Tunaslam
04-11-2010, 11:53 AM
Fishing for the first time with Steve Ross, on his 32’ Luhrs, “Bad Dog”, with wife Gale and crew Juan Lu. I drove down Friday evening from my home in Diamond Bar, arriving at the border 8:12 pm. Still faced a back up for 1 ˝ miles to get across the border. It took 22 minutes to cross the border into Mexico.
I arrived in Ensenada at a little after 10:15pm. The guard let me into “A” dock, and Steve had left the door unlocked, so I could get some sleep before our scheduled 4:30 am departure. Steve, Gale and Luan Lu woke me up at 4:15am, made our introductions, and soon we were off and running. Stopped at Mike’s for a couple of scoops of small anchovies, for chum on our targeted species, Yellowtail.
The seas were quite lumpy, yet the winds were calm, with only a hint of breeze. Reached San Miguel Reef at grey light, joining the small fleet that had already assembled. Most of them San Diego Sport Boats, all of whom had good scores during the previous week, Sea Adventure II, Grande, Prowler, Legend, Voyager, Endeavor, New Lo Ann, and others. The Mexican Navy had chased them out of the area on Friday, but that obviously didn’t discourage them today. No sign of the Navy all day?
We began trolling Rapalas in and around the fleet, who were scattered some five square miles. We repeatedly saw birds working, and watched as a number of Sport Boats brailed bait. We stopped on meter mark after meter mark for nothing. Never saw the Sport Boats hook any fish? We stopped on one meter mark, then the Endeavor pulled up stern to stern to us, within 50 yards, and brailed sardines, we said ok, we like it, thanks for the chum, just then, I get bit on the Yo Yo Iron, a scrambled egg Salas CP105, my favorite jig for Yo Yo. I was using Pink Ande 40 lb. line on a Trinidad 30. I could tell by the initial run and heavy head shakes, it was a big’n! The huge tail put up a decent fight, while the folks on the Endeavor watched. Then I shouted deep color. Steve hollers, wow that’s a big fish, Juan Lu get the gaff. A couple of death circles, pumped to the surface, head in the water, as Juan Lu sticks the fish in the jaw, sweet!
An estimated 25 pound Yellowtail?
http://momentoffame.com/photopost/data/505/medium/100_0825.jpg
http://momentoffame.com/photopost/data/505/medium/100_08271.jpg
We kept moving around and continued to meter huge schools of tails. While drifting we watched a group of working birds off our stern slowly approach us. Sure enough on the next cast, I was bit again, on a fast grind, about ten cranks off the bottom, oh no short biter, took two cranks and this time the bite stuck. It was a feisty Yellowtail, taking a bunch of short runs, and then charged the boat, sounded, than back to the surface like a Blue fin Tuna. Charged the boat again, went under the boat, oh no its going to get wrapped on the prop? Leaned way over the rail, placed the rod down in the water as deep as I could and whew it swam out. Juan Lu tried for another head shot missed, and on the second swing got him in the gill plate. Good way to bleed him? An estimate 17 pound Yellowtail?
The Tails seemed to disappear all of a sudden. The fleet scattered north about five miles, so we followed. Found more birds working, and some scattered marks, however, no concentrations of fish. Spent another couple of hours working between the two areas. According to Juan Lu some of the Pangas were catching Bonito and Barracuda west of Todo Santos Island. We changed from Rapalas to feathers. Saw some nice bonito schools of fish crashing on the surface, however, they sank out when we approached them.
At 1:20 pm and the weather still decent, Steve elected to head toward the Banda Bank to catch some fish taco meat, to complement the Hamachi sashimi planned for the evening. We drifted until after 4pm, catching a Red, a Bank Perch, a White Fish, and a couple of Starries. I had one drop that was bit real well, and the gangion was heavy, too heavy as it broke about five cranks off the bottom, bummer?
Refreshed from a much needed nap, on our cruise back to the Hotel Marina Coral, I decided to haed home tonight, rather than wait until Sunday morning. We made the fuel dock at 5:30 pm and were surprised they were still open, I guess Saturday Spring hours are expanded? They had been closing at 4pm, only three weeks ago? Shortly after fueling up, I filleted the fish while the boat was being cleaned by Juan Lu. Took a picture at the dock, holding both Yellowtail.
http://momentoffame.com/photopost/data/505/medium/100_0831.jpg
Said my goodbyes to Steve, Gale and Juan Lu, loaded up the truck, and hit the road to Tecate at 6:45 pm. Made the border by 8:20 pm, crossed in 30 minutes, not too bad for a Saturday night.
Thanks for the invite and hospitality Steve. Let’s all do it again soon.
Hook up!
Cory
I arrived in Ensenada at a little after 10:15pm. The guard let me into “A” dock, and Steve had left the door unlocked, so I could get some sleep before our scheduled 4:30 am departure. Steve, Gale and Luan Lu woke me up at 4:15am, made our introductions, and soon we were off and running. Stopped at Mike’s for a couple of scoops of small anchovies, for chum on our targeted species, Yellowtail.
The seas were quite lumpy, yet the winds were calm, with only a hint of breeze. Reached San Miguel Reef at grey light, joining the small fleet that had already assembled. Most of them San Diego Sport Boats, all of whom had good scores during the previous week, Sea Adventure II, Grande, Prowler, Legend, Voyager, Endeavor, New Lo Ann, and others. The Mexican Navy had chased them out of the area on Friday, but that obviously didn’t discourage them today. No sign of the Navy all day?
We began trolling Rapalas in and around the fleet, who were scattered some five square miles. We repeatedly saw birds working, and watched as a number of Sport Boats brailed bait. We stopped on meter mark after meter mark for nothing. Never saw the Sport Boats hook any fish? We stopped on one meter mark, then the Endeavor pulled up stern to stern to us, within 50 yards, and brailed sardines, we said ok, we like it, thanks for the chum, just then, I get bit on the Yo Yo Iron, a scrambled egg Salas CP105, my favorite jig for Yo Yo. I was using Pink Ande 40 lb. line on a Trinidad 30. I could tell by the initial run and heavy head shakes, it was a big’n! The huge tail put up a decent fight, while the folks on the Endeavor watched. Then I shouted deep color. Steve hollers, wow that’s a big fish, Juan Lu get the gaff. A couple of death circles, pumped to the surface, head in the water, as Juan Lu sticks the fish in the jaw, sweet!
An estimated 25 pound Yellowtail?
http://momentoffame.com/photopost/data/505/medium/100_0825.jpg
http://momentoffame.com/photopost/data/505/medium/100_08271.jpg
We kept moving around and continued to meter huge schools of tails. While drifting we watched a group of working birds off our stern slowly approach us. Sure enough on the next cast, I was bit again, on a fast grind, about ten cranks off the bottom, oh no short biter, took two cranks and this time the bite stuck. It was a feisty Yellowtail, taking a bunch of short runs, and then charged the boat, sounded, than back to the surface like a Blue fin Tuna. Charged the boat again, went under the boat, oh no its going to get wrapped on the prop? Leaned way over the rail, placed the rod down in the water as deep as I could and whew it swam out. Juan Lu tried for another head shot missed, and on the second swing got him in the gill plate. Good way to bleed him? An estimate 17 pound Yellowtail?
The Tails seemed to disappear all of a sudden. The fleet scattered north about five miles, so we followed. Found more birds working, and some scattered marks, however, no concentrations of fish. Spent another couple of hours working between the two areas. According to Juan Lu some of the Pangas were catching Bonito and Barracuda west of Todo Santos Island. We changed from Rapalas to feathers. Saw some nice bonito schools of fish crashing on the surface, however, they sank out when we approached them.
At 1:20 pm and the weather still decent, Steve elected to head toward the Banda Bank to catch some fish taco meat, to complement the Hamachi sashimi planned for the evening. We drifted until after 4pm, catching a Red, a Bank Perch, a White Fish, and a couple of Starries. I had one drop that was bit real well, and the gangion was heavy, too heavy as it broke about five cranks off the bottom, bummer?
Refreshed from a much needed nap, on our cruise back to the Hotel Marina Coral, I decided to haed home tonight, rather than wait until Sunday morning. We made the fuel dock at 5:30 pm and were surprised they were still open, I guess Saturday Spring hours are expanded? They had been closing at 4pm, only three weeks ago? Shortly after fueling up, I filleted the fish while the boat was being cleaned by Juan Lu. Took a picture at the dock, holding both Yellowtail.
http://momentoffame.com/photopost/data/505/medium/100_0831.jpg
Said my goodbyes to Steve, Gale and Juan Lu, loaded up the truck, and hit the road to Tecate at 6:45 pm. Made the border by 8:20 pm, crossed in 30 minutes, not too bad for a Saturday night.
Thanks for the invite and hospitality Steve. Let’s all do it again soon.
Hook up!
Cory