SWB Hole / BR report 2/20

[Foul Hook'd]

Couldn't snag a third body for today so my trout buddy Phil and myself left the MHC Ramp to do a offshore shakedown run for my friend John's new boat. What can you say when a guy brings you his boat full of gas and says it needs to be run, bloody the deck and bring me some fish back????? Well you go for it.

Landed at the SWB Hole, lines in 7:15, 69 deg., worked off the break to 80ftms with out a nibble. Not liking the color selections I changed up and headed up the break to find some sort of change, color, temp, anything!!

Around 70-80fthms couple miles off of the BR SW corner the WWB sounds off and the planer trips, OH YES!!!!!!! WWB finally slows while I crank on the planer, suprise 10lb. Blackfin in the box, Phil subdues the other and I have to do a double take when I see tuna down there and big, YFT????? Nope a another Blackfin but a easy 20lb. butter ball.

Not bad, reset and Phil piles on the planer rod when it jumped only to be disappointed when he cranks in a skint up planer with no tail gear at least we didn't lose the bridle and planer only the business end, only hoo bite all day.

Worked up onto the Stone, out to the PanAM, down the break, water temp at the SWB was 69 to 72 on the Stone, never found a change to work on, marked 1 scratch of bait all day.

Finished the day with a flyer meeting us head on and it's chaser ran into the right long armed with the special Joe Shute color combo that the BFT and Hoos love, Phil has a good tussle and lands a even bigger Blackfin. The the WWB comes down and chirps the drag then stops, Phil cranks in a Bonita, or thats what I called it, maybe someone can identify it in the pic below.

All in all I think we had the most bite of the few boats out there today, heard someone had another Blackfin and that was it. Couple boats went off the back of the Rock and said the temp change wasn't as hard as they had seen on the Sat shots. Gradually warmed up degree at a time.

Found the only rip on the day inshore 15-17ftm. 64-61deg and loaded with albies, we kept rolling for the hill.

Good luck if you get out tomorrow, some more friends are heading out of OI and work down from the Rockpile, said the better temp change is up off the NE corner 10+miles.

Foul Hook'd

[clt_capt]

Looks like a skipjack. Not bad eating at all...

Very nice day for February - Especially after the last few weeks - Thanks for taking one for the team

[Foul Hook'd]

Thanks for the ID, definately didn't have the muscle the Blackies had

Foul Hook'd

[gottaflylee]

Congrats Roger, glad you could get out there today and find a couple of fishies...

[MissSara]

Thanks for the report. What kind of boat did your buddy turn you lose in?

[Foul Hook'd]

08' Kencraft 210, Pretty stout boat for the size, it's as big as some 23's I have seen lately. He got it for a steal, 30hrs. on the engine. A Lot better quality then the rig I had that we fished out of, he'll enjoy it alot more once he gets all the bells and whistles installed. Shows the kind of man John is to let me take it offshore the first trip to see what it'll do, either he trust me alot or he wanted me to take the butt beating we were use to in my old rig

Foul Hook'd

[Capt,Ray]

Pretty work roger,yea the 215 is a big 21 footer and damn sure seaworthy.I still miss the old no doubt,that ol girl didnt owe me a dime when I sold it.Needed a little stringer work but it was 22 years old.We were going tommorow but something came up.

[blueoceaneyez]

Nice fish, great eats!!

[thoffman]

thanks for the report, can't wait to get out there.

[merry marlin]

7.15 at the SWB make for a too early start for me!
That skipjack in June would make the best marlin bait...
Your blackfin were double the size of ours!
MM