Unfortunately the 14 consisted of 12 bluefish and 2 mongo bass and the missing 2 were tuna.
Its becoming very apparent that the lackadaisical days of making random crew and going out with odds and ends and short crew no longer apply to the 60+" bluefin fishery.
Lost another 2 fish today, at least one of which would have been boatside with more crew and experienced crew.
east was dead other than the Mayor's usual ability to make something out of nothing. Last week's life was gone. We ran about a bit and headed back to Town Hall at noon - still dead.
12:30 birdpiles started appearing; I chose to troll into one a mile out versus run into it; got myself positioned perfectly on the pass after 2 boats had gone by it, laid the bars and baits just where they needed to be - a ballyhoo short turned into a bass and then a long bar with colors sorta close to the 2009 in bar color went off hard and long. Rookie angler/1st tuna, no third in the boat. I got him in the belt and on the rod and cleared.
He hung on into backing; then when I stopped started getting line back. He survived the 2nd shorter run, boat stopped to help him. Perhaps 50 yards out I started rigging the harpoon - lost my focus on him; heard "he's headshaking, he's on top" and saw the bar floating. Had I been on my game and paying attention the boat would have been moving to keep tension and he would have had a chance.
The wind picked up at 1 PM; got nasty at 2; we had released a few zillion bluefish by then when we had another "bluefish". Rod goes down, little drag "ah shit - just another bluefish" he yelled up to me in the tower when the reel started screaming the tuna song. Unprepared we got to reel in 100 yards of line to catch a pink squid bar.
The seas turned bad, once the 15' whaler left we felt alone in the 3-4's and headed for the barn. Too bad 27 nautical miles of Vineyard and Nantucket sound lay between us and the barn.
When I get a bit older I think I'm going to retire to Stellwagen to avoid the mixmaster effect
I think I offended that Whaler so he tried to keep up with us on the way in.
10-12 miles.
As the seas picked up he was catching big air.
We went back to Chatham, I think he headed to the new break.
We were not good today.
Identified action and marks away from the fleet but had no hits. ( other than bass and blues ).
First Bft skunk this year.
What was it like when you rounded the corner?
it was special. I made 22 knots from the Ledge to the Point and was going easy as I knew what was ahead. Point Rip was probably 5'; once I ran down a mile and turned to my 285 degree heading to Falmouth all hell broke loose. It was an 8 on a scale of 10. I made 16-17 knots for the 1st 8 miles and had to drop off plane for the occasional breaking 5 footer; during 1 stretch nI was down to 14 knots and still falling off the backs of seas. Once I got near the outer Bishop can I was able to change my angle just enough to make 18 knots and mostly stay in the water. past Horseshoe it lowered enough I was able to jump on top and make 23 knots. No fun.
Definately hear you on the piecemeal crew. You could pull that last year but it has changed. These fish are no joke and you need to bring you a game on them.
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KOOL !!!
...you nearly gave me a heart attack!!!!
