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| Subject: Week of tuna fishing | |
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Author: Jim Day |
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Date Posted: 1003676387PDT Fished my skiff in the 302 371 area Monday and Wednesday, then fished the same area with Norm "BellyBuster" on Friday. Damage my boat: Seven Yellow fin tuna all 30 lb. plus... Three paddy Dorado around ten pounds. All bait fish. Damage Norms Parker: Several albies (smallish) and a bunch of skippies. All fish on multiple jig strikes. pics: Tuna and Dorado pics... Tuna and Dorado pics... Tuna and Dorado pics... Tuna and Dorado pics... Tuna and Dorado pics... Tuna and Dorado pics... Tuna and Dorado pics... Tuna and Dorado pics... Tuna and Dorado pics... Tuna and Dorado pics... Tuna and Dorado pics... Tuna and Dorado pics... Monday scratched around all day chasing Breaking fish in the 302 371 area. Had a number of strikes but only hooked two late in the day just before dark. Line shy and boat shy. Both were hooked on dines 17 lb. fluorocarbon with baits soaked in front of crashing fish. The trick was to watch the bait stay in front of it and when the tuna started crashing toss. Was tempted to work out to the 390 but stuck to the area. I finally did pay off. On the way to Dennis's I blew a right front tire on the truck. Spent Tuesday getting tires and buying tackle. Great to have a safe place to leave the rig. Wednesday limited on good fish all over thirty pounds several pushing forty. I kind of had it down. Hooked three early but one pulled the hook after almost an hour. Long story... These fish were right on the numbers from Monday. I'd just pulled up to a my first paddy and a was rigging up more rods when the my light bait rod went off. Decked the fish tossed out two more baits and dug out the camera. While I was messing around I heard a huge splash right at the stern I looked up only to see the second rod get nailed with a huge crash as well. I fought one but kept an eye on the other one, keeping the line tight with the boat. After about thirty minutes I managed to deck the first and started working the second. I was chuckling to myself and thinking an easy limits when the second fish came unbuttoned right at the gaff. The hooked just pulled, I guess at almost an hour he'd just been on too long. Only YFT I lost all week and right at the boat. Never found the paddy or same school again. Had several short strikes with teeth marks but no hookups. My theory is they can't see as well in the early morning or evening. All the YFT I have hooked have been either before 9:00 am or after four PM. It pays to stay late for these fish. To waist time I trolled and looked for paddies. Worked north up toward the upper 9 and the location where I got fish last week. Found several paddies holding Dorado, but no yellows. Ended up taking three peanuts and lost one bull about twenty. I should remind people here that the Mex limit is one. I'm not sure what the legality of zig zagging the border is and later was kicking myself back in Mexican waters for taking three. About four I was back in the numbers again and found them. Three fish all picked up about forty minutes apart from the exact same location. Anyone fish the "Voyager" Wednesday? They were about a hundred feet away heading for home when I hooked my second fish off this school. I called up on the radio but they didn't slow down. Sevearl guys on deck saw the whole thing though. Must of wondered what Iwas doing out there in a little skiff. After the third fish I was beat. Forty minute fights on forty pound fish will get to you. That seventeen floro works but man it sets you up for a long fight on these fish. The wind came up throwing cross chop into the equation. It was all I could do to make ten knots in the dark. Finally it got so wet I went down to one engine and cruised in at six knots. To be honest I had to. The left engine (Upwind) got so wet the kill circuit shorted out. I knew what it was but figured it was just as well to slow down. Great to have two engines Didn't get to D's until after midnight, I decided to sleep in then head back up Thursday. Woke late cleaned the rig then ran into Dennis as he came back from N.M. He drove 12 hours straight to get back to fishing. You got to appreciate the dedication. We made tentative plans for next week then I headed North. I just got home when Norm called. I'm a sucker couldn't say no, besides I owe him one. Friday was sloppy. Didn't find fish right away in fact scratched all morning. Worked my area then south to the 390. If I had it to do again I'd of pushed harder to stay on the numbers. The yellow fin are still there, I can just feel it. As it was we scratched up small albies and numerous skippies on jig strikes. Most of our fish were around the 371 just south of where I was fishing all week. By four we were back on my turf but never found the yellow fin. With the sloppy conditions it was hard to slow troll. Jig strikes on these fish have been few and far between. I think your better off working bait if you have the patience. It will be interesting to see what goes on next week. If it calms down a little I'll be back out there again. I don't like posting numbers for Yellowfin but if you want them E-mail I've got plenty. Tight lines Jim [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ] |