Red Drum
09-12-2008, 01:44 PM
I took my fourth trip down to Shelter Island in the last eight weeks, since the pelagic fishing has been so good this summer. I had some “good sticks” fishing with me today, Martin “the looper”, Ed “Seatech” and Brad “NoLDR”.
Got down to the launch ramp on Wednesday evening and talked with a couple other boats that came in, and most everyone had been fishing the 182/181/43 areas with moderate success and with lots of other boats around.
We decided to go in the opposite direction and head south to North Coronado Island and try for Yellowtail in the morning and then head offshore to look for ponies and paddies.
We slow trolled Sardines for the first hour of day light at the island for only a Bonito and no YT. We got antsy and decided to head offshore around 7:30am. Before 8:00am we had found our first group of ponies about 3 miles off north island and followed them for the next hour and a half, for a total of 15 hook-ups and 15 nice Yellowfin Tuna in the box. No farmed fish all morning….love it!
We caught half the fish on the iron and half the fish on the Sardine. Unfortunately, at around 9:30am the fish stopped biting, but we were very happy with the 400+ pounds of fresh Yellowfin Tuna that was in the fish holds.
Here is a picture of Ed with his first YFT of the day.
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h177/Big_Drum/100_2703.jpg
Brad going bendo.
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h177/Big_Drum/100_2710.jpg
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h177/Big_Drum/100_2705.jpg
One of Brad’s YFT.
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h177/Big_Drum/100_2708.jpg
Point Loma in the background. We actually had a quad-hookup 11 ½ miles from the point. Sure is fun whacking Tuna so close to port.
Here I am with a nice YFT.
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h177/Big_Drum/100_2704.jpg
Here is Martin’s hot Sumo iron that was the demise for four of the Tuna, with the ponies jumping in the background.
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h177/Big_Drum/100_2714.jpg
Here I am getting ready to cut the fish.
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h177/Big_Drum/100_2711.jpg
Here is what the Tuna were eating, small 2-3 inch baby squid.
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h177/Big_Drum/100_2715.jpg
Here is some Ahi that Martin cut up for the ceviche and sashimi plate. Thanks again Martin for making the killer ceviche and sashimi, it was delicious.
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h177/Big_Drum/100_2717.jpg
After we cleaned the Tuna, we went back to North Island since we were so close and caught a bunch of Bonito for Brad to use on a later date for shark bait.
Here I am with a Bonito that ate a surface plug. That was way cool watching the Bonito hit the surface plug and the trolled cedar plugs.
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h177/Big_Drum/100_2718.jpg
Another super-fantastic fishing trip aboard the "Big Drum". I had a great time fishing with some great friends, can’t wait to do it again. HOOK-UP!!
Till next tide,
Got down to the launch ramp on Wednesday evening and talked with a couple other boats that came in, and most everyone had been fishing the 182/181/43 areas with moderate success and with lots of other boats around.
We decided to go in the opposite direction and head south to North Coronado Island and try for Yellowtail in the morning and then head offshore to look for ponies and paddies.
We slow trolled Sardines for the first hour of day light at the island for only a Bonito and no YT. We got antsy and decided to head offshore around 7:30am. Before 8:00am we had found our first group of ponies about 3 miles off north island and followed them for the next hour and a half, for a total of 15 hook-ups and 15 nice Yellowfin Tuna in the box. No farmed fish all morning….love it!
We caught half the fish on the iron and half the fish on the Sardine. Unfortunately, at around 9:30am the fish stopped biting, but we were very happy with the 400+ pounds of fresh Yellowfin Tuna that was in the fish holds.
Here is a picture of Ed with his first YFT of the day.
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h177/Big_Drum/100_2703.jpg
Brad going bendo.
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h177/Big_Drum/100_2710.jpg
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h177/Big_Drum/100_2705.jpg
One of Brad’s YFT.
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h177/Big_Drum/100_2708.jpg
Point Loma in the background. We actually had a quad-hookup 11 ½ miles from the point. Sure is fun whacking Tuna so close to port.
Here I am with a nice YFT.
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h177/Big_Drum/100_2704.jpg
Here is Martin’s hot Sumo iron that was the demise for four of the Tuna, with the ponies jumping in the background.
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h177/Big_Drum/100_2714.jpg
Here I am getting ready to cut the fish.
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h177/Big_Drum/100_2711.jpg
Here is what the Tuna were eating, small 2-3 inch baby squid.
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h177/Big_Drum/100_2715.jpg
Here is some Ahi that Martin cut up for the ceviche and sashimi plate. Thanks again Martin for making the killer ceviche and sashimi, it was delicious.
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h177/Big_Drum/100_2717.jpg
After we cleaned the Tuna, we went back to North Island since we were so close and caught a bunch of Bonito for Brad to use on a later date for shark bait.
Here I am with a Bonito that ate a surface plug. That was way cool watching the Bonito hit the surface plug and the trolled cedar plugs.
http://i64.photobucket.com/albums/h177/Big_Drum/100_2718.jpg
Another super-fantastic fishing trip aboard the "Big Drum". I had a great time fishing with some great friends, can’t wait to do it again. HOOK-UP!!
Till next tide,