shioda
09-20-2013, 06:22 PM
Went out on the San Diego 3/4 day out of Seaforth Landing on Wed and took my client with me. Left my house around 3 am for the long drive down. Fishing offshore for tuna, yellowtail and dorado. Boat left at 5:40 am after Captain Ryan returned with bait which was a mix of sardines and macks. Took a nap in the galley while we motored for 2.5 hours to fishing grounds off Coronado islands. Troll rods are out and captain shouts out to watch the feathers as we are coming up to a paddy. All 4 troll lines hook up and I grab my bait and send it out. Fishing 50 pound braid with a 30 pound fluorocarbon 2 foot leader. Right away I get hit on a big yellowtail, which unlike most of the catch was bigger grade. Fish runs towards the boat and I wind line as fast as possible but it still gets under the boat and I can hear the braid rubbing against the bottom. Finally get it turned and it runs back towards the kelp but I get him under control and up to the boat. Deck hands at the back of the boat helping others (49 anglers and lots of tangles and fish back there) and I am up near the bow. Decide to bounce it. When its just about over the rail I hear the twang and braid has snapped. Damn, lost a good sized fish too. Lesson learned.
Switch to the heavy rod with 5 yards of 40 pound floro topshot on 50 pound braid but don't get bit again. Bite dies so back to galley for a breakfast burrito and wait for the next paddy. We cruise around and stop at a couple other paddies but I don't get bit again. Probably line is too heavy. So I decide to re-tie a 30 pound leader on the other set up. By this time, my client has 2 yellowtail in the bag and laughing about me having nothing. We finally find a good paddy and after the fight at the bait tank for a good bait I finally find a decent sardine. Darn thing swims under the boat repeatedly, so I dump him and grab another. Butt hook him and he takes off like a shot away from the boat. Bam, get picked up and fight is on. I get this one to the boat and turn to call for the gaff this time and pole snaps back. Knot fails at the hook because I didn't check it carefully. Crap. Client lands another yellowtail and its 3-0 against me. Another lesson learned.
Feeling like it isn't my day. Have a burger and take another short nap. Then we hit the last paddy. Captain says there are tuna on the paddy and lots of fish. I grab the 40 pound set up and when I get to the rail it looks like the other 48 anglers are all hooked up. Yellowtail coming over the rail left and right. Finally get a spot in between two guys without a fish on and toss the bait out. Bait swims straight down and I think, crap, its going under the boat and I won't get one fish in this WFO action. Then the line starts peeling off and I put it in gear. Bam, fish takes me from midship to stern, back to midship and back to the corner. Then starts circling. Its tuna!! Then I look down and see some clowns line with an empty hook creeping over towards my line. I figure here it is, fish lost. But the guy opens his reel and 5 minutes later Bluefin tuna on the deck. Trip turns out great after all.
Here's the fish, after Japanese wife gets ahold of it.
42643
Switch to the heavy rod with 5 yards of 40 pound floro topshot on 50 pound braid but don't get bit again. Bite dies so back to galley for a breakfast burrito and wait for the next paddy. We cruise around and stop at a couple other paddies but I don't get bit again. Probably line is too heavy. So I decide to re-tie a 30 pound leader on the other set up. By this time, my client has 2 yellowtail in the bag and laughing about me having nothing. We finally find a good paddy and after the fight at the bait tank for a good bait I finally find a decent sardine. Darn thing swims under the boat repeatedly, so I dump him and grab another. Butt hook him and he takes off like a shot away from the boat. Bam, get picked up and fight is on. I get this one to the boat and turn to call for the gaff this time and pole snaps back. Knot fails at the hook because I didn't check it carefully. Crap. Client lands another yellowtail and its 3-0 against me. Another lesson learned.
Feeling like it isn't my day. Have a burger and take another short nap. Then we hit the last paddy. Captain says there are tuna on the paddy and lots of fish. I grab the 40 pound set up and when I get to the rail it looks like the other 48 anglers are all hooked up. Yellowtail coming over the rail left and right. Finally get a spot in between two guys without a fish on and toss the bait out. Bait swims straight down and I think, crap, its going under the boat and I won't get one fish in this WFO action. Then the line starts peeling off and I put it in gear. Bam, fish takes me from midship to stern, back to midship and back to the corner. Then starts circling. Its tuna!! Then I look down and see some clowns line with an empty hook creeping over towards my line. I figure here it is, fish lost. But the guy opens his reel and 5 minutes later Bluefin tuna on the deck. Trip turns out great after all.
Here's the fish, after Japanese wife gets ahold of it.
42643