Canyons all alone

[JJ2468]

With a suspect forecast for Sunday/Monday on NOAA that probably stopped everyone from thinking about the canyons but after looking at Fishweather and Bouyweather very carefully we thought there might be a window. After the winds switched from the SW 15-25 at about 1am we left dock at 3am with a NE10-15. The plans was to ride in the lull between the two (thred the neddle). The plan worked perfectly. There was a SW swell about 4-5 but very little wind waves. After a 120 mile steam from Newport put lines in about the SW corner of Veatch. 69-70 degree temp. No action and did not want to waste time so trolled 14 miles due south in Veatch out to the deep and that last pocket of warm water. Temp. climbed to 75-76 and once the bait was found the yft shortly after. 2 nice 70-80 on the troll and several lost chances due to lures braking off or fish just no hooking up and then quiet until the chunck. 4 more on the chunk, lost several more chances and also wasted 2 hours fighting a 8' manta that exploded on the sword bait. Started trolling for just a few hours in the morning and landed 2 more. Boated 20+ mahi as well. Weather was perfect the entire 24 hours. Best seas and winds of the entire year period. We were all alone except I made contact with one longliner and asked him to keep his radio on just in case which he did. Left early for the long steam home. Very interesting in just 24 hours there is warm water all the way up in the flats between East Atlnatis and Veatch now. 4 miles north of the edge 73 with lots of life and mahi. Well the Ohana needed one more trip this year and with few chances thought this was the best chance. Good trip and sorry no one esle was there to witness the lull between the two opposite winds. Ohana standing by

[storm petrel]

"Who has the balls, gets the glory"...... or something like that.

You rock. I am SO jealous, don't know for sure if I'm gonna make it out again this year.......

[backman]

I saw a potential window last week and pulled the plug mentally Friday AM.

Good for you for squeezing out one last canyon run...

[chumtini]

Same here. We were looking at Mon-Tues and pulled the plug. Good news and great report/info. Thanks!

[rmoody79]

"Who has the balls, gets the glory"...... or something like that.

You rock. I am SO jealous, don't know for sure if I'm gonna make it out again this year.......

i think its something like, " YDKIYDG"

[keithj]

I'm jealous! I was looking at that window too but it never shaped up quite the way I hoped. Was thinking about pulling the boat but with an encouraging report like that maybe there's reason to leave it in for a few more weeks...

[keithj]

curious, how was the quality of the chunk baits? We're you able to find some better butters? The stuff we had on our last trip was crap.

[JJ2468]

We bought 30 flats of the best butters at the beginning of the season and 3 flats of amazing squid as well. Bait has not been an issue needless to say. Also invested in two things that made life the much easier. A chunkster to cut the butters. We go thru a flat in about 5-10 minutes and all the chunks are perfect. Usually pre cut 3 flats about 2 hours before sunset while trolling so all the bait is cut. Second is we bought a chumchucker. Our first trip with it but it worked perfectly. Put the lines out, fill with chumchucker with the perfectly cut butters and let it do its thing. With usually only two guys chucnking was always an issue. This time got some sleep and still were fishing. Nice waking up to a reel screaming and someone still chunking.

[keithj]

Good thinking. I'll have to look into the chunkster.

[Thynnus]

On an awesome trip and a great report guys, I was looking at that water early in the week and thought there still might be some fish in it, good for you for putting in the effort. I am jealous