"The Hook-Up!" Fishing report Chatham.

[stew]

Well, after a tough start to my season, it just felt great to be back out east of Chatham on the troll. After cancelling some charters last weekend we got back out there for our first trip of the season on Thursday on "Tuna Fever". Perfect conditions, west winds, clear visability, just an awesome day to be on the water. We started trolling up north and found some life but no tuna. Got a call from one of my buddies who said he had some fish and I headed to find him. Never got to him because we ran into a huge pile of birds. I set out and brother Matt was working on another boat and he set out too and called me and said he saw some fish pushing. I got into the birds and the tuna fish were everywhere, and I could see all differant sizes of fish. I saw fish in the low 50 inch range to the upper 70's. I baited them perfectly and then a fish exploded on the left long rigger, widowmaker splash bar, and we were tight! I turned the boat slightly and started to clear the spread when the right longrigger went off, chameleon splash bar. Doubled up! Ahh.. broke him off.. I think we got tipped wrapped. Matt went tight too. Another buddy pulled into the area and he went right off! So we settle into the fight and get the fish beside the boat and he was over 60 inches so we get the release and scramble to get the spread back out because the fish are all over the place. With three rigs out I bait them again and we get a big fish up on the left long but he misses the hook. I jump on the rod and work our mojo and bang.. TIGHT!!! BIG FISH!!! I saw this fish and he was clearly much bigger then the fish we just released.
Mike settled into the fight and he did everything right. He was perfect on the rod and used the harness to keep the pressure on the fish. We fought the fish for an hour and half and he was clearly bigger than 73 inches so we pooned him and tail roped him and he was ours. He taped out at 78 inches but he was a long skinny fish but it didn't matter he was ours!! We got back on the troll but we didn't get another bite. My guys did a great job and it was a real pleasure to have them on the boat. They will be back.
Saturday we had the old "wind from the east, fish bite the least" game. I hate east wind. Today I had my son Corey with me and and a charter of just two. We left the dock at 4:30am and we were on the troll at 5:20am. We found some life and set out but only saw a few fish but we had bait and whales. I watched a friend catch a nice 78 incher and there were a few other bites but it was slow. One of my buddies called and said he was up in some whales and had bait and had just got a bite and broke him off. I decided to make a move and head up to the north. I steamed for only 10 minutes and found too much life not to stop and take a look. The birds were up and down and the machine was lit up with bait. We trolled around and suddenly the right long goes off, my favorite color again chameleon splash bar, and we are tight. Nice run but then we just reeled him back to the boat. I figured he was going to be a smaller fish. Oh boy was I wrong. We spent the next hour in a straight up and down dog fight with 32 lbs of drag on the fish at the end. My customer Roy was on this fish hard with the rod and harness but we could not get him to the boat. The fish was so strong. When your line is making that pinging sound then you know you have some drag on him. Corey got the leader and a good look at him and he said he didn't think the fish was 73 inches. We got him lip gaffed and measured at 72 inches but he was a fat one. We swam him and released him. Big strong fish that fought bigger than he was. Awesome fight and good job by Roy. We never got another bite and that was our day. So 3 for 4 in two days, I will take that start to the season. Give us a call if you would like to go trolling for tuna out east. Capt. Eric

[garonmailman]

nice work

[jmrecord]

Sweet great job!

[happytuna]

nice job

[scottne]

Well done Eric.

[ironskippy]

Eric
We were down in that big fleet with live pogies. I had a ton of bites but only a couple of 71 inch fish made it to the boat. I doubled up twice and tangled them almost immediately both times. I broke a decent keeper off after 40 minutes and had another one chew through the leader. Guy that I working with down there (Pogie Mike) got a couple of 80 " fish and was tight on a nice one when I left. I only had a crummy day because of operator error - that fishery is fantastic. I know one of the casting guides from up my way has been getting alot of keeper fish down there on on spinning gear so it seems like a place where any method can catch the things.

jb

[bmcl322]

Well done. Got three to the boat Saturday, all in the low 60s....all skiinny and all before 8:45AM. Hey just as an aside, when you are talking about trolling spreader bars, what do you mean by, "I baited them perfectly." Thanks. Personally, I usually troll 1 splash, 2 spreaders and 2 Horse Ballys on the outriggers. The Large Ballys I catch myself with a net in FLA during the winter and freeze for the summer, as they are crazy money. In addition I have 1 deep diver @ 55 feet to bring the fish up. 4 out of 5 times its the Horse Ballys that get hit on the outriggers... and often I get hit in a turn dropping from 4.8 knots to probably 3.5 knots for the slack in the line. ...just sharing what works for me. Again, great job!!

[jim.gilpin]

Hey Eric....Thats a great ending to a tough week and a great start to the season. We spent Satuday drifting live pogies on kites for 9 hours all over the bank and it was like the dead sea....no whales, bait or birds....I should have gone south....Glad to hear the bite is on down there....jg

[stew]

Another great day out east trolling for the mighty bluefin tuna. Went 2-3 today and tagged and released a 72.5 incher and landed a 77 incher. All caught on splash bars. Nice fish and a great way to start our season with both boats striking the iron on the first trips. The bite is on out east so call and book your trip today. Capt. Eric

[happytuna]

Attachment 193721Another great day out east trolling for the mighty bluefin tuna. Went 2-3 today and tagged and released a 72.5 incher and landed a 77 incher. All caught on splash bars. Nice fish and a great way to start our season with both boats striking the iron on the first trips. The bite is on out east so call and book your trip today. Capt. Eric

great job eric any fat in them