Tunaslam
10-04-2010, 09:57 AM
Fishing Sunday 10-03-10 with Tony Jr. on his 21’ Triumph. “Bad Fish” and his Dad “Crazy Hawaiian” Tony Sr. I left Diamond Bar at 3:10 am to meet both Tony’s at Shelter Island in San Diego by 5am. Picked up a nice scoop of dynamite sardines, lots of them slimy green. Cleared the Point by 5:30 am. The skies were filled with a deep marine layer, visibility was low, and seas were nearly grease calm, yee ha!
We passed North Island around 6:25 am; there was a small swell of 1-2 feet, spaced far apart, and just a hint of a breeze. About 6 miles west of North Island, we spotted several schools of porpoise, yet decided to continue to our destination of the Hidden Bank. Chatted with Tailwalker off and on, nothing to report for them this morning. Then we were called in by a private boater, I believe he called his boat Hi Stick, or Hi-Six, not sure, but whoever you were, thanks a bunch for the invite. He had two Bluefin in the box, and while we looked around for a meter mark, he hooked and landed two more. We couldn’t find any marks, so elected to troll around for a while, nothing.
Came back to Hi-Stick and setup a drift just outside of him, he was fishing solo. Every now and then a good mark would come under the boat at 100’ or deeper. Tony Senior elected to put on a five inch Shimano Butterfly lure in yellow-white, with glow in the dark color, and began jigging. Then I got bit, on a soaked sardine, out about a 100 yards, on my 20 lb. Saltiga 20, with 20 lb. Flouro Leader, and a #1 VMC silver J-hook . The Tuna at first took only a couple of yards of line, then pulled the Kamikaze on me, charging the boat, I reeled for all I was worth and finally caught up to him, he took a couple of feet of line, then he did it again, charged the boat, and this time the hook pulled. Darn!
Meanwhile Tony was Yo Yoing the Shimano lure, when he got slammed and hollered Fresh One! The Bluefin Tuna gave Tony all he could handle on his 20 lb. rig. Took him around the boat several times, and just as he got it close to the boat, the BFT took one final run, pulled Tony’s rod and line into the Engine prop, as the added tension caused the hook to pull. Yikes, we are 0 for 2, and bummed. Then I get bit again, and this time the Bluefin behaves normally, taking a nice early run straight out to sea, then sounds, and eventually begins his death circle, leaning on his side, thumbing his tail, and not giving an inch. Finally he tires, and I holler deep color and coming in fast. Senior grabs the gaff, and performs a perfect head shot, fine job Tony! Wow, my first Bluefin of the year.
He’s a dandy 18 pounder.
http://www.senortuna.com/pics/data/501/100_1124.jpg
http://www.senortuna.com/pics/data/501/100_1125.jpg
Numerous private boaters had now joined us, and quite a few had hookups. Junior thought he might give a lure a shot, and chose a small Mega Bait Lure. After several attempts, he was bit on the wind in, at about 50’. This Bluefin also put up quite a fight, and kept Junior on his toes as it bobbed and weaved from one side of the boat to the other. I was bit again on the sardine, and reeled in a raked bait. Another cast, and within a few seconds, I was bit again, this time, a quick run, and ping! Reeled in a hook less leader and frayed line, must of ran right down his teeth? Junior hollers for a gaff, as I had just casted out a new bait on my 25 lb. setup. Put the rod in the rod holder, and grabbed the gaff, and put the steel to task as Junior is on the board.
http://www.senortuna.com/pics/data/501/100_1129.jpg
I had just placed the gaff back in it’s holder and look up, and my rod in the holder goes into major bendo mode. I had a 1/0 Mutu circle hook on this setup, and didn’t need to set the hook. The Bluefin Tuna took a couple of nice runs, and then settled into it’s deep color circle technique. Worked it to the surface and Junior is waiting with another great gaff shot to just under the gill plate. No wasted meat on these three tuna!
My two Bluefin Tuna of 2010.
http://www.senortuna.com/pics/data/501/100_1131.jpg
I got bit twice more, lost another one to frayed line, and a another raked bait, talk about being Farmer John? Neither Tony got bit again on lure or sardine. After another half hour with no action, Junior moved the boat back up the line, as we had drifted over ¾ of a mile. Saw one other hook up in the next two hours, and gradually almost everyone left the area. Very few marks, and most were very deep at 100 to 150 feet. BTW, we were at 07 and 27. We heard of the “Triple Play” landing eleven Bluefin Tuna at 06 and 20, some seven miles north of us and on our way home, so why not check it out? Reached the area at around 2:30 pm. It looked dead, about 10 private boats, and no hookups! We metered around the area and discovered no marks. There were several Sport Boats trolling around as well. We elected to call it a day, tired and happy to catch a few Tuna.
Our three Bluefin!
http://www.senortuna.com/pics/data/501/100_1126.jpg
Tony Jr. and Sr., thanks again for a valiant effort, and putting me in position to catch my first Bluefin of the year. Just hope it won’t be my last? Still a wish’n and a hope’n for a late Yellowtail run to add to the fever, and of course more Tuna!
Hook up!
Cory
We passed North Island around 6:25 am; there was a small swell of 1-2 feet, spaced far apart, and just a hint of a breeze. About 6 miles west of North Island, we spotted several schools of porpoise, yet decided to continue to our destination of the Hidden Bank. Chatted with Tailwalker off and on, nothing to report for them this morning. Then we were called in by a private boater, I believe he called his boat Hi Stick, or Hi-Six, not sure, but whoever you were, thanks a bunch for the invite. He had two Bluefin in the box, and while we looked around for a meter mark, he hooked and landed two more. We couldn’t find any marks, so elected to troll around for a while, nothing.
Came back to Hi-Stick and setup a drift just outside of him, he was fishing solo. Every now and then a good mark would come under the boat at 100’ or deeper. Tony Senior elected to put on a five inch Shimano Butterfly lure in yellow-white, with glow in the dark color, and began jigging. Then I got bit, on a soaked sardine, out about a 100 yards, on my 20 lb. Saltiga 20, with 20 lb. Flouro Leader, and a #1 VMC silver J-hook . The Tuna at first took only a couple of yards of line, then pulled the Kamikaze on me, charging the boat, I reeled for all I was worth and finally caught up to him, he took a couple of feet of line, then he did it again, charged the boat, and this time the hook pulled. Darn!
Meanwhile Tony was Yo Yoing the Shimano lure, when he got slammed and hollered Fresh One! The Bluefin Tuna gave Tony all he could handle on his 20 lb. rig. Took him around the boat several times, and just as he got it close to the boat, the BFT took one final run, pulled Tony’s rod and line into the Engine prop, as the added tension caused the hook to pull. Yikes, we are 0 for 2, and bummed. Then I get bit again, and this time the Bluefin behaves normally, taking a nice early run straight out to sea, then sounds, and eventually begins his death circle, leaning on his side, thumbing his tail, and not giving an inch. Finally he tires, and I holler deep color and coming in fast. Senior grabs the gaff, and performs a perfect head shot, fine job Tony! Wow, my first Bluefin of the year.
He’s a dandy 18 pounder.
http://www.senortuna.com/pics/data/501/100_1124.jpg
http://www.senortuna.com/pics/data/501/100_1125.jpg
Numerous private boaters had now joined us, and quite a few had hookups. Junior thought he might give a lure a shot, and chose a small Mega Bait Lure. After several attempts, he was bit on the wind in, at about 50’. This Bluefin also put up quite a fight, and kept Junior on his toes as it bobbed and weaved from one side of the boat to the other. I was bit again on the sardine, and reeled in a raked bait. Another cast, and within a few seconds, I was bit again, this time, a quick run, and ping! Reeled in a hook less leader and frayed line, must of ran right down his teeth? Junior hollers for a gaff, as I had just casted out a new bait on my 25 lb. setup. Put the rod in the rod holder, and grabbed the gaff, and put the steel to task as Junior is on the board.
http://www.senortuna.com/pics/data/501/100_1129.jpg
I had just placed the gaff back in it’s holder and look up, and my rod in the holder goes into major bendo mode. I had a 1/0 Mutu circle hook on this setup, and didn’t need to set the hook. The Bluefin Tuna took a couple of nice runs, and then settled into it’s deep color circle technique. Worked it to the surface and Junior is waiting with another great gaff shot to just under the gill plate. No wasted meat on these three tuna!
My two Bluefin Tuna of 2010.
http://www.senortuna.com/pics/data/501/100_1131.jpg
I got bit twice more, lost another one to frayed line, and a another raked bait, talk about being Farmer John? Neither Tony got bit again on lure or sardine. After another half hour with no action, Junior moved the boat back up the line, as we had drifted over ¾ of a mile. Saw one other hook up in the next two hours, and gradually almost everyone left the area. Very few marks, and most were very deep at 100 to 150 feet. BTW, we were at 07 and 27. We heard of the “Triple Play” landing eleven Bluefin Tuna at 06 and 20, some seven miles north of us and on our way home, so why not check it out? Reached the area at around 2:30 pm. It looked dead, about 10 private boats, and no hookups! We metered around the area and discovered no marks. There were several Sport Boats trolling around as well. We elected to call it a day, tired and happy to catch a few Tuna.
Our three Bluefin!
http://www.senortuna.com/pics/data/501/100_1126.jpg
Tony Jr. and Sr., thanks again for a valiant effort, and putting me in position to catch my first Bluefin of the year. Just hope it won’t be my last? Still a wish’n and a hope’n for a late Yellowtail run to add to the fever, and of course more Tuna!
Hook up!
Cory