Rpt-Wed-09-18-13 The Kolomono strikes again, limits of Yellowfin Tuna, Do Dos!
I went fishing with Jeff on his 24’Skipjack, the “Kolomono”, Wed. 9-18-13. I arrived at Jeff’s house at 10 pm Tuesday evening in La Mirada. We were joined by Sid, as the three amigos were chasing Tuna again, this time in San Diego. So we headed south to Shelter Island, arriving a little after midnight.
We stopped at EB for bait, picking up 1.5 scoops of Horrendous Gigantic Sardines, of which 80% died by 6am, despite cruising out at only 9 knots in fairly calm seas?
Our beginning destination was about 30 miles offshore below the 425 on a 194 degree heading. The seas were a bit bumpy, large swells, with about 6-8 knots of wind. Fortunately the conditions did not change much all day, so it was very fishable.
We began trolling at 6:15 am in the grey. There were no other boats in sight. Within 10 minutes Sid spotted a very nice Kelp Paddy, unfortunately it was empty? A half hour later, Jeff spotted another large Kelp Paddy in the distance. As we approached we saw boils off to the side. My first bait in the water was inhaled, but the fish spit the hook. My next bait was also bit and it was game on. Both Sid and Jeff were bit, but neither were able to set the hook on the large baits. My fish took off, but ignored the paddy, letting me believe it was not a Yellowtail, as they usually crash the Kelp.
The fish came to color and the brownish back of a Yellowfin Tuna appeared. Jeff stuck him in the head and the skunk was off early. We continued heading southwest towards our best numbers provided. We stopped on several more Kelp Paddies for one Rat Yellowtail released.
Then while driving I spotted the Mother Load, a large Kelp Paddy at 32-08 and 117-31, with about three birds on it. We trolled up to the Paddy and never got there. Hook Up! Sid tossed some cut bait and the waters around us erupted in boils. I landed a small Dorado, so did Jeff, and Sid was on an obviously bigger fish, yep a Yellowfin Tuna.
It was every bait in the water getting bit for a full hour, Dorado and Yellowfin Tuna. I lost a big one, not reacting fast enough to Sid’s crossover. Didn’t matter, looked to be 20 to 25 pounds, however, I tossed a bait and was boiled on instantly. Gaff, gaff, fresh one, over and over again, what a blast. We all had fish going at the same time numerously; Jeff was right on with the gaff, sticking mine, then Sid’s, then his own. We all contributed to gaffing fish, but Jeff was on the money most of the times, he was fast and accurate!
We drifted nearly 3 miles during the hour, amazing that the chunk bait held the fish near the boat. When we cleaned the fish, they almost all had chunks in their bellies! Hats off to Sid for cutting up a good portion of the dead bait after my lead on our first few Paddies.
We made a count and we had fourteen Yellowfin Tuna in the cooler and five Dorado. One short each of limits. We set a course back to the kelp paddy, and off in the distance we saw Porpoise crashing. As we approached them, we saw 50+ pound Tuna jumping out of the water. Two of the trollers went off and we landed a Skipjack, released and our last Yellowfin Tuna. Only about 15 pounds, darn, where did the big’ns go?
Limits of Yellowfin Tuna and almost limits on the Do Dos by 10:30 am, how cool. Jeff set a course for home and we stopped on only one other Kelp Paddy on the way for nothing, hoping for our sixth Dorado.
Picture time:
Thanks so much for the invite Jeff, once again you put us on the fish. I can’t wait for our next adventure together.
Hook up! Cory
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Originally Posted by webmaster
