on! He's on!
Narrator: Or will his rod
and reel rivals take him down?
Dirty: Feel like "king midas".
Sandro: Not again.
Narrator: The clash of
the titans is heating up.
Tyler: He's right there.
Greg: You better
tighten up down there.
Tyler: Oh, we're
gonna lose this one?
Marissa: Heartbreaking.
Narrator: This is...
[groan]
tyler: Easy.
Billon: Careful.
Nick: No, no, no!
Narrator:
Wicked tuna outer banks.
Nick: If they're gonna
beat me in my backyard,
they better bring it.
Narrator: Four-time
champion fishin' frenzy
holds the lead
over challengers
fishing vessel-tuna.Com,
hot tuna and little shell.
Meanwhile, the brother
sister duo on pinwheel
is the only boat
yet to make a profit.
Nick: We caught the
first fish of the season,
that was huge for us.
We're happy to have that but
we need more, we need more.
It takes more than one fish
to win this thing down here.
We're just gonna go hard.
That's what it takes,
a team effort.
No one man
could do this alone.
Brandan: It's really
important we get a fish.
The only means of money I got,
it comes from fishing.
That's all I've ever done,
that's all I
really know how to do.
I've got a
nine-year-old girl and
a year-and-a-half-old
little boy and, you know,
they depend on, they depend
on these fish just like I do.
If I don't catch any fish,
you know, they don't,
they can't have
shoes and toys and birthdays.
And it makes a difference.
Here we go.
Nick: All right.
Greenstick's gonna
go up in the air and
I become "nick the stick".
You don't mess
with perfection.
We're trolling.
I get a lot of flak
for fishing the greenstick,
but this tuna fishery
is very fickle.
There are days
that the stick bite is
the only thing going,
there's days that the
ballyhoos work better.
But if you don't
have the stick,
that's a total disadvantage.
Taping the hook.
Because there's two hooks.
We did one hook
forever and it wasn't,
it wasn't strong enough.
They are definitely stronger,
they're already a
13/0 triple x giant tuna hook.
That's the name on the box.
And we put two of them
together so now it's a
"six x ultra giant tuna hook."
I think the boats
that have greensticks
but aren't using them,
they've lost enough
fish in the past.
They're just not
comfortable with it.
Me, I adapted what was
working to work better.
All right, boys.
Everything looks good.
I'm gonna get out here
and start hunting.
Cliff: Let her fly, cap!
Greg: We had a really
good day yesterday.
We caught a 584 dressed.
The biggest one out of
the whole crowd so far.
Billon: I'm impressed
with this bait.
I got a little bit of
everything rigged up.
Dirty: We need one.
Billon: Ready.
Dirty: We're gonna set up.
Try to do a little drifting.
We're gonna stay
here until it happens.
Greg: I always feel like
we're gonna get him.
I always got to
watch out for nick.
He goes away from the fleet
by himself and finds the fish.
Nick's probably my
biggest competition.
He's already caught the
first fish and he wants to win.
And he had a
great teacher, me.
He lives here.
He's got local knowledge.
That makes a big
difference in this fishery.
It's not like up north
where you're going to a
piece of bottom and
the bait's always there
and the fish
are always there.
Here, it could be anywhere.
Nick learned a lot from me.
So, I expect him to
catch a few fish.
Tj: We're on scene, baby.
Bluefin season.
Firing the magic wand out.
Bright and early, baby.
See if we can get that
early morning bite and
get in for breakfast.
Jarrett: I got the
greenstick out right now.
We got a couple of ballyhoos
we're putting back there.
Tj: We love the stick.
Nick can call himself
"nick the stick",
but we're pretty good
with that stick ourselves.
Jarrett: Brought the
secret weapon this time.
We got big tim onboard.
It's just about daylight.
Tj: It's a different
ocean out here today, boy.
Whoo!
Having my dad
onboard is definitely
an advantage for us.
He's a great motivator
and he's got years of
experience on the water.
He was a huge help to us
winning up in gloucester.
And we'll take any
advantage we can get because
it's gonna be very
competitive down here.
Tim: Well, this year,
you got the best of the
best fishing out here,
so tj and myself and
jarrett got to stay
on top of this game.
It would really
be nice to win it.
We're just gonna
have to fish hard,
pay attention, stay out here.
If you want to win, that's
what you got to do to win.
Hopefully, the hot tuna's
on top at the end.
Jarrett: Yeah!
Marissa: What's the
game plan, tyler?
Are we gonna fish
the stick or rod?
Tyler: We're gonna pull rods.
Just reel that one up for me.
Not gonna mess
with the stick.
There's a lot of big
fish running around.
I think we have a
better chance with rods.
I've caught a lot of
fish on the greenstick.
It's a very effective method.
In certain days here
in the outer banks,
if you don't have a greenstick,
you're not gonna catch a thing.
But what I have noticed
over the years and years
that I've been
fishing down here,
is that when I catch
my fish on rod and reel,
I get a much better
price per pound.
On the days that
I need to put it out,
I'll fire it
right out there.
But my number one
focus is to try and
catch these things
with trolling the ballyhoos.
If we keep working hard,
if we keep working hard,
we're gonna catch fish.
Marissa: Yeah, we are.
Tyler: We're gonna
get the right one.
Every single boat
in the fleet has landed a
bluefin and is looking for
their second one,
except for us.
It's one fish a day
again this winter, which,
if you even go a couple
days without catching fish,
it could make
it so difficult you
might never catch up.
We have to get meat on the
deck immediately if we want
to stand a chance this year.
At this point, we've
more than paid our dues.
Come on!
Where's the mark?
Come on, tuna gods.
Just give us one.
Merm, we got to
make this happen.
Holy [bleep], we're
marking 'em right here.
Come on, merm.
Let's get a bite.
Marissa: Come on. Let's go.
Tyler:
Come on, come on.
Bite it. Bite it.
[beeping]
[reel clicking]
[reel unspooling rapidly]
we're on! Let's go, merm.
Double, double. Hurry, merm.
We have a lot of tunas on.
Merm, merm, merm.
Marissa: I'm here.
I'm here. I'm here.
Tyler: That. Reel that in.
Marissa: Okay.
My contacts are
falling out of my eyes.
Tyler: That's okay,
you don't need to see,
all you need to do is
turn the reel handle.
Desperate doesn't
even begin to describe
how I feel right now.
Because we're already
a fish behind the
rest of the fleet.
Good job, merm.
Marissa: Good job, tyler.
Tyler: We're fishing
against the best of the best.
We have to land
one of these tunas before
we fall so far behind that
we have no chance of winning.
Marissa: Coming up, ty.
Tyler:
Tire him out, just wear him out.
Marissa: I think mine's
doing circles up top.
Tyler: I've got to pull.
Got to pull.
Got a pair of
tunas on right now.
This one's getting up
pretty close to the boat,
might get a shot
with the harpoon.
Get some, get some, get some,
get some, get some, get some.
Come on.
Marissa: Uh-oh. It's stuck,
it's stuck, it's stuck.
Tyler: Oh, hold on.
Oh, [bleep]. There we go.
You got to put the swivel
off to the side, remember?
Marissa: I know.
Tyler: Oh, no! We got bigeye.
Tyler: No.
Bigeye is another
species of tuna.
They're smaller
than the bluefins,
but they're still
worth good money.
Whoo! Bigeye.
Bigeyes like to
stay in deeper water.
They have smaller air
bladders and bigger eyes.
And that's because they
hang out in a lot darker
climates than bluefin tuna.
Here, reel in that one.
Ugh, it's another bigeye.
There he is. Whoa.
Easy, easy, easy.
Marissa: He's here.
Tyler: All right.
Marissa: Hello, bigeye.
Tyler: They're a really
hard fighting tuna.
Pound for pound,
they kind of
give the bluefin tuna
a run for their money,
but there's nothing better
than catching a giant bluefin.
Marissa: All right, ty.
Let's go get some bluefin.
Tyler: Whoo! Let's go.
Come on, where
are the bluefins?
Nick: We'll be there by 9:30.
We'll have a fish on
the boat by 10:00.
That's the plan.
The last time we were
up this way, there were
big slicks and marks.
We couldn't even keep
our stick in the air.
You boys pick on me
about pulling my stick a
little bit and you say,
"oh, that's for dummies."
I lay the stick down,
and I crimp new lines to it,
I measure it out.
I set the whole thing up.
It is more technical
than most people think.
The greenstick is
a giant vertical pole that
is attached to a main line
dangling lures over the
water with a 300-pound
test breakaway.
The fish feed more
on the surface here,
so when they see all these
baits bouncing around,
they can't resist.
The breakaway breaks
and the main line is reeled
in on the bandit reel.
Greenstick catches
are my specialty.
I mean, they call
me "nick the stick" and
I'm damn proud of it.
It's beyond me why boats
like frenzy and the pinwheel,
they have a stick,
but they refuse to fish it.
But I'm only the
captain of one boat.
It's a great tool to have.
Birds and mammals
all out here.
Cliff:
Come on, fish.
Where you at?
Nick: Look at there.
There's something, cliff.
Cliff: What?
Nick: Thirty fathom mark here.
Cliff: Uh-oh.
Nick: That means it's a
single or something, but.
All right, they're
coming up in the water now.
Look at there, big mark.
Oh, they're tuna fishing.
Slow down a little bit, cliff.
Slow it down a little bit.
There he is.
There he is.
Missed it, missed it.
Cliff:
Jig it again.
Jig it again.
Nick: There he is!
Come on, baby.
Brandan: Come on, baby.
Here they go!
Nick: Got 'em on!
Got 'em on! Whoo!
Cliff:
Hydros are on!
Hydros are on!
Nick: Got 'em on.
Cliff:
Hell, yeah, boys! Hell, yeah!
We got to catch him.
Nick: All right boys, we'll
give ourselves a chance here.
Let's make it happen.
[pole snap]
nick: Got 'em on! Got 'em on!
Got 'em on! Whoo!
Cliff: Hydro's are on,
hydros are on!
Hell, yeah, boys. Hell, yeah.
We got to catch 'em.
Nick: He's pulling hard.
All right boys, we'll
give ourselves a chance here.
Let's make it happen.
We were the first
boat to catch a fish this
season and I would love to
be the first boat
to catch a second one.
I'd love to have the
rest of the fleet chase
us all season long.
Gonna get bump, just
keep her bumping.
Cliff: I was trying
to drag away.
Nick: Yeah, but the
fish is behind us.
Now he's getting
over this way.
Cliff: Like he's trying
to back down that way.
Nick: No, no, no!
Just spin it hard
and maybe lay here.
He's getting up on top.
Spin her a little bit.
All right.
And stop right there.
It's got real slack now.
There's your drop, brandan.
He's gonna be on the next one.
Cliff: He's got the ball,
we're about to...
Nick: Okay. There's the fish.
There's the fish.
You know what you're doing.
Easy, easy, easy.
Just bump it.
Cliff: I can't see the fish.
Nick: Don't leave her
in gear, just bump it.
But go ahead a little bit!
Go ahead!
Right here, brandan. Get ready.
Nail him, brandan!
Nail him! Good job.
Nice one, boys.
Damn, he's squirming.
Stick him in the head.
Stick him in the head.
Get your tail gaff, cliff.
Get him better.
Pull that up, get him better.
Cliff: Tail rope!
Nick: Come on!
All right, boys!
Cliff:
Yeah! Hell, yeah.
Pretty work, boys.
Nick: Hell, yeah.
Cliff: All right!
Nick: Whoo! Nice fish.
Upper 90s.
This is my backyard.
Tj: Oh. Why don't
they jump on us?
Come on.
Tim: The guy's red-hot.
Tj: "nick the stick" is on fire.
Paul: What a prick
getting one on the stick.
But it does give
you that edge.
It does help you catch
like two or three more a year.
I wish we had one.
Zack: Little shell,
he just caught his
fish on the stick.
Yeah. So we're gonna reel.
We reel them up.
We're easing that way.
We need a break for sure.
Tyler: Little shell,
they're on fire.
I think frenzy is
gonna need a padded room.
Tyler: He's definitely
frenzying out.
Greg [over radio]:
It's a no stick zone.
You better put
that thing away.
Greg: He's got
confidence on the stick.
He likes it because
he's lazy and doesn't
want to turn the handle.
Greg [over radio]: He likes
the mechanical advantage.
Tj: Maybe our stick is next.
Cliff: All them boys are
picking on us because
we're using a stick.
Nick: Eight years ago
or ten years ago when
I was doing this,
if you didn't have a
stick, you wouldn't, you
wouldn't even get a bite.
Then the fish grew
up and got big, there's
And they started just
demolishing their [bleep]
and instead of adapting,
they just quit and
started rod fishing.
Cliff: Yeah. Two years ago,
all of our stuff was opening up.
We lost fish after
fish after fish because we
were pulling the same way.
But then we changed
all our stuff up.
They just ain't changed
their stuff around yet.
Nick: Haters gonna hate.
Just happy we got a fish.
Cliff: You think I care?
Nick: No, hell no.
I don't want to stay out here.
I've got a family.
It's kind of an insult,
"nick the stick",
but it's kind
of a little pride.
You don't take
the quarterback out when
he's throwing touchdowns.
And right now my stick
is throwing touchdowns.
All right, guys,
let's pull him overboard.
Cliff: All right, cap.
Where's the forklift at?
Nick: Right here.
Cliff: Two, three...
Nick: Nice boys, yeah.
Cliff: And then, the way
he's just butterball all
the way down to his tail.
That's a good fish.
Nick: Yeah! All right.
Take these all day long.
I'll take 20 more please.
These guys,
if they're gonna beat
me in my backyard,
they better bring it.
Cliff:
It's definitely a nice
fish for the outer banks.
I hope we get
good money for him.
Scott: What's going on, guys?
Nick: 90-incher.
Scott: Nice.
Nick: Got to get 'em early.
It pays to get 'em early.
I'm trying to walk away
with this thing and get a
good lead on these guys.
Scott: Yeah.
Nick: You want to
take a look at him?
Scott: Yeah, let's do it.
Nick: We're the
first one to one.
We're the first one to two.
They definitely know I can
put fish in the boat and
that's the statement
I want to make.
What do we got, scotty, dressed?
Scott: We got 378 pounds.
Nick: Nice. Nice.
Cliff: All right, yeah.
Nick: Nice.
Scott: Let's check out
the tail cut and cores.
Nick: Absolutely.
Scott: Yeah. Let's do it.
Nick: Let's do it.
What the buyer is looking
for is cherry red color,
lots of fat and a good core.
Scott:
All right, guys.
See what we got.
Oh, yeah. Yeah.
That's a nice core.
Nick: Oh, yeah.
Scott: And a good color, it's
got a little bit of fat there.
Nick: Yeah.
Scott: It's greasy too.
Nick: It's all about
money in the end.
What can you do for me here?
Scott: Bottom line...
$16 a pound.
Nick: Yeah! Nice!
Cliff: All right.
Nick: That's what
we like to hear.
Thank you very much.
Scott: Yeah.
No problem. Good job, guys.
Nick: Thank you.
Scott: We'll see
you again soon.
Brandan: We'll get back at it.
Scott: All right.
Nick: This little lead
I'm getting now is what's
gonna be the difference
at the end of it.
Greg picks on me and
calls me "nick the stick",
that's fine.
I'll take that
right to the bank.
Pull your worms,
I'll pull my stick.
Let's see, let's see
who's on top at the end.
It's definitely a
home field advantage.
This is my backyard.
I'm gonna win.
I'm gonna go out there
and catch another one.
It means a lot to me
to be the only captain
actually from wanchese.
But I come from
humble beginnings.
I mean, my family
struggled growing up.
And that really
factors into me wanting to be
competitive and fishing against
all these other silver
spoons that are around here.
This is where I used to
live when I was about 21.
I lived here all I did
was hunt and fish and
lived in this gnat barn.
I had a refrigerator and
I had a bed, that was it.
It's been through a
couple hurricanes.
Water's been this
high since then.
I mean, like I said,
That is my dresser though.
I didn't have running water,
so what I would do is
I would walk down there to
the ferry dock and I would,
I had some, like, dish soap.
And I would put dish
soap on and lather down
and jump into the sound,
into the salt water
and clean off.
That's how I took a bath.
It was pretty rough.
Tim: We got to get
a bite today, man.
Jarrett: Oh, yeah.
Tj: Oh.
Beautiful out here today.
Still taking the
spray over the bow.
Everyone should come
down here in the winter
and do this, it's easy.
Jarrett: We've been getting the
bites on the greenstick.
We know it's working.
Tj: Little shell's
in the lead now.
You know, they're
good fishermen.
This is their backyard.
He loves the stick.
He's "nick the stick" and
the way I look at it is,
these fish want to bite,
climb on a greenstick,
they don't have any options
other than ourselves and
the little shell.
And until these guys start
smoking us on the bait and
we're not getting
bites on the stick,
we're gonna keep
that stick out there.
It's always been our
ace in the hole and so
far this season, you know,
we've had a few bites on it
and it started well for us,
so we're gonna stick with it.
Jarrett:
Any second now. Any second.
Tj: Here's the mark.
Tim: Marking, jarrett.
Tj: Here's the mark right here,
this is definitely them.
Tj [over radio]:
Up high, 15 fathom.
Greg: Seems like whenever
big tim gets on the boat,
tj gets a little
bit more motivated.
I guess his dad kind of
lights a fire under him.
Brian: They're
starting to show up.
Can't [bleep] buy a bite here.
Bobby:
We're gonna get ours, dude.
Brian: Got to shake
this funk, man.
Zack: I wonder who's
gonna be yelling more,
big tim or tj when
they get hooked up?
Tyler: Come on.
We got to get into something.
Tim: Come on, jarrett.
Jig 'em up, baby.
Oh, come on, baby.
Where are you?
[beeping]
[pole snap]
he's on, he's on!
Watch it's backlashing.
It's backlashing.
Go forward, forward.
Okay, forward, forward, forward.
Tj: Is he still there?
Tim: Yeah, he's still there.
He's down deep.
Tj: I think he's gone.
Tim: No, I feel him
for [bleep] sake.
Tj: Why is this going
slack like this?
Tim: I don't know.
Tj: You got it too fast.
Tim: I got nothing
on the [bleep] thing.
Tj: Let me see. Let me see.
Did you hit the
knob by accident?
Tim: I didn't touch nothing.
Tj: I'm not yelling.
I'm not yelling.
Tim: I'm not yelling either.
Tj: The knob
is [bleep] loose.
Tim: I didn't touch nothing.
There's no pressure
on this fish.
Tj: That's fine, that's fine,
jarrett, that's all we do,
tell him.
We don't put more
pressure on than that.
Tim: Why do you keep
asking if we lost him?
Jarrett: He's
gonna take the bird.
Tim: I'm not
touching anything.
Tj: Did the bird break off?
Tim: It looks like it
might have, tj, yeah.
Tj: Worst [bleep]
thing you want.
I just don't want to run
it over and get tangled.
Maybe try and get
to go the way.
Tim: I think the way is
to try and get that way.
Tj: Get it underneath.
Let it go underneath.
Tim: Jarrett, be
careful with that.
Jarrett: Right here?
Tj: No, no, no.
We'll bring it over here.
Pull the bird, pull the ball.
Ball, ball, ball.
It's gonna be tangled up.
Tim: I know that.
Jarrett:
That thing backlashed
like crazy when he hit it.
Tim: It did.
I'm amazed he
didn't pop on it.
I was waiting for
him to wrap it around
the tip of the bandit.
[reel unspooling]
tj: Oh, dad! Dad!
Tim: Tj, I ain't doing nothing.
I didn't do nothing.
Tj: You're not
paying attention.
Tim: Come on. [bleep]!
Go, go, go, go!
Tj: Ah!
Tim: Looks like it
might have, tj, yeah.
Tj: It's gonna be tangled up.
Tim: I know that.
Tj: Oh, dad! Dad!
Tim: Tj, I ain't
doing nothing.
I didn't do nothing.
Tj: You're not
paying attention.
Tim: Come on. [bleep]!
Go, go, go, go!
[tj groans]
tim: Come on, tj. Help me here.
Tj: Jarrett, keep pulling.
He probably broke off.
Tim: He didn't break off!
Tj: Watch, watch,
watch, watch, watch.
This is a cluster [bleep].
Holy [bleep]. Broke the lever.
Oh, my god.
The bandit reel
is temperamental.
People think when you're
fishing with a greenstick,
you're just using a machine
to hoist the fish up and
there definitely
is an advantage,
but you also have to
finesse the machinery or
you can get all tangled up.
And now we're all tangled up.
Tj: Dad, dad, dad,
dad, stop jerking it.
Tim: I'm jerking it, tj.
I'm trying to feed you slack.
Tj: This is
not gonna be easy.
Watch this bird line.
If this bird line gets
tangled in this main line
we're not gonna be able to
pull any of this line
back through the block.
What we have to do now
is while jarrett hand lines
the fish to keep it tight,
we're gonna cut the tangled
section out of the line,
and crimp those two pieces
together with the swivel.
Hold this.
Tim: Jarrett,
here just hold steady.
Tj: Hold that.
Then we just pray
that nothing breaks and we
can get this fish to the boat.
Jarrett: Whoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!
Oh, never easy.
Tj: Oh, wait, it wasn't in.
Hold on.
Jarrett:
We're gonna get tight.
Tim: Yep.
Good, we're gonna get tight.
Tj: Bro. Holy [bleep].
Here comes your first drop.
Tangled up?
It's the bird line.
I see the fish glowing.
I might have to leader
him again, jarrett.
Tim: That's not
the first drop.
Tj: It is, but it's
all just tangled.
Jarrett: Wow, what a [bleep].
Tj: You're gonna have to
just get him to the block
and wire it, jarrett.
All right.
Stop it there. Stop it there.
Jarrett: All right.
You want me to handline him?
Tj: Yeah,
you're gonna have to.
Tim: I'll hold this.
I'll hold this.
Tj: I can't see. I can't see.
Jarrett: He's right there.
Tim: He's right there.
Jarrett: Coming up.
Tj: I got him. Yeah.
Gaff, come on right here.
Over here, gaff!
Tim: I got a gaff.
Tj: Go get it.
Grab the gaff, quick.
Tail rope.
Tim: I've got it.
Tj: Good job, baby!
Jarrett:
We got 'em. We got 'em.
Tj: I like it when
a plan pans out, baby.
The pelicans are going west.
Tj: Made the
big run, paid off.
Tim: Wow.
Tj: You ever seen a
greenstick cluster like that
and still land the fish?
Woo-hoo!
Tim: What a beauty.
Jarrett: He's a big fish,
oh, man.
Tim: Oh, he's 100-inches easy.
Jarrett: Gave us a
run for our money.
Thank you, buddy.
Tj: This is what
it's all about, baby.
Bluefin season obx.
Whoo, 105 baby.
Tim: Yes!
Jarrett: Nice!
Tj: Good job.
Jarrett: Nice work, buddy.
Tim: All right, brother.
Jarrett: All right.
Tj: I'm buying
the tequila, baby!
Jarrett: All right.
Tim: I'm in.
Tj [over radio]:
Got 'em on the stick.
Bobby: Tj just got one on
the [bleep] greenstick.
I don't like the greenstick.
I think guys lose
fish more often and I
think it burns the fish.
We won last year
without the greenstick,
other guys may need it,
but we don't.
Brian: Got the lines
in the water and we're just
gonna see what happens.
Bobby:
End game, brian. End game.
Zack: That's just the
little, the little price
we pay with a small boat,
we're not able to mount
a 40-foot long green pole
to the front of our boat.
Ain't gonna happen.
This t top's not gonna
support that pole, but we
can catch them with the rods.
Greg: On this boat,
most all of our bites
are on long rigger.
It's been working
for me for years,
and I don't change
it if it's not broken.
Billon: Keep it simple,
go with what works.
Greg: A lot of the
fish we used to catch
'em on the stick.
Billon: Wee!
Greg: And you could
still get the bite.
But it seems to me like
the fish have gotten bigger
and you see it every day,
people break them off left
and right on the greenstick.
There's just too
much pressure.
Getting the bite is one thing,
but the bottom line is you
got to get them in the boat.
I'll take my
chances with the rod.
Dave: My second trip here,
come in with another fish.
That'd be nice.
We'll show these guys
how to catch 'em.
They can catch 'em on
their hydraulic greensticks,
we'll catch them
the artisanal way.
On the dot-com, we
don't have a greenstick.
I'm down here for one year.
I'm not gonna go and
make the investment of
putting a greenstick on,
you know, it's just
something we don't have.
I believe that I can fish
just as good if not better
just using rod and reel.
Paul: It seems to be a
big factor in the morning
is the greenstick bite.
We don't have it.
I'm sure next year
he'll try to put it on this
boat if he comes here again.
Dave: Truthfully, I don't
know how to use it, you know.
But I do know how to
fish with a rod and a reel.
Sandro: That's a tough
way to start the morning.
Dave: You got soaked.
Sandro: I hope that that's
not a sign of things to come.
Dave: So we're just gonna have
to adapt and do what we can.
Just dry off in the cabin.
Sandro: Any second.
Dave: Whoa,
look at that, come on.
Dude, that's a
big stack of fish.
Paul: There's probably
Dave: That's pretty cool
marking pods of fish like that.
Sandro: We need another bite.
Paul: Here he comes.
Come on, baby.
Dave: We're gonna
get him here.
[reel clicking]
[reel unspooling rapidly]
paul: We're on!
Get him! Get him!
Dave: There he goes.
Sandro: Damn.
Paul: Oh, man.
He's smoking the rod.
Sandro: He's taking line.
Dave: Get him, sanchi.
Sandro: Let's see
what we got here today.
Paul: Took all that line.
He's got a little
weight to it.
Sandro: Yeah, he's
definitely a keeper.
Paul: It's a big one.
Sandro: For sure. Not again.
Doing a lot of head shaking.
Go slow.
Sandro: It feels weird.
Oh, he's all wrapped up.
I don't know how long
this line's going to hold up.
Paul: Did we lose him?
I think he's gone.
Go slow.
Paul: I'm gonna pray
right here for you.
Sandro: It feels weird.
Oh, he's all wrapped up.
Paul: Did we lose him?
I think he's gone.
Nope he's still there. Nice!
Sandro: Got him
in a good pinwheel now.
Dave: Come on, we
can show these guys
that we can do this.
Here he comes, gaff, paul!
Here it is, get him!
Sandro: It's a nice one.
Dave: Coming right here.
Paul: Ready, sandro?
Sandro: Yeah!
Paul: Yeah! That was awesome!
Sandro: That was cool.
Dave: I'm proud of us
so far this season...
All right.
Let's pull him in.
We're adapting to fishing
down here and we don't
even need that greenstick.
Whoo!
We have two fish.
I couldn't be more happy.
Sandro: 87!
Paul: 87 inches, yeah!
Sandro: Nice! That's cool.
Dave: All right.
We'll take it.
We got him gloucester style.
That was the quickest
bluefin bite ever.
Tj: We're back.
Obx sea monster, baby.
What's shaking, mary?
Mary: Hey, welcome back again.
Tj: That was so rough.
Mary: Was it?
Tj: We struggled for
a while, but we earned it.
Mary: Bring him up
here and check him out.
Tj: All right.
Tim: What do we got, mare?
Mary: 491 pounds,
dressed guys.
Tim: Whoa. Big one.
Tj: All right, let's
hope the quality is there.
Tim: Yeah, let's
hope he's good, man.
Tj: All right. Do it.
Mary: Let's check it out.
Tj: Right now greenstick
is definitely paying off.
I'm surprised more of these
guys haven't gotten on that
program because right now it's
putting fish on the deck.
Mary: All right.
Tim:
Let's check him out, mare.
Mary: Well, I
really like the color.
It's not as much
fat I was hoping for.
I wouldn't call it greasy.
It's not as clear
as I'd like to see.
Tj: So, what are you thinking?
[sighs]
mary: $9 a pound.
Tj: All right, mary.
Thanks so much. Nice seeing you.
Tim: Thank you
very much, mary.
Mary: See you tomorrow.
Tj: We hope so too.
See ya.
That's not a great price.
That being said, we are
getting fish onboard.
We just got to keep it
up and we'll be on top
of the fleet in no time.
Tim: We got to catch more.
Sandro: Oh, payday, baby.
Dave: The moment of truth,
right here.
Scott: What's up, dave?
Dave: What's up, scott?
Number two. 87-inches!
We got it late
last night, all right.
Unfortunately at
one a day right now.
Scott: Yeah.
Dave: Take the afternoon off
and we'll go back out tonight.
Scott: All right.
Let's check it out.
Dave: When we came down here,
everybody said that
we were gonna get smoked.
Paul: What a beauty, right?
Dave: And right now we're
proving them different.
What's the dress
weight, scott?
Scott: 220-pounds, dressed.
Dave: I'll take it.
Paul: Yeah.
Scott: We'll have to
check out the tail cut and core.
Dave: All right, let's do it.
Scott: All right, guys.
Kind of surprised
in this fish.
I mean, there's no fat in it.
Paul: Yeah.
Scott: But I'm surprised
that the color is super red.
You can see it.
Paul: How's the core looking?
Scott: You guys
ready to check it out.
Dave: Yup.
Paul: That's nice.
Scott: That actually
doesn't look too bad at all.
Sandro: No.
Dave:
What do you think,
what can you do?
Scott: All that
being said, dave...
$14 a pound.
Dave: Wow, I'll
take that all day long.
That's good.
Paul: Hell, yeah.
Scott: All right, you guys.
Dave: All right, thanks, scott.
Appreciate it.
Thank you very much.
Thank you. See ya.
Scott: See ya later.
Dave: Because of one a day,
we can't put lines in
the water until midnight
and that gives these guys,
you know, the advantage.
This will once
again as most seasons,
be a race to the end.
Paul: Dude, that's awesome.
Dave: That's the fish
we needed right there and
we're gonna get the day off.
Tyler: All right, merm.
Let's try and get something.
Marissa: How much
should I let out?
Tyler: Into the
dacron a little bit.
We really can't get a break.
Terrible.
It's a big investment
and a gamble coming
down here every winter,
but I do it because
I have faith that we're
gonna catch fish and
make it happen.
I might be starting
to lose that faith.
Come on, bluefins.
Marissa: Come on.
We need one.
Tyler: All we can
do is put in the time
and pray for a bite.
Come on.
Where's the mark?
There they are.
Marissa: We marked one?
Tyler: I think they're
probably bigeyes.
Maybe we'll get a bite though.
Come on, tuna.
[reel unspooling]
um...
[reel unspooling]
we might be tight.
Oh, something's on there.
Merm, we hooked something.
It's a bigeye.
Merm, we got bigeye on.
Go out there.
Marissa: All right. Hooked up.
I'm cranking.
[beeping]
tyler: Oh, [bleep].
Oh, [bleep] tuna mark.
Keep cranking, merm.
That's the [bleep] mark
we want right there.
We're fishing too.
We're still fishing.
Long riggers are out.
Keep reeling bigeye, merm.
[reel unspooling rapidly]
we're on! The right one.
Go to your right one.
This is the right one.
We're doubled up!
Right one.
Tyler: I got bigeye on
and I hooked two giants.
Got a double on.
We're doubled up.
Right one!
Oh, my god, I got bigeye
on and I hooked two giants.
Got a double on.
Got the mark under me too,
tyler [over radio]:
40 fathom, 7-60.
Tj: How did he hook two
giants fighting a bigeye?
Tim: I have no idea.
Tj: Tyler just hooked
up a double up here.
Guys are getting bit.
Marissa: Tyler! Tyler!
Tyler: Whoa!
Did we lose this one?
I think we lost everything.
[bleep], lost 'em both.
[bleep]!
They were the right ones.
You lost yours too.
Oh, my god.
Crotch break.
Oh, we burned 'em off.
We hooked a double.
That line crossed with another
line and we burned it off.
Reel in this one.
Probably same
thing happened.
Marissa: It's devastating.
Tyler: We can't get a break.
Marissa: No, we really can't.
Greg: You can't let nick's
couple fish bother you.
I mean, he's off
to a good start.
Billon: You can't let nick,
in general, bother you.
Greg: I never do.
Why do you think I fired him?
Billon: I know that.
Greg: Go out here
and go fishing.
Nick's doing very well.
He's definitely gonna be
my toughest competition.
I sort of knew it going in.
And now I can see it's real.
This year, he's got the
jump on us and he's getting
bites when nobody else is.
Doesn't make any difference
what you did in the past.
It's what you do
now that counts.
These fish got to move
in here and we got to get
to work on them, otherwise,
we'll just be a has been.
Nick [over radio]: Hey, frenzy.
Do you miss me?
Need me back?
Greg [over radio]: Yeah.
You might have to come over here
and bring your stick with you.
Nick: Yeah.
I could see you over
there, you got one on.
You just got to get it rigged.
Greg: It's hard to get
rid of the first string
just because they're not
performing right now.
Greg [over radio]:
They'll come around.
Greg: There's no doubt
in my mind that nick's
got a target on the frenzy.
Who wouldn't want to
beat their old boss?
I'm marking the [bleep]
out of them right here,
Hell of a mark right here.
Whoo.
Dirty: Come on, big boy.
Damn. There he is.
Billon: Got 'em on.
Greg: How about that, dirty?
Dirty: I touched that
rod and it went off.
I come over to check
the drag on the rod and
it popped out of the pin.
Feel like king midas.
Greg: Okay.
We're back in business.
Holding one.
Bobby: Frenzy's tight.
Brian: Oh, they
just got tight?
Got to shake this funk, man.
Daniel: We need a bite.
Zack: Yeah we do.
What in the world?
Tyler: Wow, I suck.
What did I do to
the tuna gods?
Marissa: I don't get it.
Nick: Quaking in
my boots over here.
I'm not worried about greg
in the least little bit.
Not even this much.
Billon: Funny fish.
Greg: Come on, baby.
Let's get this thing done.
Billon: He's acting weird.
He's taking line one minute
and then coming back up.
Greg: He's not
doing much at all.
This could be something
like, could be a bigeye.
You never know.
Maybe we'll find out if
it's the right thing.
Billon: Oh, please lord.
Dirty: Leader's right here.
He's coming.
Billon:
What's it looking like?
Dirty: Acting like a tuna.
Greg: Ha. Surprising.
Billon: Got to catch him.
Swivel.
Coming right up here.
Greg: There you go.
Billon: Going under the
boat a little bit, there.
Dirty: Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah.
Billon: Get him, get him!
Dirty: Missed him.
Billon: Oh, my god.
Point blank.
Greg: Hold on.
Hold on. Hold on. Hold on.
Billon: Careful.
Let's not lose him here.
Dirty: I got the tail.
Greg: Look at that customer.
Billon: Crazy, baby.
Greg: I think our luck's
turning around, boys.
We needed this fish.
I hate falling behind
and I really hate falling
behind to little shell
talking a big game
with his greenstick.
I don't need a stick
and I don't need nick.
Dirty: Just like that.
Greg: We can take
the measurement.
All right. Right there.
Billon: 90, I like it. Whoo!
Dirty: Right back in it.
I'm gonna cook some
bacon and make some blts.
Greg: Okay.
We're going to the western.
Billon: Quick and easy.
Greg: Frenzy's back.
Billon: Whoo!
Dennis: A little
smaller today it looks.
Greg: I mean, he's a 90 incher.
A little bit skinny though.
Dennis: Can't get
a stud every time.
Greg: No.
Dennis: All right.
Well, let's see what
this one looks like.
Greg: All right. Cool.
Let's get him off the boat.
Dennis: Let's do it.
Greg: Right now, we're
all gunning for the top spot.
You can't count anyone out,
but we're gonna do whatever
we can to catch
a fish every trip.
Try and catch up to nick.
All right.
What do we got?
Dennis: 273 pounds
dressed, men.
Greg: Every one adds up.
Let's take a look at him,
let's see what we got.
What do we got?
Dennis: Definitely
see some fat in here.
Greg: It actually
does have some fat.
Dennis: And the tail
color's not bad at all.
Greg: Good things
in small packages.
That's what we need.
Dennis:
The core's not perfect.
A little pale.
Greg: What are we gonna get?
Dennis:
Ten bucks a pound, guys.
Greg: I was hoping for a
little bit more, but thank you.
Dennis: Happy to get him.
Thank you.
Greg: Hopefully, we'll
get one for you tomorrow.
Dennis: All right.
Thank you, guys. Good luck.
Billon: Thanks, dennis.
Greg: Over the past
few years, we've been
the top boat down here.
We might be a little
bit behind right now,
but we're not gonna give up
and the rest of them know it.
Billon: Oh,
that was beautiful.
Come do it again tomorrow.
Tyler [over radio]:
We're too desperate right now.
I don't know.
We just suck.
Tj [over radio]:
Don't be afraid to put
that wand in the air, man.
I had two bites on it,
nick had two bites on it.
It's a wand kind of day, bro.
Tyler: I messed through.
If I, if I go through
'em one more time
and I don't get 'em,
I'll put the wand up.
I'm over it.
Marissa: I'm not over it.
We're not giving up.
Our turn is coming.
Tyler: We're the only
boat in the fleet to
not catch a fish yet.
The fisherman part of
my brain is telling me
to be patient and
the fish will come,
but the competitive part
of my brain is screaming,
"you suck,
you suck, you suck."
let's do a little bait check.
[beeping]
marissa:
Huge marks! Huge marks!
Tyler: We need this, merm.
We need this.
We got to get this one.
Come on, tuna.
[beeping]
[reel clicking]
[reel unspooling rapidly]
we're on!
Marissa: What? We're on?
Tyler:
The right one.
The right one.
This is the right one.
It's him.
We got a big one on!
It's the right one!
It's him. Whoo!
Marissa: This is the
really deal this time.
It's him. Hydros! Hydros!
Clear your lines.
Clear your lines.
Burning us down.
Marissa: Hydros are on.
Tyler: All right.
Clear the lines fast.
We got a big one on. Whoo.
All day working, merm.
All day. Never stop.
Marissa: We're on!
This is the real
deal this time.
Tyler: We have to
catch this fish.
I did not spend all this
money coming down here to
be embarrassed by these guys.
Come here, mermy.
We need to turn our
season around now.
Let's go, merm.
Marissa:
Feels like a big fish.
He's taking a lot of line.
He has a lot of strength.
Feels like a heavy fish.
Tyler: Rods are bending now.
Things are happening.
Marissa:
We're getting dialed in.
Tyler: This is the
all-stars, baby.
I'm gonna kick butt.
Ain't no one better
than the pinwheel.
I'm trying not
to get you wet.
Marissa: I know.
I don't care.
As long as we get this fish.
Tyler: That's my girl.
That's my sister. Easy.
Marissa:
He's straight up and down.
He's trying to swim
down get some line back.
I can tell he's getting tired.
Tyler: He's coming up now.
Keep reeling.
Marissa: I'm on it.
Tyler: Come on, merm.
Let's get this. Laser focus.
Come on, come on.
Let's get the swivel here.
Give me a dart shot.
We're long overdue.
It's a long ride down
here from new England.
I want to see some bluefin.
Keep coming. Wait.
Color, tuna.
Keep coming. Keep reeling.
Marissa: There he is.
Tyler: Bring him out.
Big tuna. Big tuna.
Big tuna. Let it go.
Nice and easy, nice and easy.
Marissa: Get the harpoon.
Tyler: Easy, easy.
We really need this one.
Marissa: Get him, ty.
Tyler: Come here.
Marissa: Drill him! Hit him!
Tyler: Yes!
Marissa: Whoo!
Tyler: Big tuna. Tail wrap.
Marissa:
Whoo! Tail wrap. Tail wrap.
Tyler: We got him! Whoo!
Marissa: Whoo!
Tyler: Yes!
Marissa: Finally.
Tyler:
So happy. [bleep] finally.
Oh, man. Did we pay
our dues for this one.
Marissa: We're on the board.
Tyler: We're on the board.
We can compete with
these guys now.
The tuna gods are
finally shining down on us.
They made us earn it.
This is the momentum
we needed to be able to
get this season going.
I know that we're fishing
against the best of the best,
but we are the best of
the best and getting off
to a slow start is
not going to stop us.
Marissa: All right.
Tyler: Let's bring
him aboard, merm.
Big fish.
Marissa: Whoa, he's a jumbo.
Tyler: He's a freaking beast.
Let's measure this pig.
This is a pig.
Marissa: What do you got, ty?
Tyler: 89, whoo!
Marissa: Whoo!
Nice work, ty.
Tyler: Way to go, merm.
We're kicking butt.
Marissa: We really, we really
worked hard for this guy.
Tyler: We got this.
Marissa: Whoo!
Tyler:
Ain't no one beating us.
Let's get to the buyer
and get back out here.
Marissa:
It's a good first fish.
Tyler: What up, d-bone?
Hi, mary.
Mary: Hey, how's it going?
Tyler: We were starting
to get nervous.
Dennis: You needed one today.
Tyler: Badly.
Hopefully, it's
worth some money.
Dennis: All right,
let's see what you got.
Tyler: It's the worst-case
scenario for us to
start the season behind the
rest of the fleet.
The last thing you
want to be doing at the
beginning of the season
is playing catch up.
We got our first fish this
season and it's game on.
We're coming for these guys.
What do you got for weight?
Dennis: 339 pounds
dressed, tyler.
Tyler: Beautiful,
that's nice for an 89-incher.
Dennis: Let's check it out.
Pretty nice fish to
kick off the season.
Tyler: Oh, yeah.
Look at that.
Dennis: I see some
fat marbled through
the both majors here.
You can see some really,
really beautiful
oily meat here.
Tyler: Perfect.
Dennis: The tail
color is very good,
but mary saw a little
rainbow here in the center,
so I'm slightly
concerned about that.
Let's see what the
core looks like.
The core is clear now.
I'm not seeing yaki.
Tyler: What do you
think you can do for me?
Dennis: $14 a pound to you guys.
Tyler: Whoo.
First fish. Good first fish.
Happy to have it.
Thank you very much.
Appreciate it, buddy.
Have a good one.
Thanks, mary.
Marissa: Thank you.
Mary: Great job.
Tyler: That's a
good first step.
Not as great as I
would have liked for our
first fish of the season,
but the ice is broken and
we're gonna sneak up on
everybody like
stone-cold assassins.
All right, merm.
It's gonna be game
on from here on out.
Narrator:
Little shell captain,
nick gowitzka,
knocks his former employer
fishin' frenzy out of the
top spot with
his $6,000 payday,
while northern legend,
fishing vessel-tuna.Com's
small fish isn't enough
to maintain their position.
And pinwheel's first
fish of the season rockets
them off of the bottom.
Greg: Looks like all the
northern boats have officially
come to play this season.
[groans]
greg [over radio]: You know,
you're really putting the
pressure on me now, tj.
Tj: I know.
Isn't it a horrible feeling?
Greg [over radio]:
You know what that means?
Tj: We just got to take
"stick gowitzka" out of the mix.
Greg: I know.
Tyler: Can we just take
his stick and put it
in storage somewhere?
Greg: Get tyler to swing you
up there and cut it together.
Tj: We got to do something
to slow him down.
Nick: They can call me
"nick the stick" all they want.
They ain't calling
me no pelican,
and I ain't in the
last place, I'm in first.
So stick that up.
[laughs]
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07x02 - Stick 'Em
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American reality television series about commercial tuna fishermen based in the Outer Banks who fish for the lucrative Atlantic bluefin tuna off the coast of North Carolina.
American reality television series about commercial tuna fishermen based in the Outer Banks who fish for the lucrative Atlantic bluefin tuna off the coast of North Carolina.