daveg456
06-22-2009, 12:16 PM
Well, as you know from my previous thread, we were planning on fishing the Endeavor for an overnight trip for the tuna. We had 12 reserved but needed 15 to go so the trip was cancelled. So called around and the Producer only had 14 and we had a group of 4 so we headed there. Ended up with 22 people by the time we left the dock to pick up our decent looking sardines but they weren't the strongest swimmers. Headed out into lumpy and confused seas. Rough but manageable. There was a group of about 5 who ended spending the day in the bunks. Talked to one of them at the end of the trip and he said he took 2 Bonines and when he came up on deck, he wanted to fish so bad but he couldn't even see straight he was so sleepy. I advised him to only take one next time. Felt bad for them since they were out for Father's Day but if anything, they won't overdose on seasick pills next time.
The fishing was down on Sat. vs. the 80 BFT the Pacific Voyager got on Friday. We started the day about 55 miles out and 15 miles below where they got the BFT yesterday. Started trolling and we get a jig strike and the first couple of albacore come aboard. No bait fish through the first few rotations. We keep trolling and keep getting stopped fairly regularly during the early part of the day. We would get one, two or none baitfish after each stop. The small blue and white jet heads were working the best trolled in close in the prop wash. I started off with a troll fish and cranked it in a fast as I could to get the school to come up. I think we got our best bait stop there and wonder if getting it in fast made a difference. Sometimes, with the novices taking too long to bring in a troll fish, it ends up costing the school and when it's scratchy, every little advantage helps.
Well, the fact was that 80% of the anglers on this trip were rent rodders so it did have an affect on the counts. I know part of the reason the PV got so many on Friday was because they had the talent on board. Not badmouthing the newbies since we all have to start somewhere but just stating the facts. It doesn't matter when you're fishing sand bass but when tuna fishing, it does. But you know you're in for an interesting day when you get tangled with the guy next to you when he tries to flip his sardine off the hook but ends up wrapping around your line a few times instead. That happened twice with different people and I thought, this is going to be an interesting day. I ended up getting a baitfish on a stop and another one on the slide with a sardine dropped back as soon as we got a jig strike. We were circling and chumming on a bird school so I just grabbed any sardine just to get in the water quick and it paid off. I was fishing a Torium 14 with 20 lb and a flouro leader. I think the light line and flouro made a difference as I had two other chances that I missed. I'll take it though.
It was the first time I've fished the Producer. It has really wide side aisles and the engines are super quiet. But I give them a 10 for their bathrooms. They have the full nomal size crappers and set in a long narrow area so if the boat is swaying and you're standing up, you can lean against the wall and all is good. Also, the trash can/seat is a convenience too. And Diane makes one of the best breakfast burritos I've ever had. A really good crew and Captain Jim is a cool guy. We ended up being high count for the fleet and we did a lot better than some of the 1.5 day boats. I also believe the deckhand was saying we were the first double digit albacore count for the season or highest count so all in all, a very good trip and would recommend the Producer.
Boat Total
22 Anglers
23 Albacore
5 Blue Fin
1 Bonito
I got 3 albacore(2 bait, 1 troll)
Robbie(1 albacore, bait and also JP)
Russ(1 albacore, bait)
Steve(a very good fisher but donuts)
P.S. Fish Scammer Report -This one guy comes up as all the fish are layed out on the deck to be filleted when he claims that he got 7 fish and that some of them are missing? WTH? Oh, ah really? Dude got shut down so quick. Deckhands says "Yeah, maybe if we had caught 100 fish but we only got 28 and I remember all the fish". What an idiot. If you ever got a fish or tackle stolen, a guy like this probably did it. What a scumbag. This is also the same dude that decided since his trolling rod didn't get bit, he's just going to leave it there and grab his rod and bait fish as everyone else gets tangled up on the troll rod. He got called out on that too. Also, his dad decides he's tired of trolling so he'll go relax in the galley. Well, hook up and his(actually the boat's) rod gets bit and he comes out all mad that someone else is bringing in the fish AND he still wants to claim the fish he didn't bring in. Deckie smacked him down too when he says "Oh, so now you want to troll, after you get a fish but you don't like trolling when you don't? It doesn't work that way".
So anyways, what are you going to do? They can do what they want but karma will always balance things out in the end.
The fishing was down on Sat. vs. the 80 BFT the Pacific Voyager got on Friday. We started the day about 55 miles out and 15 miles below where they got the BFT yesterday. Started trolling and we get a jig strike and the first couple of albacore come aboard. No bait fish through the first few rotations. We keep trolling and keep getting stopped fairly regularly during the early part of the day. We would get one, two or none baitfish after each stop. The small blue and white jet heads were working the best trolled in close in the prop wash. I started off with a troll fish and cranked it in a fast as I could to get the school to come up. I think we got our best bait stop there and wonder if getting it in fast made a difference. Sometimes, with the novices taking too long to bring in a troll fish, it ends up costing the school and when it's scratchy, every little advantage helps.
Well, the fact was that 80% of the anglers on this trip were rent rodders so it did have an affect on the counts. I know part of the reason the PV got so many on Friday was because they had the talent on board. Not badmouthing the newbies since we all have to start somewhere but just stating the facts. It doesn't matter when you're fishing sand bass but when tuna fishing, it does. But you know you're in for an interesting day when you get tangled with the guy next to you when he tries to flip his sardine off the hook but ends up wrapping around your line a few times instead. That happened twice with different people and I thought, this is going to be an interesting day. I ended up getting a baitfish on a stop and another one on the slide with a sardine dropped back as soon as we got a jig strike. We were circling and chumming on a bird school so I just grabbed any sardine just to get in the water quick and it paid off. I was fishing a Torium 14 with 20 lb and a flouro leader. I think the light line and flouro made a difference as I had two other chances that I missed. I'll take it though.
It was the first time I've fished the Producer. It has really wide side aisles and the engines are super quiet. But I give them a 10 for their bathrooms. They have the full nomal size crappers and set in a long narrow area so if the boat is swaying and you're standing up, you can lean against the wall and all is good. Also, the trash can/seat is a convenience too. And Diane makes one of the best breakfast burritos I've ever had. A really good crew and Captain Jim is a cool guy. We ended up being high count for the fleet and we did a lot better than some of the 1.5 day boats. I also believe the deckhand was saying we were the first double digit albacore count for the season or highest count so all in all, a very good trip and would recommend the Producer.
Boat Total
22 Anglers
23 Albacore
5 Blue Fin
1 Bonito
I got 3 albacore(2 bait, 1 troll)
Robbie(1 albacore, bait and also JP)
Russ(1 albacore, bait)
Steve(a very good fisher but donuts)
P.S. Fish Scammer Report -This one guy comes up as all the fish are layed out on the deck to be filleted when he claims that he got 7 fish and that some of them are missing? WTH? Oh, ah really? Dude got shut down so quick. Deckhands says "Yeah, maybe if we had caught 100 fish but we only got 28 and I remember all the fish". What an idiot. If you ever got a fish or tackle stolen, a guy like this probably did it. What a scumbag. This is also the same dude that decided since his trolling rod didn't get bit, he's just going to leave it there and grab his rod and bait fish as everyone else gets tangled up on the troll rod. He got called out on that too. Also, his dad decides he's tired of trolling so he'll go relax in the galley. Well, hook up and his(actually the boat's) rod gets bit and he comes out all mad that someone else is bringing in the fish AND he still wants to claim the fish he didn't bring in. Deckie smacked him down too when he says "Oh, so now you want to troll, after you get a fish but you don't like trolling when you don't? It doesn't work that way".
So anyways, what are you going to do? They can do what they want but karma will always balance things out in the end.