Excel 15 day Hoo trip 1-7

[Fishing Report]

Saturday, January 7

15-days with Team Hoo

Hello Anglers, We departed yesterday on our annual Team Hoo 15-day trip with 26 regulars on board. Even though we are missing a couple of members, I am sure these guys will keep all the traditions alive and well. The next couple of days will be spent giving seminars, rigging tackle, and just hanging out and catching up with friends. Justin

Reported by:Justin Fleck



Sunday, January 8

Club Excel

As we continue on our voyage south, Team Hoo doesn't disappoint. Their now famous bloody marys make an appearance every morning and when the last dinner plate is cleared, the back deck turns into what we now call "Club Excel". The group brings their own sound system out and they set it up on the porch area just outside the galley door. Also, they had another raffle last night where they gave away seven Avet Reels filled with Jerry Brown Line One Spectra. The weather remains perfect... Justin

Reported by:Justin Fleck

http://www.excelsportfishing.com/fishing_condition.php
Excel Sportfishing
2838 Garrison Street
San Diego, CA 92106
P: 619.223.7493
F: 619.223.1292
http://www.excelsportfishing.com/

[Fishing Report]

Monday, January 9

Last minute adjustments

Our final day of travel was spent making last minute adjustments on fishing gear; rods, reels, harnesses, etc. Everyone on the boat is in good spirits and are anxious to wet a line first thing tomorrow morning. We will be arriving in the lower zone early, hoping to see signs of those big cows. Justin

Reported by:Justin Fleck




Tuesday, January 10

Report from the Excel at the Lower Zone, January 10, 2012

Justin Fleck called in with this report from the Excel, "Its Tuesday morning we just got down to the lower zone and it looks very good. There is a very good sign of fish, mixed is size any where from 80 to well over 200 lbs. blowing out all around the boat. We've been here about 15 minutes. So far we've got a couple on deck and about 5 or 6 going. I'll get out a report later this afternoon with some pictures and we'll let you know how it ended up."

Reported by:Justin Fleck

Tuesday, January 10

100+ for Team Hoo!

We arrived to our destination around 0900 this morning and it didn't t take long to figure out that we were in for a real show. It was just like someone rang the dinner bell and they came right to the boat. At the end of the day, we managed to boat 120 tuna from 80-200 pounds with three cows coming over the rail. Just as a bonus, there were a dozen nice skin to add to the count. Needless to say, we are spending the night here and Club Excel will be in full swing tonight! Great job Team Hoo. Justin

Reported by:Justin Fleck



http://www.excelsportfishing.com/fishing_condition.php
Excel Sportfishing
2838 Garrison Street
San Diego, CA 92106
P: 619.223.7493
F: 619.223.1292
http://www.excelsportfishing.com/

[Fishing Report]

Wednesday, January 11

Team Hoo is on FIRE!

Our good luck continued today with another excellent showing of quality tuna in the lower zone. We started off our day looking around when we got a five way jig strike on wahoo that quickly turned into what looked like a fire drill. After picking up around 50 skin, we put the anchor back down and went to work on tuna for the afternoon. At the end of the day we collected 70+ more tuna with three of those going over the 200 pound mark. Angler of the day was Steve Olson who picked off a pair of cows. Ted Prager jr. caught his first cow. We are spending the night and will do it all again tomorrow. Justin

Reported by:Justin Fleck


Wednesday, January 11

Excel has a good day fishing for Wahoo and Tuna

"Our good luck continued today," wrote Excel skipper Justin Fleck January 11, "with another excellent showing of quality tuna in the lower zone. We started off our day looking around when we got a five-way jig strike on wahoo that quickly turned into what looked like a fire drill. After picking up around 50 skins, we put the anchor back down and went to work on tuna for the afternoon. At the end of the day we collected 70-plus more tuna with three of those going over the 200-pound mark. Angler of the day was Steve Olson who picked off a pair of cows. Ted Prager Jr. caught his first cow. We are spending the night and will do it all again tomorrow."

Reported by:Bill Roecker


Thursday, January 12

Even rain can't stop Team Hoo

We started out the day similar to yesterday with a good little go around on wahoo. But after we put the anchor down, the rain started coming down and everything got a good rinse. Even though it was raining, that didn't stop these guys from fishing their butts off and putting together another great day. There were no cows caught today but a lot of 150-190's hit the deck. There is only one picture today, it's Julia Cain with a nice fish caught on a flying fish under the kite. Justin

Reported by:Justin Fleck

http://www.excelsportfishing.com/fishing_condition.php
Excel Sportfishing
2838 Garrison Street
San Diego, CA 92106
P: 619.223.7493
F: 619.223.1292
http://www.excelsportfishing.com/

[Fishing Report]

Friday, January 13

Team Hoo gets some rest

After just three and a half days of fishing, Team Hoo has almost filled the boat. After lunch, we had to stop fishing and left them biting to save room for just a couple of trophies. The overall grade was better today too. I didn't see very many fish under 100 pounds. Also, we did pick up another cow caught by Jake H. on a squid during the night. We will be at our next destination tomorrow morning. Justin

Reported by:Justin Fleck

Friday, January 13

After 3.5 days, the hold of the Excel is almost full, January 13, 2012

"After just three and a half days of fishing," wrote Excel skipper Justin Fleck January 13, "Team Hoo has almost filled the boat. After lunch, we had to stop fishing and left them biting to save room for just a couple of trophies. The overall grade was better today too. I didn't see very many fish under 100 pounds. Also, we did pick up another cow caught by Jake H. on a squid during the night. We will be at our next destination tomorrow morning."

Sunday, January 15

Report from the Excel, January 15, 2012

"The fishing down here has been pretty steady." Reported Justin calling in from the Excel, he went on "There is a pretty good grade of tuna around. It is all mixed up from 40 to around 150, we really haven't seen too many big jumbos around. We've been scratch'n away just about all the tuna we have caught we have released, the guys have done really well on the tuna this trip.

We've also had steady fishing on wahoo. The wahoo fish'n has been good this trip. Everybody has a few, some guys have done better than others but a good all around trip, lots of tuna, lots of wahoo. The weather down here is flat calm right now, so we are going to make a move up, be at our next destination the day after tomorrow. We'll check in again tomorrow."


Monday, January 16

Fishing has been steady aboard the Excel, January 15, 2012 Report

"The fishing down here has been pretty steady," said the report from skipper Justin Fleck aboard the Excel, January 15, 2012. "There is a pretty good grade of tuna around. It is all mixed up from 40 to around 150 pounds; we really haven't seen too many big jumbos around. We've been scratching away. Just about all the tuna we have caught we have released, the guys have done really well on the tuna this trip.

 We've also had steady fishing on wahoo. The wahoo fishing has been good this trip. Everybody has a few, some guys have done better than others but we've had a good all-around trip, lots of tuna, lots of wahoo. The weather down here is flat calm right now, so we are going to make a move up to be at our next destination the day after tomorrow."

Reported by:Bill Roecker



Tuesday, January 17

Heading up the line

We have spent the past two days cruising up in ok weather. The wind and swell have picked up a little but it's still comfortable here on the Big X. Tomorrow we will try our hand at fishing for a few yellowtail around the islands to fill the cracks in the rsw wells. Wish us luck... Justin

Reported by:Justin Fleck

Wednesday, January 18

The Excel stops on the way home to land a few Yellowtail, January 18, 2012

"We made a stop by Cedros Island today," wrote Excel skipper Justin Fleck January 18, "where we filled the last few cracks in the fish holds with 70 nice grade yellowtail. Most of the fish were caught on yoyo iron with a few being taken on the dropper loop. With the wells being completely full and an unfavorable weather forecast, Team Hoo has decided to go in a day early. We will be at Fisherman's Landing tomorrow morning around 0630."

Reported by:Justin Fleck

Thursday, January 19

Team Hoo finishes strong

We made a stop by Cedros Island today where we filled the last few cracks in the fish holds with 70 nice grade yellowtail. Most of the fish were caught on yo yo irons with a few being taken on the dropper loops. With the wells being completely full and an unfavorable weather forecast, Team Hoo has decided to go in a day early. We will be at Fishermans Landing tomorrow morning around 0630.

Reported by:Justin Fleck

http://www.excelsportfishing.com/fishing_condition.php
Excel Sportfishing
2838 Garrison Street
San Diego, CA 92106
P: 619.223.7493
F: 619.223.1292
http://www.excelsportfishing.com/

[Fishing Report]

Friday, January 20

The Excel returns from their 15-Day Trip a day early because "their holds were full of fish"

Justin Fleck docked the Excel at Fisherman's Landing January 20 after a 15-day trip with 26 anglers to the Buffer Zone and Hurricane Bank. The big rig's holds were stuffed with large tuna and an excellent catch (about half-limits) of wahoo, one of the best catches so far this year. "We fished the Hurricane and The Zone," he said. "We got three and a half days on the bank and a day and a half at the Buffer Zone. We ended up with seven cows. It was a great trip, and we were full, so we came home a day early."

Eric Woyce of San Francisco won first place for his 212-pound yellowfin. He said it bit a sardine on an Owner 6/0 ringed Super Mutu hook and 100-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon. He used 130-pound Line One spectra on an Avet 30 W reel and a Calstar 6455 XXXH rod. "It was a textbook fight of 45 minutes," Woyce remarked. "The crew was really a big help."

On his first trip, James Falotico of Islip, NY won second place for a 208-pound tuna. It bit a sardine on 7/0 Quick Rig hook tied to 100-pound Seaguar Premier fluorocarbon, 130-pound Line One spectra, an Avet 30 W reel and a Super Seeker 1 X 3 rod.

Ted Prager, Jr. took third jackpot for a 206-pounder. He bagged it with a sardine on a 7/0 Eagle Claw hook on 130-pound Seaguar Premier fluorocarbon, 130-pound Line One spectra, a Penn 50 reel and a new Super Seeker Rail Boss rod.

Steve Olson of Newbury Park had two cows, at 219 and 209 pounds. He fished sardine on 6/0 Eagle Claw hooks tied to 130-pound Seaguar Premier fluorocarbon, 100-pound Line One spectra, a Penn 50 SW reel by Cal Sheets and a Calstar 765 XH rod. The big fish fought for an hour and a half.

Dean Jefferis of Redondo Beach helped himself to a 204-pounder after it sucked in his sardine on an 8/0 Eagle Claw hook. He said he used 130-pound pink Yo-Zuri fluorocarbon, 130-pound Line One spectra, a Penn 50 VSW reel And a Calstar 7455 XXH rod wrapped by Bob Sands.

Jake Hensley got a 205-pounder, one more cow that came home to the Excel.

Reported by:Bill Roecker