J&M Sportfishing's New Horizon Lands Massive Bluefin Off Monterey After 45‑Minute Fight

J&M Sportfishing’s New Horizon pulled a large bluefin tuna out of deep canyon waters off Point Pinos after a roughly 45-minute fight, and the company’s March 1 Instagram post says the fish measured about 200 pounds. Captain Andrew Zazeski led the trip aboard the New Horizon out of Monterey, with lead deckhand Matt Thompson and J&M whale-watch naturalists Maddy Bliss and Isiah Foulks on board.

The group had been trolling Mad Mac lures at about 11 knots and saw nothing for nearly four hours before the strike. Captain Zazeski recalled, “We were getting ready to call it quits when the rod went off.” Bliss and Foulks had been noticing increased bluefin activity during whale-watch trips over the prior two weeks and had never caught a tuna before this outing.

After the hookup the crew fought the fish for about 45 minutes before hauling it alongside the boat. The team gaffed the tuna and pulled it aboard with coordinated effort, later saying, “We gaffed it and pulled it aboard with a huge team effort. We were all so worn out but just screamed, hugged, and high-fived for a solid 10 minutes.” The photo caption identifying the crew lists Maddy Bliss, skipper Andrew Zazeski, Isiah Foulks and lead deckhand Matt Thompson as exultant after the catch.

J&M’s Instagram account jmsportfishing posted the catch on March 1, 2026 with the caption, “Monterey bluefin… in March. We sent it today and it paid off. Measured out to around 200lbs.” The company operates from a shop on Fisherman’s Wharf in Monterey and already runs daily fishing trips and whale watching; their public materials list the booking phone number 831-372-7440.

The success has immediate business implications for the Monterey operator. J&M is seriously considering adding tuna charters to its schedule in the near future after noticing the uptick in bluefin activity in the deep canyon area. The New Horizon’s targeted run off Point Pinos follows the naturalists’ two-week observation of increased bluefin sightings while on whale-watch trips.

According to J&M’s March 1 social post and contemporaneous reporting, the trip took place Sunday, March 1, 2026. Questions remain about exact weighing procedure, final disposition of the fish, and any permitting or regulatory steps J&M will follow if it launches dedicated tuna charters.