5- 16 SEVEN DOZEN

[gottaflylee]

Yep it took seven dozen ballyhoo to get through the day. Seemed that we could not keep bait on the hook yesterday. The charter today was donated by a friend to auctioned off girl his girls school as a fund raiser. Way to go Tim!
Not much of a shot to look at but as I have said before I look at it every day, from 2 different views and made the choose as to where to start. Broke the inlet about 5:30 am and made the call to see if anyone else was going to the break but got no response. About the 200 line I got a call from the Capt. David on the "Music Man". We were going into a quartering head sea with a wave on the bow and a swell on our side. The Predator is not getting pounded but it was a hang on ride...David on a much lighter boat was not having a good ride on his much lighter boat so I slowed down and got him tucked in tight and away we go. We arrive at the break about 8:30 and get 5 lines out and have the first fish on, nice slinger Dolphin. David comes on the radio and tells me he just put a Wahoo in the boat in 140' of water...hum this may be a nice day I thought and one of the bridge pole get nailed...in comes a nice gaffer and David calls and he has a gaffer on. The morning went by quickly with double, triples and cover ups. Getting back to the last bite or back to the ledge to look for the Tunas was impossible due to the Dolphin getting in the way. Did I say that? In the way? As David said to me to "this is down right Vulgar" No temp break, no weed line, just scattered flyers and lots of "Green Hornets" rushing in from everywhere you looked, nice gaffers, most all of them. With Dolphin, sometimes there is a size where your not sure weather to sling or gaff, but not these, there was no doubt...gaffem. About 10:45 I get almost back to the ledge and the shotgun gets slammed...no doubt about this one...Tuna time 15 minutes later, 55 pounder in the box. I turn the boat to go back to the ledge and here are the "Green Hornets" buzzing the spread again...slammed again...darn, I WANT THE TUNAS! Now I'm back south of the ledge and I got to get back to the ledge, turn the boat and head that way, left long hit and missed, I dump line as fast as I can and I detect it sped up and I throw it into strike and it bows over good and the mouse trap starts screaming. Yep I found the Tunas...its on. the mouse trap was a TLD25 and it was getting smoked bad. At this point I did something I don't like to do, took the boat out of gear. You see I'm greedy, I want more fish on and I know if I keep the boat in gear I most likely will get more on. As the shore rigger get reeled in Warren is getting the right long rebated and presides to hang it in the rigger. Now there are 2 baits dangling in the water. As the tunas get closer to the boat I take the shotgun that I had to get out of the way and put it in the left rigger and hand dump it as Warren wanted ( He is as greedy as me...more I think ) to get it back some. Suddenly I see it coming out of the corner of my eye and before I can react it is to late and the right long is piled on as it dunks in and out of the water and the gaffer is off at a high speed see you later, tag your it altitude. Crap I see I did not run the drag leaver up much, oh well to late...backlash and the left goes off...I lunge to the other side and hit the drag up in the nick of time. Remember when I said I was hand dumping line...yep that one was in free spool also, but this time it stuck and came tight. As all this was happing I notice the dink rod line pop and goes slack but the 50W still has the other Tuna on. A few minuets later the second tuna goes in the box, about 45 pounds, and shortly in comes another gaffer on top of him! Ok now were back out in left field with no lines baited as while they were dangling we were wiped out. I pull the boat out of gear and climb off the bridge for a pow wow. By now we have enough fish to feed the homeless for a week and I want to look for something else. Every one were in agreement and the riggers came up and off to the deep we went. About 400', scattered weeds lots of flyers, no temp break yet. About 500' I can see it, rough on the inshore side and smooth on the offshore side and no scattered grass. As I break the grass I pull her back and warren in not quite ready so I put the old hot pink and purple over and set it just past the short rigger position and turn to drive the boat as the reel screams for 4 seconds and goes slack. I drop back reel forward and drop back again, repeat, stop repeat, stop, repeat. Nothing, reel the bait in and the leader is trashed and the bait is slashed. Guess I stung him to much to come back. Stay out there for an hour or so with only the "Green Hornets" tormenting and scaring us for a split second thinking it is Mr. Blue suite. As the gang was getting restless in the pit I was out voted and back to the Tuna grounds we went. Hey, I thought it was my way or the highway...oh well next time. As lines went out the Greenies came in. I worked my way toward the inshore ledge and 3 lines go off, first was a small King Mack, then a BLT and another slinger in the box. Time to go home. About 42 KM from the hill I spot a long piece of wood, for the next 2 miles I counted 47 more and that all I saw but I know there was much more.
What a day it was, 24 gaffers, 4 slingers,3 Tunas and 1 King Mack!

At the dock!





The Gang



God's paint pallete

[#1Gaffman]

Pretty work, Dam pretty work.


Good lookn on the blue one, youll getm next time.

[hotrodmarlin]

Gotta love that all day action! way to catchem up

[Cowboy]

Way to Get R Done Lee, good time and box full of meat

[Capt_John]

Good on you Lee. Pretty work.

[hunt4fish]

Pretty work Capt.Lee,great write up and pics.

[wild1]

Pretty work Lee.I love reading your reports. Ill be in Morehead next weekend Il stop by.

[SeaBiscuit]

Vivid report captain Lee, and a hell of a catch! What a day! I can only imagine the non stop action.
Congrats to you, Warren and the Predator crew.
SeaBiscuit

[PurpleGold]

Nice work Capt. sounds like a hell of a workout there. 7 doz baits, good lord!

[brandon558]

Pretty work Predator Crew..nice job Capt. Lee. Man that is one pretty catch. Your living the life my friend..thanks for sharing!

Brandon