The move by the long range fleet to install refrigerated seawater holds for keeping fish fresh for up to a week was a great boon to anglers who eat the catch. Initiated by Tim Ekstrom and Randy Toussaint, the idea has been adopted by the rest of the fleet in the past several years.

Do fish in the RSW hold lose more weight than fish in the brine spray hold? I don't know. Maybe they do, what with all the extra surface area exposed within. I know they don't lose very much weight in the brine hold, because Rollo Heyn checked that for me many years ago. We saw big tuna lose maybe a pound or two in the three days it took to come from Cabo to San Diego.

Weights made on boats at sea cause problems when they are higher than the weights made on land. Thanks to Rich Holland, who originated the "Top Ten" list for tuna, it seems now that the best thing to do is require a land-made weight for fish headed for any sort of record. Here's our email discussion from yesterday:

On January 06 2009 3:24 PM, "Rich Holland" rich@wonews.com wrote:

"Hey Bill,
(I heard some) boat weights didn't match land weights. Just so you know, every fish that was in the top 10 prior to supercow Monday was weighed on land. As you know, the IGFA only accepts weights on land. Ironically, the list was created to offset the IFGA's refusal to accept some of our big fish due to not being caught completely in accordance with their rules. The only rule I ever had was that the fish be weighed on land."
Rich

Thanks, Rich:
Many if not most of the boats are now packing certified scales. If they don't weigh their jackpot or XL tuna on the dock, I'm stuck with those weights. But after talking with skippers Patella, Ekstrom and Toussaint, I'm hopeful they will all now weigh the special fish on land. If they weigh on water and on land, I'm going with the land weight. Failing in that, like with the 368 from the Angler, I believe I'll go to the top ten list with an asterisk or a separate ranking...
Bill

On January 06, 2009 4:23 PM, "Rich Holland" wrote:

Bill,
Sounds good to me. To make it official, I hereby grant you all rights and appurtenances to the Top Ten tuna list that I initiated and name you keeper of the flame and all the glory and hazards assigned thereto.
Rich

Thanks. I am already looking for the next dumm???prospect.
Bill

Rich Holland's Blog

If you'd like to see more by Holland on this subject, check his blog:
http://www.wonews.com/Blog.aspx?id=426&AuthorID=59062&t=HEAVY%20SUBJECT