made a gentleman's 11 hr dock to dock trip back to the hot water bubble north of the Dump yesterday.
We delayed departure till 5:30 so I could see what was coming at me going through Muskegat. Smart move w/ the NW wind. Surprisingly the worst part of the channel was at Poge; the throat by Mutton Shoal was close to flat. 4' rollers kept me to 20 knots south of there; not a big deal with only a 20 mile steam to lines in.
Last week's hot water was gone; I headed to last Tuesday's numbers in the Star; put in at 40 58 N when the water jumped from 66 -> 69. Trolling SE w/ the wind at our back we had a good runoff which turned into a typical NE 30-40 pound "little" wahoo which was good fun for the crew on a TLD and in sporty conditions. 4 swipes w/ a gaff and the line still wasn't cut! Water stayed a flat 69.something as we worked further S; no hot bubble, little life. About a mile N of the line of the Dump we had another good runoff on a bballyhoo pinned to the transom; the one next to it was also cut in half at the same time. Wahoo pack attack. This one was larger and had shoulders; Team Skipjack was on their game and hit it with the hockey stick as the line broke. In the boat and all of it minus about 4" of tail fit into the fishbox; I'm guessing 60#+; length was ~ 64" based on the 4" overhang
I stopped heading S as the partial temp shot I had from the night before showed cooler water past the line of the Dump; instead I worked W towards the NE corner. Water temps "climbed" to 72.1 but again, no break and no life.
Talked to another boat coming up from the dump w/ the same report and turned north into the 31 fathom hole; still flat 72.1 degree water.
We had a good runoff that turned into a 3' mako pup; all attitude which had eaten a heavy jethead. It came aboard bejweled with a 12/0 circle hook on crimped 400# mono which had been cut. Escapee from Chompers?
We took back its jewelry; its gratitude was to bite the boat, my rod leashes and go after Mike's hand. Its released to go eat a few baby bluefin.
After the 31 fathom hole I worked N, couldn't find the cold side break and started picking up monster false albacore; onesies and twosies; some fun on the TLD's but not what we were looking for.
Went east around the 72 degree "bubble" which was blue gray and lifeless and worked S along the 69 degree edge looking for a wahoo repeat. Nothing but fat albert.
Pulled the plug at 3 PM and was at the fuel dock at 4:30. Not a bad trip for 85 gallons of fuel and a 90 minute/38 mile run.
Of course when i got home Terrafin's 3 AM shot told me what i should have done after the 2nd wahoo.
TLD 25's are just such cool reels. They make the Falsies fun and they can hammer sub-100 pound tuna as well. That Wahoo must have smoked a ton of line. Load 'em with braid and they are a perfect reel for those fish.
It is too bad that the break seems to be washing out a bit. I may give it one more go this weekend. But it is too far off to plan that right now.
SE corner of the dump looks good. If that connected bubble stays connected and continues on were it is headed it may become the next water to be fishy in close..
"A" for effort LB. 2 hoo that close is still amazing. Nice work!!
Watching the long weekend weather for a short trip..
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