I had a charter set up but the weather was looking windy and sloppy and with the bay tuna fishing being inconsitant my sport and I opted to push the trip back a bit.
Bob Pink give me a call and says he wants to go south. I tell him the weather is looking sloppy and he's gonna take a beating. We banter about weather sites and agree to talk again in the morning. Morning comes and all the weather sites change their tuna last minute. Its gonna be FAC offshore and for the first time Fishweather blew the forecast and NOAA nailed it.
At a VERY late mid morning Pink shows up and we rig the boat to troll offshore. It was rigged to cast in the bay so this took some time. We were lucky to go lines in by the break of noon.
Grand Master Backman had given us his numbers from the bailfest's he'd had over the last two trips. We ran to the numbers and on the way found plenty of life, but on the nubmers we found hot dead looking water. Against my better judgement we went lines in.
As we clip in the 6th rod, the other 5 go off!!!!!! Bob and I get to work and go 5 for 5 (4 YFT anda Skippy) We work around and get a couple more YFT off the same spot in single and double knockdowns. We get a nice mid teeen mahi off a flier and set up for another flier run.
This time all the Pnuts come galloping out and we get nothing....until ZZZZZZZZZZZ The shotgun 4" mini jet goes off HARD! I can see the line slicing through the water sideways and throwing up spray as the 30VSW screams. I get to work and Bob works the boat. In fairly short order we have color. I yell WAHOO!!!!! Bob comes off the wheel and leaders I gaff with the rod in one hand the gaff in the other. The gaff sinks in the fish, Bob drops the leader and grabs the rod, I 2 hand Slob-hoo over the gunnel and into the kill box. No drama, nothing but net!
I'm pumped with this fish !!!! Bob's landed a few before, but this is my first. We get a few pics and the spred goes back out. We go back the first YFT spot and find them rolling on top. From this point on it was silly. The fish went on the feed and Bob and I went into the zone. We teased those fish into soo many multiple knockdowns it wasn't funny. The fish would swing and swat ath the baits and a simple dropback and crank or two would get them to smash it and take the hook. Then we'd move to another rod and do the same until most every rod was down, then the two of us would get them in and re-set the spread.
Most times the followers would eat the spread as we were setting it back out. I had one eat the stinger on a bar as I was untangling the rest of the bar in the boat. Ripped it right out of my hands. It was that crazy.
I heard two boats of young guys from Chatham (Big Eye and another boat) talking about slow fishign a few miles away. It was getting late and most boats had left so I called them in on the bite. In no time all three of us were working the fish with multiple knockdowns on each boat simultaniously.
Thats when the one fish I wanted showed up. The LLR ballyhoo went off and when I looked in the spread I saw Whitey! He was head out of the water, bill in the air head shaking. Then BOING! The hook pulled and whitey was gone. I'm still Bill-less on my own boats.
We ran home on FAC waters and in short order we were at the dock. I called the charters I had moved to offered them the next day as an option. Nobody could jump last minute. Navionics opted to grab the day and the plan was set.
We ran out for day two with high hopes dispite and obviously dimmining forcast. We got on site and set out. We had nothing until we finally hit a flier and then Don iced a nice 20# mahi on a ballyhoo.
We worked around for a few hours with no joy. We finally found some better water and got a pick of YFT and pulled off a few skippys. We did get a surprise visit from a 3' mako pup that ate a ballyhoo. He was quickly released.
Thats when the big sporty next to us got the hookup of the day. I watched his spread as athe entire back of the boat went white with spray as a ****ED OFF est. 250# BLUE MARLIN went insane on his long rigger naked ballyhoo. we cheered as the capt of the big sporty tried hard to keep the fish buttoned up on the 20# class gear. For about 5 minutes he did well as the BLuegirl gave the rest of us a show. Finally the hook pulled and it was over. Still a great job by the cappy and angler on such light gear. It was a shocker seeing a blue marlin so close in and in such shallow water.
Overall two great days offshore / nearshore. The list of species we caught:
YFT
BTF
Skipjack tuna
Mahi
Wahoo
Mako Shark
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Pull hook on White Marlin
Saw the boat next to us Hook a Blue Marlin
Several boats in the area saw a freejumping Thresher Shark
Thats quite the list of life down there right now. I hope this blow doesn't mess it all up.
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Good Luck,
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