Excel 15 day trip 1-22

[Fishing Report]

Sunday, January 22

More upgrades

We departed today just after 0800 on another 15-day trip with 27 eager anglers. After picking up a nice load of bait we cleared Point Loma at 1100. The day was spent settling in and catching up with friends. Also, on our day in, we were able to successfully instal satellite television on the Excel. Another great addition to the boat. The guys are enjoying the playoffs right now. We are currently headed south anxiously awaiting some reports from down below. 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]

Tuesday, January 24

Seminars and rigging

Today we will be passing by Alijos Rocks on our coarse line to our first destination. The water is surprisingly cold so we will not be stopping. We will have our second seminar today which will cover tackle selection for big tuna and proper technique for pulling on these beasts. The weather is a little sloppy for now but it looks like it will straighten out before we wet our first lines. Wish us luck... 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 25

Report from the Excel Leaving on their 15-Day Trip, January 25, 2012

"We're traveling down to the lower zone our ETA will be tomorrow morning just before daylight," reported Justin. He went on to add "The guys will spend the rest of the day getting their last minute preparations on their gear, checking harnesses, checking connections, fresh top shots all that good stuff getting ready to go. It looks like the weather forecast for the next several days looks very, very good so we are about that. Keep checking in for the next several days, hopefully we have some good reports for ya."



Reported by:Justin Fleck

[Fishing Report]

reat start

Fishing remains outstanding down here in the lower zone. We picked up 75 nice tuna from 70-200 pounds and 60+ wahoo so far. Four cows have come over the rail and a few more broke our hearts. Henry Flores got a 246.8, Bubbles Maugh has a 219, Jim Dekay 210.8, and Vladimir Kusturic 204. hoping things keep up. Justin

Reported by:Justin Fleck



aturday, January 28

Doc gets a monster

We've been very busy here on on Big X with good action on this mid grade tuna. Most of the action comes before daylight on big baits and chunks. Al Merrick picked up a 222 pounder on a chunk. Doctor Gooing added on to his impressive resume with a 314.8 pound monster also caught on the chunk. There's no doubt about it, these big tuna are here and every bait that hits the water has a chance of producing a fish of a lifetime. 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]

Sunday, January 29

More cows

We had a big day here with 95 tuna and 45 more wahoo hitting the deck. Since I last checked in we've had five more cows come aboard. Phil Ruemmler got two at 208 and 210. Tim Turis has a 221, Nonon Alvarez 223, and Doc Gooing picked off a 224. What a great time to be fishing. I'll send pictures later. Justin

Reported by:Justin Fleck

[Fishing Report]

Wednesday, February 1

Excel is still one the search for the big 'uns

"Conditions changed on us here," said Excel skipper Justin Fleck January 31, "but fishing was still good. Only one cow hit the deck, caught by Mike Jennings on a chunk. His fish went 225 pounds and is his personal best. Mid-grade tuna from 60 to 120 pounds were still plentiful and most of these guys are releasing their fish, still trying for that big one. We are now in the final RSW well with two more days to fish. Hopefully we use up the remaining space for big 'uns."


Thursday, February 2

Topped off

What a way to end the trip, good tuna fishing and excellent wahoo fishing. I know that a good wahoo count isn't going to make the headlines but it is still one of my favorite fish to eat and catch. After a few more bingos today, that puts our wahoo tally over the 200 mark for the trip. Not to mention the fact that the tuna bite went full speed at the end topping off our fish holds and making a lot of people very happy. We picked off two more cows and lots of fish from 100-170 pounds that all went directly into the rsw well. Doctor Mike got his third cow of the trip on a mackerel weighing 245 pounds. Paul Corbitt picked off a 220 out of the chunk line right at the end of the the day. We are now heading up the line in flat calm seas and sunny skies. 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]

Saturday, February 4

Great day at the island

With the weather being flat, grease calm, our speed going home has been better than average. We decided to use the extra time goofing around at the island where we found excellent fishing on yellowtail and halibut. Our first stop of the day quickly found us all bent over on a full speed yo yo bite on 15-22 pound yellows. It's nice to see that there is still incredible sign of fish here this late in the season. We left them biting to go make a couple of drifts up in the shallows hoping for a halibut or two. After just two quick drifts, we put on a dozen flatties up to 30 pounds. What a great day. The gang is all relaxing in the salon where they are eating dinner and getting ready to watch the UFC fight on the new satellite system. Life is good. Justin

Reported by:Justin Fleck



Tuesday, February 7

The Excel returns from their 15 Day Trip with 14 Cows and one Super Cow in the hold

"My Wife Told Me To Go Fishing" and it was a good thing, opined long ranger Mike Gooing of Costa Mesa, because he picked up three more cows to add to his record of about 20 years worth of long ranging. Two of them weighed 224 and 244 pounds, but Mike won the jackpot for his second-ever 300-pound yellowfin tuna. The first one came back in 1993, the year dock reporter Bill Roecker took over the beat from Pug Jones. This one weighed 314 pounds when skipper Justin Fleck hung it on the Excel's scales at sea. Excel and Gooing arrived at Fisherman's Landing February 6 after the 15-day trip with 28 anglers. They tallied 14 cows for their efforts. Gooing got his on a chunk bait and a 9/0 Mustad 7691 hook. He used 130-ppund Seaguar Premier fluorocarbon and 130-pound Line One spectra on a Penn 50 W reel modified by Baker and Sheets, and a Calstar 660 XXH rod wrapped by Bobby at Glenn's Tackle. "I had him coming at 20 minutes,” said Mike," but he got into a really bad tangle with another fish. The crew saved it for me, though."

Henry Flores of Alta Loma brought home a 247-pounder, good for second place. He said it bit a sardine on a 5/0 ringed Owner Super Mutu hook on 60-pound blue Izorline and 50-pound Line One spectra. He didn't say why he was using such light gear, but there were plenty of medium tuna and wahoo around. Flores used a Penn 16 VSX reel and a seven-foot Calstar rod.

Nonon Alvarez of Cerritos took a half-four to whip his 223-pounder. He said his third-place winner took a chunk on a piece of wire, with 100-pound Seaguar Premier fluorocarbon and 130-pound Izorline spectra. He fished with a Penn 50 reel by Cal Sheets and a Calstar 655 XXH rod.

Mike Jennings Larkspur, CO bagged a 225 with a chunk on a 9/0 Eagle Claw hook. He fished the meat with 130-pound pink Yo-Zuri fluorocarbon leader and 130-pound Line One spectra on a Calstar 760 M rod.

Al Merrick of Carpinteria caught a 222-pound tuna with a chunk on a 6/0 Owner Mutu hook on 100-pound Seaguar Premier fluorocarbon. He fished with 100-pound Seaguar Premier fluorocarbon and 130-pound Line One spectra on an Avet 50 reel and a Calstar 770 XXH rod. "He made four big runs, and then he died," said Merrick, "and I had to crank him up."

Paul Corbitt found a 220-pounder, but wasn't available for interview.

Pilot Tim Turis of Atlanta added to his cow collection with a 221-pound yellowfin. He said the fight went 20 minutes after the fish took his mackerel on a Mustad 9/0 39943 hook. He employed 130-pound Momoi line and 130-pound Line One spectra on a Penn 50 T by Cal Sheets and a Calstar X46XH rod.

Bob Maugh of Apple Valley managed a 219-pounder. It found his sardine on a 9/0 Eagle Claw hook tied to 100-pound Seaguar Premier fluorocarbon. He fished with 100-pound Seaguar Premier fluorocarbon and 130-pound Izorline spectra on an Avet 50 reel and a Calstar 7455 XH rod to beat the fish, which fought for an hour and five minutes.

Jim DeKay of Downey fought his 211-pounder for an hour and a half. He said it took a salami mackerel on a 9/0 Mustad 7691 hook fastened with 130-pound Big Game fluorocarbon. He used 130-pound Line One spectra on an Accurate ATD 50 reel and a Calstar 765 H rod.

Phil Ruemmler of Pasco, WA spun his 208 and 210-pounder in with a mackerel on a 9/0 Mustad J hook on 130-pound Seaguar Premier fluorocarbon leader. He used 130-pound Soft Steel Ultra line and 130-pound Izorline spectra on a Penn 50 reel and a Calstar 6455 XXXH rod.

Vladimir Kusturic rounded out the list with a 204-pound yellowfin tuna. He wasn't available for more information. The Excel's catch was excellent for both wahoo and tuna, with an added sprinkling of yellowtail and nine halibut.

Reported by:Bill Roecker