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Elusive Big Blue on the Kolo 6/30
This was the 2nd week in a row that I got to fish on the Kolo with Jeff (webmaster). We were focused on looking for the big blues, sorta a go big or go home type of trip. On the Boat was Jeff, Frank, Robert, and me. The previous week before, 6/23 we headed out to the 209, and struck out. We had pretty much one chance the entire day, but the blues sunk out everytime we got close. So on 6/30 we gave the big blues another shot. The fish seemed to have moved to the 43 and the report the day before looked semi promising with the landings getting a few blues.
I met up with the crew at 2:30am and we were off for mission bay. We launched around 5am, to the bait receiver with a really nice scoop of dines and made a few macks at the breakwall. The swell was up a little bit. My curse is that i get seasick, but i normally always take a patch. Since I was out the week before and it was smooth, i skipped the patch this time. (big mistake).
We gunned it out to the 43, 45 miles out from MB. On the way out, i decided to try to grab a quick nap, that ended up being the worst decision i made all day. The seas pounded the Kolo as we flew out and in the midst of taking air multiple times, my stomach started to feel funky. Passing through the 9, we spotted a nice patty, flylined a few deans, but no one home. This time i decided to stay out on the deck as we headed to the 43. Seemed like a better call as I was hoping to get over this turning stomach. When we got about 10 miles from the 43, i went back down and closed my eyes for a few minutes as we slow trolled a plug, feather, and rap. I woke up to the slowing engine, came out and asked whats up? Robert said a big patty.
I grabbed my mega bait, gave it a cast, but no bites. Others had fly lined deans out. As Robert is brining in his rapala, i see a shine attached to his lure. I called out YELLOWTAIL, and he said "Where?" I said ON YOUR RAPALA! he said i dont feel anything. He wound it in with a YT about 3-5 pounds stuck to his Rapala. We laughed it off since it was small and his trolling gear, meant for big blues, meant he felt no tug. I swapped to a fly lined dean and dropped it in. Within seconds my reel sings, i set the hook, and im on.
I tightened down the drag a bit since i was thinking another 3-5 YT and get it to boat quick, but the spool started to peel out. Still not sure, i let it run, as it headed towards the kelp. Fought it a bit longer and got it out of the kelp, with deep color, i call gaff and a few seconds later a nice YT, guessing 20lb? Jeff and Frank also hooked up to a few YT and as they are fighting in the distance we see big splashes and knew it was Big Tuna. Jeff hooked up to a nice one and it headed striaght for the paddy. Never giving up, he fought it hard and patiently, however it never came out so we did the next best thing, we went to the YT. Got the fish the leader, and at the end, we got the gaff on the YT. Next we decided to slow troll macks around the patty hoping for the TUNA to bite but it wasn't in our luck.
In this time, I started feeling bad and the adrenaline has worn off. Within a few minutes i'm hanging on the side of the boat yaking for who knows how long.( Maybe Jeff should re-edit the video of me on the side of the boat chumming it up) We reset on the paddy one last time, and Frank drops in another dean and gets bit. We fight it and another solid paddy YT. We decide after this to leave the paddy looking for blues.
I end up knocking out while the others watched for blues. After a bit, i wake up and see we are slowed down. We see another boat hooked up to something big so we work the area. With no luck, we swap to a kite that i got to fly for the first time which was a great learning experience, however being seasick while watching the kite was a difficult task. After an hour of no bites, i headed back down to close my eyes and fight off the seasickness.
I wake up feeling refreshed and realized that we were already back at mission bay.
A great trip still in my book and any day on the water is a better day than being in the office.
Although we didnt get a chance at the big blues this time still a great trip!
https://youtu.be/jdBEMbvPZK8
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