June Bug Report of Fishing & Catching Lately

[Capt Lindsay]

June Bug has been busy with family reunions and Mate Rewards the last week or so. The weather has been outstanding and much of the fishing has been outstanding too! It’s all how you look at it.

Last week was the week of family reunions. We had a reunion of a Canadien father, two Canadien sons, and two Canadien sons-in-law, eh, on Thursday. The Potter clan are all Montreal Canadien fans of the first order. They also had a great time on June Bug, caught dozens of short Fluke that they couldn’t keep, yet insisted they would be back since they were having another family reunion on LBI next year. 50+ short Fluke and no keepers.

On Friday we had two brothers and their combined 3 children ranging from 15 down to a first grader. Haden was the little guy and he worked his butt off to catch short Fluke. The party caught over 50 short Fluke again that day. Toward the end of the trip, Haden asked “Capt. Lindsay, don’t you think it would be a good idea to let each person take one fish home to eat?” How about that, National Marine Fisheries Service? I think that would be a great idea. Let’s work on the math considering the mortality penalty you place on released short Fluke against what recreational fishermen may catch and keep. Good thinking Haden!

On Monday, we had yet another family reunion. The catch was over 50 short Fluke yet again and we had the repeated question “Capt. Lindsay, why can’t we take at least one fish home to eat?”

I promise to bring that excellent question up with National Marine Fisheries. I will post their answer(s), assuming I get any.

Now we come to today. The weather forecast for offshore was outstanding. Offshore winds variable under 10 knots with seas less than 2 feet. The Rutgers Surface Temp Service told us the fish should be there, and we had no charter today. We decided to invite our mates to enjoy a busman’s holiday and go catch some Tuna, etc. Art Barstow who helps with our mechanical issues and our Junior Mate Garrett Frey stepped right up and said they would be on board. Several other candidates for the trip received voice mails yet did not respond until later giving all sorts of foolish excuses. One responded that his sister-in-law was in town. What better reason to leave his wife and her sister together to talk about him while he snuck off to go fishing? The whole bunch would have had Tuna on the barby tonight. After all, what is more important than going fishing on a great weather day when we also knew the fish were hungry?

We left the dock a little after midnight due to one of the crew showing up late and not loading the boat fully with ice. We never have too much ice. I doubt he will forget that detail again. We reached the point where we started fishing inside the Lindenkohl Canyon about 6 miles from the 100-fathom tip about 4:45 a.m. From the number of lights, we figured that about 25 boats had overnighted in the Lindy. We trolled over our normal pre-dawn lumps and humps with no luck. It has been that way this year. Little pre-dawn action inshore of the Canyon tip. We trolled the 100-fathom edge for about an hour and then, at dawn, moved into the deep where the success has been the last month or so.

In almost exactly the same spot where we caught a 160 pound BigEye three Saturdays ago, we hooked up a nice 75 pound Yellowfin and Art Barstow masterfully cranked the fish to gaff in about 10 minutes. Several fish came up in the pod but none of the others hooked up. Garrett nailed the fish right in the eye with his gaff.

Nothing happened for about a hour and a half until the Captain, as is his wont, announced he needed a “nap.” OK, the Cap went down to the bunk and the joke worked again. Within a few minutes, the cockpit crew was yelling “Hey Capt. Lindsay, FISH ON!” Garrett Frey, our super star Junior Mate for 2010, caught his first Yellowfin Tuna. Another 75 pounder that tested Garrett just about to the limit.

The action was structured today. The water had lots of “busy” areas where the water had little ripples in areas surrounded by mirror smooth water. In those areas, bait was present and was where we caught our Tuna, they were certainly feeding on the bait in these “busy” areas. These areas were very obvious on the surface.

We had one spot where a very lit up White Marlin came to check out our Cedar Plug that was one of our short flat lines. After cruising under the Cedar Plug and investigating it for what felt like forever, the White disappeared and we didn’t see it again. Odd it came up on a Cedar Plug when a number of baits with Ballyhoo were available.

We moved across the deep to the SouthWest wall of the Lindenkohl and moved around to the turn where the bathymetry lines went around the corner to the Spencer. In returning back along the 450 foot line to the Lindy, we got hammered by large Mahi that were hanging out around a 10’ long board that was covered with barnacles. None of the Mahi hooked up trolling but after we refound the board, Art and Garrett had dug out light spinning gear and tossed small chunks of Ballyhoo near the board. We spent the next hour or so bailing Mahi Mahi. Not super size but 10 pounds or better for the most part. I asked the guys not to catch and keep more than they could eat fresh, not frozen. I am not big on frozen Mahi. It seems to gain a leathery texture and the cooked flesh just does not taste as good to me. Frankly, we could have sunk the boat with these Mahi today.

After the bailing of the Mahi, we ran back to inside the 50-fathom line and started trolling back across the high ground. There had been reports of fish there but all we got was another inquisitive White Marlin that checked out several of our baits, all of which had Ballyhoo on them. Didn’t jump on though.

It was the end of a super day and we went home. We had a boat covered in Mahi blood to clean and some Tuna to steak.

Everyone needs to know that this is the BEST Tuna year in over 20 years, bar none. Do NOT miss getting in on the Tuna this year. June Bug and the rest of the charter fleet have plenty of dates available for you to take part in this incredible happening. Call Capt. Lindsay Fuller to discuss your trip and the dates your group can all come together.

However, please do not ask me to put together people for your charter. This is very difficult to do and I have no guarantee that casual pick-ups will actually show up. With the quantity of Tuna available this year, sit your friends and family down and decide on dates you all could go and then call me so we can block out your date on our schedule.

Let’s Go Fishing’ !