Royal Star trip 2-8

[Fishing Report]

02/08/12

Posted: 06:51:57
All is well here aboard Royal Star as we roll back down on our latest voyage enjoying beautiful weather. We have one more day of travel before getting to the grounds that will be spent on final rigging preparations and trying to control our anxiety in anticipation of the unknown ahead. All aboard got to witness a stellar catch unloaded from Tim's last trip so hopes that we will get in on more of the same are high. Look for catch reports to commence on the 9th following our arrival.

Randy

02/09/12

Posted: 06:34:37
02/08/12
Certainly not the start we were looking for after all the hype from last trip but we saw enough sign to give us hope for tomorrow. We had a quick shot of 50- 70lbers at daylight then ground out the rest of the day trying to get things figured out. Very little to show for our efforts aside from a few small ones and a 245 that made us feel a little better about the situation.
Like I said it looks like it has potential so hopefully tomorrow it gets back on the bite.
Andy Pulido is in today's shot with his 245 as it comes over the rail.

Randy


02/09/12

Posted: 18:07:18
02/09/12
We started out alright this morning with fair scratching on 40-60lbers with a
bonus 210 thrown in. After 0900 it was memories of yesterday though with only a
few handfulls of wahoo to show for the afternoon's efforts. It is quite
perplexing where all that better grade fish from last trip got off to because it
certainly isn't here right now, timing is everything in fishing.
We will be traveling tonight to look at the bank tomorrow.


Royal Star Sportfishing
2838 Garrison Street
San Diego, Ca. 92106
(619) 224-4764
(619) 224-4423 Fax
rs@royalstarsportfishing.com
http://www.royalstarsportfishing.com


Randy

[Fishing Report]

02/11/12

Posted: 07:46:59
02/10/12
Plenty of sign of this better grade fish today but unfortunately they didn't
want to bite very well with 13 boated. We did get a 202 and a couple 170's but
the bulk was 50-70lbs.
We are hunkering down for the night hoping they get with it tomorrow.
Tim Ziegler is in today's shot with the 202.


02/12/12

Posted: 07:49:46
02/11/12
Rough weather and slow fishing is the report from the bank today. We started out
with a few tuna to 190lbs before it went stone cold for us prompting a quick
troll for 10 wahoo and a hasty departure for the inside. Our weather has
improved drastically as we travel in with an eta of 0800 tomorrow.
Lohn Storms with a 178 in today's shot.

Randy


02/13/12

Posted: 08:41:00
Much better today as we started out with a ripper morning bite on the salamis that produced 50 fish, most of which were 50-90lbs with a handfull of 100- 140lbers mixed in. The rest of the day was slow but we managed to boat a few more tuna and 20 skin.

Tomorrow is our final morning so hopefully the cows move in for the finale.




02/13/12

Posted: 07:16:00
02/12/12
Good wahoo fishing but pretty lean on the tuna this afternoon with only a handfull joining their brethren in the RSW hold. Plenty of sign so hopefully its a morning bite tomorrow.

02/14/12

Posted: 09:15:47
02/14/12
Great morning to finish up the trip that started at 0300 with a full speed bite
on the salamis. It was hot and heavy until just after daylight when it backed
off to a slow pick which is typical down here.
A total of 62 went in the hatch, the bulk of which were 50-90 with a handfull of
100-150's and two over 200.
We are presently traveling up in good weather looking forward to a few days of
rest and relaxation.
Tim Ziegler is in today's shot with his second deuce of the trip which weighed
220.




02/15/12

Posted: 07:41:09
2/15/12
A few positive news items to share as Royal Star heads up the line beginning with the conclusion of another successful fourteen day run. It was a struggle for a while as collapsed conditions took some time to straighten out before the fish mercifully started biting, but the old saying “all’s well that ends well” sums up the on board setting to perfection.
The guys are returning with a big load in the hatch interspersed with a more than respectable quantity of jumbos. Throw in a better than average percentage of fresh wahoo and the catch rounds up to the category of excellence. All perfectly cared for and stored FRESH in RSW – yes, the entire catch, and the professional attention required to produce and maintain such premium quality is well worth it.
On another front as of yesterday I believe we have finally taken the bull by the horns with the Royal Star website receiving proper training to maintain the daily report and photo section internally. This milestone has been a long time coming. It is our sincerest desire to maintain a seamless flow of reports, photos, and information from here forward. That said the many technical obstacles that occasionally rear their ugly head are certain to challenge our goal at times; such is a fact built into computers and satellite transmissions. However, when the reports make it through they will be in our possession to post accordingly. For those following reports during the previous two voyages if you look back you will find the missing photos are now posted in the appropriate locations!
Otherwise look for daily information to continue as Royal Star makes her way north over the next few days in preparation for arrival on Saturday the 18th; laden with fresh product, there should be plenty for all family and friends to share in upon return.
I grabbed a couple of photos I had from the previous voyage to share today. Both were taken by Royal Star angler Dave Sumethasorn. I posted one version of the guys making the long reach to gaff veteran angler Larry Ward’s 272 on the bow. At full resolution this does the effort far more justice. The second shot is of Oregon albacoreman Wayne Waldron with his final monster of the voyage that weighed in at 279; not bad for a long range novice! This goes to show once again that one does not have to be the expert to realize success on a long range voyage. Time at the rail, effort, and even a little know how go a long way toward success.
Tim Ekstrom

Royal Star Sportfishing
2838 Garrison Street
San Diego, Ca. 92106
(619) 224-4764
(619) 224-4423 Fax
rs@royalstarsportfishing.com
http://www.royalstarsportfishing.com

[Fishing Report]

02/16/12

Posted: 07:22:54
02/16/12
With little more than a day of travel to report on, a few full resolution photos from the previous adventure will serve the cause today. I sent a couple of these images direct from Royal Star during the Braid 15 day but the full resolution images are definitely worth another look. They do a pretty fair job of depicting the on board atmosphere at the apex of our fishery. This time of the season is definitely “The Show”. Everything else we do, every other species of game fish we target, inevitably leads devoted anglers to the moments captured in today’s images.
Enjoy the photos of Royal Star veteran’s Bruce Helton with a big bruiser coming through the gate, “Freddie” Salgado, at seventy eight years young pulling on what became his 285 on the bow, and Afrikaner Marius Coetzee reefing on his 207 in the early dawn.
Look for more photos and an ETA update tomorrow.

Tim Ekstrom


02/17/12

Posted: 07:43:04
There was a pretty disappointing news story that came out yesterday detailing a veteran long range angler coming off a January 15 day voyage being caught up in a CDFG investigation for selling his catch. Though this was not an angler that fished aboard Royal Star the circumstance does call for some broad reflection; we all have much at stake here.

I’m not going to get on a soap box and preach morality, we all have our share of transgressions punished and unpunished, I am simply going to make a sincere request for everyone to seriously consider the value of this fishery to ourselves and others looking forward. The long range fishery in Mexico is a privilege afforded to an extremely fortunate few. It is a privilege that can be taken away in the snap of two fingers by the Government of Mexico. Although we have forged strong relationships across the border as an industry we still have our share of detractors. The above mentioned negative news is the kind of cannon fodder such opponents are only too happy to receive; and even more happy to use.

The product coming off most long range vessels is of a value so precious that most anglers return from their voyages with a potential commodity almost better than gold. Well, maybe not that good, but still a tremendously valuable product unavailable at that level of quality in the vast majority of markets around the world. That quality adds tremendous value to an individual’s long range fishing trip. It is not a marketable commodity however; it is not one that can be measured in thickness of a wallet.

Please share the product from your long range voyages with friends and family along with your fishing experiences. If and when the question of “where can I get more of this?” is asked let the inquisitor know of your long range vessel of choice. There are plenty of fish in the sea, thank goodness, all one has to do is go out and catch them. Please don’t succumb to any ideas about financially profiting from the product that comes from your long range trip. This is the kind of situation that creates inexpressible angst to those of us dependent on this fishery for our livelihood.

Back to fishing again I pulled a couple of full resolution shots from the previous Braid 15 voyage for today’s report. “Lingcod Todd” Girtz, straight from the northern climes, demonstrates that the Pacific Northwest anglers are no Pilgrims when it comes to pulling on big tuna. And, USMC Capt. David Sumethasorn did the deck of Royal Star justice landing three over the deuce on his first official big fish run. This one came in at 219 after succumbing to a post daylight present morning chunk.




Royal Star Sportfishing
2838 Garrison Street
San Diego, Ca. 92106
(619) 224-4764
(619) 224-4423 Fax
rs@royalstarsportfishing.com
http://www.royalstarsportfishing.com