800-Pound Giant Bluefin Tuna Caught South of Newport

(Above) Kelly Langion-Milano-Milano lays alongside the giant bluefin she and a group of friends caught aboard Newport Sportfishing Charters.

It was just before sundown on Sunday, October 16th when a crew of four anglers from Long Island, fishing aboard Newport Sportfishing Charters, hooked into a giant bluefin tuna south of Newport.

For Captain Rob Taylor, a 35-mile trip south is a far run from his homeport of Newport, Rhode Island. Luckily, the crew of anglers on board from Long Island—didn’t mind changing their plans and making the long offshore run when Captain Rob mentioned a possible giant tuna hunt.

Kelly-Langion Milano, Tommy Lee and Joe Mole traveled to Rhode Island for what was initially a tautog fishing trip. Rhode Island is known for some of the best tautog fishing in the northeast, and despite the state’s pedigree for giant crab-crushers, the anglers were open to changing their game plan.

After traveling south toward the tuna grounds, the first stop was to catch bluefish for the livewell, which they would use as bait for bluefin tuna. Shortly thereafter, they set out the first live bluefish, which was quickly taken by a mako shark estimated to weigh around 150 to 200 pounds. Not soon after, a much larger mako in the 400-pound range took their bait, then a blue shark joined in on the bluefish buffet. As their baits were picked off, hope began to dwindle, but a no-quit attitude goes a long way when it comes to hunting giant bluefin tuna.

If there’s anyone who knows about a no-quit attitude, it is Kelly Langion-Milano. Earlier this year, Kelly nearly beat the Women’s World Record Tautog in the 30-pound line class with an 18-pound beast that she caught in Maryland.

As the day went on, Captain Rob and the team of anglers noticed a few substantial marks on his Humminbird fishfinder. For a while, there was nothing. Then, at 5:32 p.m., just before the sun began to set, something massive took one of the baits. The team sprung into action, clearing lines and swapping out turns to battle the fish in order to avoid fatigue.

They had already been on the water for over 12 hours. Luckily, the Penn International 130 was a perfect match for a tuna of this caliber, and after collectively fighting the fish for 55 minutes, their group brought it boatside where Captain Rob Taylor was ready with the harpoon.

The hulking tuna officially weighed in at 800 pounds and measured 116 inches in length.

It’s important to note that Captain Rob Taylor has a commercial tuna license and could sell the fish. According to regulations set by NOAA Fisheries, bluefin tuna over 73 inches in length cannot be kept by recreational anglers and must be released. 

Kelly explained that it was a group effort to land this behemoth tuna, but she wanted to catch this fish for her husband. The two of them typically go on fishing adventures together. But when her husband was hit by a drunk driver in August on his way to Montauk, that all changed. He has since undergone several major surgeries and is unable to use his dominant hand. Kelly said, “When we switched plans to target tuna, I had no idea what to expect. I’ve been doing everything I can to support him and care for him. It feels like this trip, and this fish, were a gift to us all.”

Captain Rob Taylor is one of the premiere sportfishing guides in New England. Whether he’s showing the OTW crew how to build a blitz, chasing tuna offshore, or hammering tog around Rhode Island, Captain Rob is always on the fish and finding ways to produce an incredible experience for his clients. His hunch to turn a tautog trip into a successful giant tuna hunt is a testament to his ability as a Captain, and his understanding of the surrounding fisheries.