Tuna Today

[southport05]

Had a great day today! Put my own boat to bed for the winter on Monday, but a couple of my friends are still in. Went today with my friends Larry and Craig, on Craig's boat "Tuna Whisperer". As he's planning to haul out Monday, this was looking like maybe the last trip of the season for his boat.

Ran to the SEC (nice following sea ride). Upon arrival, not many boats around, but we were seeing birds, some whales a little ways off, and marking some fish. Set four rods out on the riggers, all bars. As we were setting out, Craig yells down from the tower that we are coming up on some fish breaking at the surface. Larry and I had just finished setting out when the LSR clip came undone. It was a little sloppy out, and evidently I hadn't tightened it enough. I had just put the line back in the clip (tightened it) and was about to run the clip up when out of the corner of my eye I saw a fish bust about halfway between the LSR and LLR bars. I yelled out "FISH, LEFT SIDE!!" As the words were comng out of my mouth, the fish had disappeared, and then a crash on the LLR (black bar), and that great sound ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ..... "FISH ON!!!!!! LEFT LONG!!!!!!" As I was standing at the LSR rod, I only had to reach forward to up the drag to strike on the LLR rod. The fish was peeling line as we started to clear the spread. By the time I got the LSR bar in, he was into the backing. Long story short, I ended up on the rod. We got him to the boat fairly quickly, he made a couple of short runs, but I had upped the drag at that point. Got him up, and unfortunately for us, he was a little too big to keep (low to mid-60"). Lip gaffed him, swam him for a bit, and sent him on his way. We were pumped! Hooked up within a couple of minutes of setting out! Craig said "Let's go get some more".

The remainder of the morning was maddening. There were fish breaking all over the place, and birds all over the place. We saw fish jumping that couldn't have been more than 30", to fish well into the upper 60" range. But we couldn't buy another bite. We trolled through slack, no joy. As the wind didn't appear to be letting up, and the report for it to increase in the afternoon, we decided to head for the barn around 11:30/12. Fairly long ride home running straight into it the whole way. Didn't get really flat until we got up near Minots.

Although we didn't get one small enough to keep, it was a great trip. Good friends, sloppy fall weather, lots of life, a cold NW wind, and a good release.

[simonsez1]

Great report Andy! We were there Friday too, no luck for us! We had them all around us for hours with no hook-ups! Thats the way it goes, even though conditions were less than great, it still beats work! Maybe a trip or two left and i will be pulling the boat. Congrats!
Kevin

[Parapapam]

Although we didn't get one small enough to keep, it was a great trip. Good friends, sloppy fall weather, lots of life, a cold NW wind, and a good release.

Nice trip Andy when a lot of other guys were stuck at the dock. Good job getting it done. Next time I hope you can catch a smaller fish

Mike

[southport05]

Kevin, thanks. I thought I saw you out there near us, and tried hailing you on Ch. 69. Not sure if that was you, or you were on another channel. BTW - when I dropped my boat off at Kingman's, it was like a Carolina Classic party! There had to have been at least 5 or 6 other 28's there to be hauled.

Mike - thanks man. Hope we can get together next season for some fishing, whether on the bank or south. How are the boys?