Ambassadorhawg
08-18-2014, 05:44 PM
First of all, great reports everyone. I was starting to wondering when you guys were going to start cashing in on this epic exotics season we are having this year.
I actually found a boat with a couple of openings due to cancellations so I grabbed a ticket and headed South. The seas were sloppy with a constant strong breeze. Water temp was 73-74! We fished the tuna pens because it was too rough to see breaking fish or paddies from afar. I went 2 for 6, call me Johnny Dumptruck if you will. :Rolls Eyes:
Nobody expected the BFT to be active but they were mixed in nicely with the YFT. I decided to go with my 30 lb rig for the medium sardines we had for bait. I saw a mackerel in the well so I figured what the heck, if there's a BFT around maybe I'd get bit. I was too correct. 20 minutes into the battle I got chewed off. You know how those things love to shake their heads. So, 0 for 1.
I noticed another angler having luck on the yo-yo iron so I grabbed another rig that was ready to go. Second drop down and AHHHHHHHHH!!!! I get a few pumps and PING, the line snaps. 0 for 2.
I retied and tried some more but the action on that method had ended. So I went back to my 30 lb rig. From this point forward, I chose smaller hot baits so that I could get my limit of the schoolie YFTs. I hooked one and pulled the hook out of it. 0 for 3. :Crying:
I retied and grabbed another bait. Got bit again but the line was burning off the spool big time. Another BFT.
For some reason, these things were especially tough that day. I fought that darn thing for an hour before the gaff went into its head. I was pulling hard, too. So, a solid 38 pounder according to the digital. A fat one, too. Now I'm 1 for 4. That's a little better...
Too a break and then went back to it. I hooked another squirrely YFT and pulled the darn hook out of that one, too. 1 for 5, not good.
Finally, I hooked another YFT and it found it's way to a stapled gill plate. There you have it. I went 2 for 6 on the day. I believe we had somewhere around 75 YFT all 10-20 pounds, and about a dozen BFT ranging from about 30-100 pounds with at least triple that number of hook ups if you count the casualties. There was that one stand out fish that was approaching 100 pounds in weight. A true stomper!
Enjoy the pics. I'm in the second one holding my prize. :Big Grin:
I actually found a boat with a couple of openings due to cancellations so I grabbed a ticket and headed South. The seas were sloppy with a constant strong breeze. Water temp was 73-74! We fished the tuna pens because it was too rough to see breaking fish or paddies from afar. I went 2 for 6, call me Johnny Dumptruck if you will. :Rolls Eyes:
Nobody expected the BFT to be active but they were mixed in nicely with the YFT. I decided to go with my 30 lb rig for the medium sardines we had for bait. I saw a mackerel in the well so I figured what the heck, if there's a BFT around maybe I'd get bit. I was too correct. 20 minutes into the battle I got chewed off. You know how those things love to shake their heads. So, 0 for 1.
I noticed another angler having luck on the yo-yo iron so I grabbed another rig that was ready to go. Second drop down and AHHHHHHHHH!!!! I get a few pumps and PING, the line snaps. 0 for 2.
I retied and tried some more but the action on that method had ended. So I went back to my 30 lb rig. From this point forward, I chose smaller hot baits so that I could get my limit of the schoolie YFTs. I hooked one and pulled the hook out of it. 0 for 3. :Crying:
I retied and grabbed another bait. Got bit again but the line was burning off the spool big time. Another BFT.
For some reason, these things were especially tough that day. I fought that darn thing for an hour before the gaff went into its head. I was pulling hard, too. So, a solid 38 pounder according to the digital. A fat one, too. Now I'm 1 for 4. That's a little better...
Too a break and then went back to it. I hooked another squirrely YFT and pulled the darn hook out of that one, too. 1 for 5, not good.
Finally, I hooked another YFT and it found it's way to a stapled gill plate. There you have it. I went 2 for 6 on the day. I believe we had somewhere around 75 YFT all 10-20 pounds, and about a dozen BFT ranging from about 30-100 pounds with at least triple that number of hook ups if you count the casualties. There was that one stand out fish that was approaching 100 pounds in weight. A true stomper!
Enjoy the pics. I'm in the second one holding my prize. :Big Grin: