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Dec 28--The bite improved today. Another boat caught/released a single blue marlin & a double header on a morning half, for a total of 3 on a half day. Great Day! There were several more blues & a few stripeys seen/caught. We had 2 bites today--a double header blue marlin bite! We had both on for over 5 minutes, but 1 came unglued & we tagged/released the other (about 180 lbs).
Dec 29--Our customers wanted to spend most of the day bottom fishing, so after about 1.5 hours of trolling w/o a bite, we went bait fishing & began dropping live baits to the bottom in 110-85 fathoms. 1st drop of the day turned out to be the biggest. After about a 30 minute gruesome battle, our lady angler successfully landed a 113 lb amberjack on a Penn 16s, loaded with 60 lb braided line. We fished most of the rest of the day on the bottom, catching various exotic species (don't recall really-don't do much of it & could not identify most of the fish--However, the few that we kept, Capt. Jeff Rogers identified for us, back at the dock--and they are edible & were grilled for our New Year's Eve celebration).
Dec 31--Slow day. Trolled 7 hours w/o a troll bite. We had some fun however. Found a cargo net, loaded with bait & some shibi ahi (small yft). As we made our first pass, Capt. Dennis spotted a baby turtle trapped in the net & it could not get to the surface to breathe. We cleared all lines & backed down to the net, successfully liberating the little fella. He swam away strong. We fished the net for about 30 minutes catching several amberjacks & 1 small yft & a 10 lb big eye ahi.
Jan 4--Fished with a young man & his Dad. We wanted bent rods, so after trolling to the grounds, we caught some live bait & dropped it to the bottom. Damien quickly had his first amberjack in the boat for pictures & a healthy release. We continued to bait fish but they were not cooperating. Just when we were ready to switch back to trolling, we land a 3 lb oi oi. Rigged up & putting him in the outrigger clip when "snap" the band breaks "that's a bite. We're getting bit". Hooked up & into the chair goes Damien. 30 minutes later, we deck a nice 60 lb Ahi. Damien's first.
Jan 5--Joe (Dad) & Gary (son) Kirk & their soon to be son(brother)-in-law Robert. Decent bite. Forget the particulars, but Joe (Dad) caught & tagged a nice stripey. Put on a great show at the boat, including some spectacular leaps that were captured on film! Put out the bait rigs a while later when we were working a floater that half the fleet was on. Captured several shibi ahi (small yft). Ended the day with a nice 20 lb Mahi Mahi which also graced us with one spectacular leap b4 succumbing to the gaff (& grill to follow!)
Jan 6--Bracken & his son Will--First bite of the day at 8:15 am. 10 year old Will is in the chair, strapped into a 200 lb blue marlin. After a gruesome 15 minute battle, the large tackle (130) wore out Will b4 it wore out the Blue Marlin! & we lost the fish. It's only 8:30. Plenty of time. Capt Dennis then asks Will "What kind of fish do you want to catch?" "A Mahi Mahi". "Well, go pick out a lure & we'll fish whatever you want" so Will picks out a Bomboy lure, which quickly makes its way out on the long rigger. 1 minute later (not kidding, 1 minute later) & CRASH comes down the long rigger & up comes jumping a nice 20 lb Mahi Mahi. "Mahi Mahi, come on down Will" I look up to the bridge & his jaw is down on the deck. He can't move. "Get in the chair!" We clear lines & Will successfully captures his prize. When the fish is secured in the killbox, Will turns to his dad & says "This is the BEST fishing day ever." WOW. gotta make a dad want to cry. In the last hour of the day, we had a shortbill spearfish knockdown the long corner, then the long rigger (Will's Bomboy still there), but faded out.
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that water looks a little ruff
