Veatch to Hydrographer 8/30-8/31

**keithj** · 09-01-2010 11:29 AM

In summary, very slow for us with no tuna bites. Trip was saved by two bites.

Started north of Veatch in 76 degree water. Put out a combo spread as it looked more like marlin water than tuna water. A couple small mahi off fliers. Down into the canyon with no bites. Flat, hot water. On the east wall we fond one small spot with a tiny bit of life. Intermittent skippies. Trolled over this area three time before we finally got a good bite on the moldcraft wide range on the long rigger. I knew immediately that it was a blue. Boat and angler Scott did a great job preventing the fish from spooling us on three occassions. We fought the fish on full on a 50W the entire time. Had it boatside in a hour and a half. Fish was exchausted. Took one and a half hours of swimming to revive. It was kicking when we let it go. I hope it made it. Length was approximately 125inches jaw to fork which according to online charts puts the fish at 680lbs. This thing was a monster. I have pictures which I'll put up over the next couples days when I get em uploaded.

By the time we were done reviving the fish, it was dark so we set up on the drift. Three sword baits and chunked hard all night. One bite on the chunk that I thought was a shark. Fought for a while before breaking off. At dawn as we were getting ready to take in the baits, we had a bite on one of the sword baits. Fought to the boat a small but legal sword. 52 inch fork length approximately 70 pounds. My buddy Jon was on the boat and he is a swordfish magnet so I credit this fish to him...

Troll was painfully dead. Never seen so little life. We went up into hydro and fished the flats between hydro and veatch. Dead everywhere. Finished up with a few mahi off the pots to kill time.

Swell was 10+ feet at hydro. Considerably smaller at Veatch.

**CindyLou** · 09-01-2010 11:38 AM

Keith, Congrats on the monster blue! Nice job swimming it as long as it took to ensure the healthy release. Sounds like a good trip to me...Ben

**Reel Pursuit** · 09-01-2010 11:41 AM

Tuna bite has been dead lately.
Nice job on the big blue girl. Kudos to you guys for spending so much time reviving the fish. You did the right thing.