Blow, Blow, The HPDI Down...

[Capt Josh]

Today was one of those days that started a looooong time ago, like four or five years...perhaps even longer.

Somewhere amongst the hectic sheet music that records my fate was a verse that warned of this most recent chorus, which we were doomed to inevitably belt out with vigor today. Old school characters like Abby and Bogii were there singing with me, going hoarse to a whisper as the twisted lines of destiny drew us together once again. There's a lesson to be learned in all of what's coming, though i'll need your help to decipher just exactly what in the hell it is.

We were supposed to go fishing yesterday, a nice, easy inshore day with my daughter, and Bogii, and his LA friend Steve. But the Gods had other ideas, sidelining Bogii's 34 Mirage "Tiger Lilly" yet again with another achilles heel. Hope sprung eternal however, as Bogii reported in later that night - "All is good my friend!", he declared. "HA!", or so we are oft to believe!

Despite the otherwise subliminal warnings, Abby and i met at my house this morning shortly after seven AM. Days like this have a way of quickly going sour, and if the scolding i got from the wife for waking the house up as i fretted about before i went fishing was any indication, wiser men would have opted to roll over and hug the pillow instead.

But we all know me by now, the last thing i was looking for was an excuse NOT to go fishing.

So Abby and i departed, while Catherine gave chase to remind me of what a jackass i can become before six in the morning. How Abby held her tongue while Cath and i heckled each other from the driveway to the marina will remain a feat of marvelous composure, and i thank her for not feeding coal to an already volatile stew. Eventually i shook the fox, and Abby and I joined Lora in the Wahoo for the shuttle out to meet Bogii, and the remainder of what should have been a glorious day.

Abby and i threw ourselves aboard the Tiger Lilly in a stiff offshore breeze while Bogii and Steve did their best to dodge the clusterfuq of accessories and appendages that were suddenly hurling their way. It wasn't a pretty dismount, but the seas were already choppy so what can you do? We stowed our gear and Bogii fired up the twin 300 hp Yamaha HPDI's AKA "TURDS" for El Banco, or whatever madness may have presented itself first. Of course, we never made it to El Banco, nope...not even close.

As we rounded the West buoy at Punta de Mita, turning dead-on into some gnarly 4 - 6' chop, the starboard engine coughed once, sputtered, then went into full epileptic seizure not one mile from shore. Bogii turned to me with that same dreaded stare that we've all seen, his upper lip curled to a snarl as his left eyebrow skyrocketed behind his sunglasses, fighting to high-jump the wire rim frames. Something we like to call the "boat owner's signature living-nightmare gaze".

"What the....(WHHHHHEEEEEWWWWSSSSSSSHHHHHHH - wind is really howling now) FUQ.....(SLAPSMASHWHOOSH - water pouring over the gunnels in driving sheets as the boat turns beam to the sea) JUST....(SMACKSCRABBLECLUNKTHUNK - all manner of contraption and rigging derailing from the tracks) HAPPENED!!!!"

He tilts the starboard motor up in hopes that we've just spun a rope in the prop, but we've both heard that ominous chorus before, and sure enough chitty chitty bang bang mean no workie today. It's blowing 30 knots, the seas are already nasty, we're only a mile from shore, and it's barely seven am in the morning.

I turn my head up sea and raise my eyes North and slightly West towards some ominous looking clouds, just in time to duck out of the way as a squadron of pelicans dives from the whistling spray as another 6 footer ricochets off the bow.

"Shall I get the baits out skipper?!?!" i venture, as Bogii's curses carry by on the wind.

I managed to put some lines in the water as Bogii wrestled with keeping the boat on a steady course, not a particularly easy endeavor while making live bait speeds into some serious wind on one motor, i assure you.

The pseudo-downrigger rod went off first in the corner, thanks to Bogii's superlative maneuvering near Table Top. A nice amberjack gave the greenhorn, and now greening, Steve a chance to test his mettle against the elements. Steve does a good job considering it's not that easy juggling seasickness, balance, and fishing but i'll give him a solid 7.5 for trying. Despite the overwhelming odds, and the eight or so pirouettes it took to accomplish it, we finally manage to boat the AJ. WHEW...GODDAMNIT AMEN!

We continue to beat into the sea for another hour or so at a crawl. It takes a goggle eye to come flying sling-shot style out of the back of a solid 8 footer astern before i finally cave in and suggest we go trolling. It's not particularly professional business but after a while we manage to raise a sail, although the fish refuses to give more than half-hearted chase. ZIP-ZIIIIIIIIIIIP- - - I'm waiting for something more, but it never comes. Arevaderche baby.

Trolling, trolling, troooooooooooooooooooling up-sea, down-sea, side-sea, you name it. Trooooooooooooooooollliiinnnnggggg.....all day long for nada. As in "nada, nada enchilada" which around here loosely translates to less than jack chit.

Finally as the afternoon draws nearer to evening the West buoy looms into view once again. Since it's been a good four and a half hours since our last strike on the lures, i offer to put a live bait spread out as a last ditch effort, and go through the catastrophe of changing over from lures to live bait in that mess all over again. One, two, three go the hardtails and one goggle eye and no sooner do i have the riggers in position then ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ the left long-sideways-diagonal-wind-blown bait goes night night as a hefty rooster somehow pings the sonar and homes in for the kill.

Abby jumps to the rod and goes BENDO as the fish tears arse for the horizon, and by that i mean where the horizon would otherwise be if you could see it over the chop on the reef. It's actually one hell of a battle as Bogii does his best to maintain order between the buoy, the reef, and the now sporty sea. Abby is an excellent angler however, having bested some truly remarkable catches with us down here over the years, and my money's firmly on her, despite what mother nature may have dealt with the cards.

Thankfully at one point, Bogii sized up the opportunity as the fish tore down sea and spun the Tiger Lilly on a parallel course to intercept the beast. Abby recovered line like a champ, eventually guiding the fish to the boat where all i had to do was wait for the right wave, reach out, and pluck the fuqer at shoulder level as he hydroplaned by the boat. In hindsight i wish i had video because the whole operation came off pretty slick. We held the fish up for a few quick photos before eventually releasing the warrior back to the deep.

Bogii looked at me, i looked at Abby, and Abby looked at the greenhorn Steve who had just regained consciousness near the bow. His look wasn't pretty.

"C'est la vie amigos" i said, "What's good for you, is good for me!"

Bogii finally lowered the other engine without comment, and silently spun the beleaguered Tiger Lilly towards the point. He could have left the motor up like it was, we would have gone faster, but i'll be goddamned if he was going to let anyone see him limping in to port. Chin up, head high, to hell with the weather, who needs two motors, Capt Bogii's sailing home...LOL

Thanks for another great day on the water amigo!

[Sea Draggin]

Despite the otherwise subliminal warnings

As I have gotten older, I have learned to always trust these and go with my gut, although sometimes very difficult. I have forced days in the past, but try not to anymore.

Thanks for sharing the adventure.

Jim @ Eastern Tackle

[hunt4fish]

Another great read JT. Somedays just aren't meant to be,but you guys made the best of it. You gotta LOVE being a boat owner when days like this arise..

[Squidnation]

Gotta Love Bogii and the Tiger Lilly. I told him to get diesels! Congrats on making the best of it and thanks for giving me a laugh this morning.

[La Gringa]

Great story and writing, Capt Josh!! Looking forward to more!

[Gmoney!]

Damn that sucks for Bogii. Those kickers have been nothin but trouble for him from the get go, almost sounding like lemons. Glad you guys could make some lemonade from them lemons

[clt_capt]

Another great read. Thanks

[gottaflylee]

Ah me amigos...I realy hate this for Bogie but making the best out of the day is where its at. Lemonade out of lemons, great job and another wonderful read. Wind here is doing 30+ this morning, windows rattling and house shaking...

[Fish Biz]

You sir have an incredible way with words.

I think I got spray on me, No wait that is just drool. Any pics of the Rooster? Thanks for the report.

[MountainM]

As always, great read

From what I've read those HPDI's have never worked to well for Bogii. Nothin worse then a lemon!