8/8-9 Atlantis

**backman** · 08-10-2009 12:30 PM

Timed the weather window perfectly; made crew and set out on a weekend overnight Sat at 8. We ran towards Atlantis; passed the 67-74 degree break in the Lanes and set up about 5 miles below it on the 1st life (birds) we saw. We had a 15-20 pound mahi in the boat within 5 minutes so the birds were on their game that day.

We worked S for ~20 miles with a steady pick of 10-15 pound mahi and 20-30 pound yellowfin, all of which got tossed back. We set in at noon and had at least a dozen hookups by 2; good bite, albeit small.

Working S into Atlantis we found what seemed to be dead water; crossed it back and forth; with a small yellow or two along the way. Risso's dolphins (no they are not beluga whales..) were rolling on the east wall amidst a few slicks but we found nothing there. At dusk near the tip all the skipjack in the world rose up to the surface; no signs of anything else; but a sign of a good place to camp for the night.

we set up in 1000' off the west wall and by dumb luck had a perfect 3 mile SW drift before going up onto the flats by the SW corner. I couldn't have planned much better.

Dozing at the helm ~11 I see Jackson pointed over with a bent rod; he's got a mako on which ate the bait at the boat and which is now hanging out about 10' off the stern looking ready to join us in the cockpit. Fortunately it goes to port; then forward and under the boat; Jackson almost went overboard to dig it out; there it was on the other side trying to eat a balloon ! A few runs and a bit of a tussle for jackson and it politely released itself for another play.

OK - night is now fun so I join Jackson in the cockpit. At midnight the next shark shows up; long and thin - fast - its a hammerhead; the 1st I have ever seen. Jackson kicks its butt; it gives up politely and lays boatside for a good look before we cut it off.

I think the next shark was mako which released itself the second I got belted up. Or maybe it was the 40 pound yellowfin Mark fought and gaffed. It was a long night. I went to bed at 1; woke at 1:30 to tail thumping, another decent yellow on the deck. Lay for an hour, then the boys were fighting something or other so I joined them. Jackson went down at 3; then the real fun started.

The Hydroglow (tm) had attracted small 1" baits all night; somewhere after that it turned into a whirling and rotating school of thousands looking like Blue Planet in the blue light. Something was pushing it.

I dipped a couple; then got the bright idea to raise the Hydroglow up to the surfaceat which point I started dipping 1/2 pound nets of hundreds. I dumped those into the empty chunk bucket; flipped the net off the transom to get the last few out before going back for more. Mark started noticing flashes and boils. Hookup on a mackerel chunk of a small yellowfin; hookup on a squid of another one. We started to see schools of skipjack and yellowfin; grey skipjacks and dark yellowfin fly through the clear still water like piscine birds to eat every stray 1" bait that was out of the school. Just as squid "fly" by the boat in the lights; the mixed school would flash by; the water so clear and calm it seemed they were like swallows dipping in air to catch their prey.

Around that time Mark was futzing with another 25 yellowfin at the transom when Mr Hammerhead # 2 showed up; the yellowfin went; left, then right with the hammerhead turning on a dime to follow, Mark gave it some slack and it took off for the dark with the hammerhead on it like a wolf. the rod bent more; the drag sang faster and Mark got back a frayed leader. It ate it whole!

Livelining yellowfins to hammerheads; the new blood sport

About 4 I got bored with Mark catching all the fish, picked up the jigging rod and tied on an old school non tackle shop 20$ jig profit maker. Plain old rusty hook.

The 3 oz. Crippled Herring made it to 50' before getting whacked as I went tight on a 25 pound yellow. My crew was busy with his own fish, I was slow on my feet and lost it on the tabs. Oh well; on went the next Crip and this time I was faster and boated and released my own 25# fish. Another one on the jig while Mark continued to liveline a yellowfin in hopes of more fun.

The skippies and yellows continued their flyby's.

Enough light in the east to see by. "What's that fin". Big 3' sickle; little teeny fin tip a few feet forward; I've seen that picture before! We have a blue marlin 50' off the boat out in what was the shadow line watching the proceedings. Unfortunately it didn't come after Mark's yellow....

On the troll after that; banged and released another yellow; up near the tip again; skippies on the surface; troll through and bam/bam double knockdown which I got on video of a matched pair of 50# yellows. In and out of skippies after that; far more of them than the odd yellow, but still a steady pick. I moved up to 500' on the flats found a school of porpoise on skipjack; trolled into them and saw a triangle tip and tail tip. I thought it was a blue, but video seems to show a white's more rounded dorsal. It was not a shark. One pass; two boils and no hookups; a 2nd pass and the long center bird/bally combo got blasted; this time with the best yellow of the trip. Boated it; looked for the white for a while and at 9 decided to call it a day. Got the boat up to 25 knots; observed stable gauges and started to clean up when something sounded different.

I had enough time to go to the helm, ask Mark "does that sound right" get an answer "it sounds like a dry exhaust" before alarms started going off. Mark pulled back; we shut down within a minute and sat there (me at least) scared of an engine room fire.

I got a location and status - engine overheat/possible fire to a buddy boat while we continued to sit, no smoke though a definite burning smell. The engine alarm was screaming - gauges showed port OK; starboard at 238 degrees - not good.

40 13/70 13 - 7 miles from Mutton Shoal Red can/88 from the dock. Jackson and Mark pulled the fish box; no smoke underneath; raw water intake fine, no signs of fire. With some trepidation I raised the engine hatch, making what could have been a fatal mistake and leaving the life raft in the cabin. Fortunately there was no fire; if there was; getting the raft over the lifted hatch could have been a problem.

Mark went in and immediately saw a shredded belt - no problem. I carry 2 of those as well as a toolkit and manual. the manual was useless "adjust the tensioner to blah blah.." so we fumbled with tools while Mark took a look. he found the tensioner stiff; I took a look and saw it warped off center; I don't carry one of those so it was going to be a long ride home.

We plotted time and distance to Poge versus Gay Head; considered tide and chose Poge; 65 miles to Mutton Shoal Red can; playing with the port engine I was able to get 6.3 to 6.5 knots without putting what I considered stress on the engine. I could get 7 to 7.5 knots with some turbo boost but didn't like the sound - with one engine down we wanted to keep the other one happy - slow and steady. We plotted and made a 7:30 arrival at the can; an 8:20 arrival at the lighthouse and 9:40 at the falmouth jetties; we kept our appointment over 13 hours within 5 minutes; all credit to Otto for keeping us on such a steady course the whole way.

We caught either 4 or 5 more fish on the way home why is it when you don't care and are trolling a 4 rod lackisaisical spread you can't keep em off but when you want hem you can't raise a 1?

All in all; problems not withstanding; it was a great trip, canyon trips are never just about fishing; its the total experience that sets them apart from a day trip and this was a pretty good set of experiences to enjoy as well as learn from.

**shoefish** · 08-10-2009 12:38 PM

It sounds like a roller coaster of emotions Larry- glad there was a happy ending to your story and you and your crew got back safe and sound with a boat full of fish.

**austin ensor** · 08-10-2009 12:42 PM

sounds like a good time to me.

**Albatross32** · 08-10-2009 12:50 PM

Great report Lawrence and crew of the SkipJack!! Sorry about the boat troubles and the long ride in. As you said - its part of the game.....

You're fishing your balls off this summer and making it happen. Nice work!

**On The Edge** · 08-10-2009 01:05 PM

Well you got home safe, nailed the weather window, caught some good fish, and had an over all great experience.
Too bad about the engine trouble, hope the excessive heat did not hurt anything..
Congrats on the great outing