7/31/2014 AZTEC overnight, Yellowfin smashfest
Greetings FNN, as we all have witnessed or read about, it has been wide open this year on party boats. With the opportunity to partake in some insane tuna fishing, a buddy and I booked an overnight on the Aztec. :High Five: We left for Diego around 3:00 pm, the traffic was ATROCIOUS, taking us four hours to arrive at our destination. We finally arrived at Seaforth a little past seven and checked in at the shop. I really enjoy Seaforth due to the free and plentiful parking in close proximity to the tackle shop. We grabbed a bite to eat, then the waiting game began.
Here is a shot of the marina before we boarded.
As we were waiting, we see the San Diego pulling in. As packed as that boat is, there is good reason. IMO, It's one of the best 3/4 boats around, period.
We board the boat and what a beautiful boat it was. Wide comfortable bunks and the recent face lift applied to the galley really made for a pleasant experience on the boat. After some shut eye, we started fishing around 4:45 AM. Time to put in work. Our first stop, immediately the slaughter had begun. On this trip, no trolling necessary. We were following the birds, hitting the boils, moving to different spots in very close proximity and catching fish at every stop. Sardines were the victims. One thing I learned this trip, butt hooking 'dines works MUCH better than nose hooking. They seem to swim better and retain a higher ratio of swimming away from the boat. It was the captain, Greg Gawitt, who suggested it. Great call.
To sum it all up, we were smashing Yellowfins all day. One of the best offshore trips in recent memory indeed. Final count, 24 anglers 120 Yellowfin. The limited load really helped with having enough space and possible tangles. Here are a few pics from the trip:
Nice quality...this guy put up a helluva fight.
My buddy David with two nice models of his own. He had the victory stogie in his mouth...perfect.
Smashfest on the Aztec
During the fish cleaning, one of the anglers decided it was sashimi time. Sean, one of the crew members, cut up a nice filet and we gorged ourselves on the freshest AHI I have ever tasted. It was truly a memorable trip. I wish I took more pics but unfortunately my phone died. Great boat, great captain and awesome crew. :Thumbs Up:I will book again. Thanks for taking the time to read. Enjoy your weekend FNN'ers.
