The Christina
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The Christina Crew
From left to right: First Mate Gregory Chorebanian, Deckhand Greg Gibbs, and Captain Kevin Leonowert
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Kevin Leonowert, Owner and Captain
Kevin Leonowert, Owner and Captain of the Christina, is somewhat unusual among Gloucester’s professional fishermen in that he does both rod-and-reel fishing and the more exacting, high-stakes method of harpooning.
“My season for harpooning starts in early June, and goes to mid-July,” he explains. “During that time, we’re covering a lot of distance. We might be in the Gulf of Maine in the morning, and in the evening we’ll be off Cape Cod. It’s a lot of traveling, a lot of coping with different weather conditions. Sometimes we’re 100 miles offshore, no contact, on our own.”
As Leonowert explains it, stalking bluefin and getting in position to spear them with a single deft shot is a painstaking, methodical process. He meticulously charts every spot where he’s harpooned bluefin, and starts each June in the exact same spot where he began 15 years ago, working through his list from there.
Behind this, he explains, is a certain logic: bluefin, who have remarkable navigational skills, are also creatures of habit who return to the same spots over and over.
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Captain Kevin
“We get a shot at them [bluefin] during the Canadian migration,” explains Owner-Captain Kevin Leonowert. “And then, in the fall, we get another shot at them on the return, with rod and reel. But harpoon is my real love. The beauty of harpooning is that you get to see the fish you’re targeting. With the hook, you catch a lot of little fish. With the harpoon, we drive up and look at them. It’s a visual type of fishing."
"We’re concentrating on certain times of day when they come up to the surface—we call that ‘showtime.’ We try to sneak up on them. Harpooning is highly technical. You either didn’t get close enough, or you threw too early, or you missed. Half of it is physical talent, and the other half is in your head. It’s like you’re in the batter’s box, except that you don’t get three strikes.” The appeal of that extreme challenge is what keeps him in the game.
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Gregory Chorebanian, First Mate
At first glance, Chorebanian may not seem like a typical member of the Gloucester fleet—he doesn’t drink, smoke, or curse—but without a doubt he is one of the area’s premier fishermen. He has more than 30 years’ experience, is licensed to run 100-ton vessels from the Canadian border all the way down to Florida, and even captains the Christina when owner Kevin Leonowert is not onboard. Chorebanian caught his first bluefin tuna in 1979: “It was the biggest fish I’ve ever caught, a 1,060-lb monstah.” He goes on to explain how fishing was much different back then: "Instead of using a rod and reel to land the fish, we used up to 600 feet of line and our bare hands. It was much more dangerous, much easier to lose a finger, or worse get caught up in the line and be pulled under."
He got his start in contract manufacturing, where the company he owned made specialty parts used in the construction of the Louvre, aerospace engineering and hip replacement pieces. But the small business wasn’t where his heart was. “My whole career, all I wanted to do was be a commercial fisherman, and I was fortunate enough to sell my business and have the finances to make my dream come true.” Now retired, he spends about 200 days a year on the water. In the summers he’s in New England fishing for bluefin, and in the winters he heads to the Florida Keys for swordfish, sailfish and blackfin tuna. Chorebanian has been married for 43 years, and spends his free time teaching his four grandchildren to fish.
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Captain Kev
Captain Kevin Leonowert aboard The Christina
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Harpooning
The crew of The Christina: First Mate Gregory Chorebanian, Deckhand Greg Gibbs, and Captain Kevin Leonowert
Capt. Kevin, the hook necklace you were wearing, any chance you'd share where you get one? Thanks
Another crew that be more successful if hey sent less time worrying and slagging off Dave, and more time actually working hard and catching their own fish like he does......
