Rpt.-06-25-15 Chasing Tuna 226,302 and all over the 9.
So I went Tuna fishing (chasing) with Jeff on his 24’Skipjack, the “Kolamono” with crew Frank, Thursday, 6-25-15. I set the alarm for 1am, and arrived at Jeff’s house at 2 am. Now I remember that for a private boater chasing Tuna, “sleep” is optional?
So we locked and loaded our gear and quickly headed south, Launching at Dana Landing in Mission Bay a little after 4am. We stopped for bait and picked up some lively Anchovies, all that were available, no sardines or mini macs. So we attempted to make bait outside the harbor, with little success, an omen for the rest of the day? After 50 minutes and numerous moves we had six macs, and a few pompano and Tom Cod. Given the Tuna had not been biting bait anyhow, we bailed.
Our beginning destination was the nine mile bank, where Tuna had been caught recently. The “only” place they had been caught in this area recently, unless you were on a Sport Boat or didn’t file a report as a private boater. The seas were a bit bumpy, with about 7 knots of wind. Fortunately the conditions did not change all day, so it was very fishable and allowed for spotting diving birds, which were everywhere and jumping fish, which we encountered a number of times, albeit with no hook ups.
We arrived at our numbers and began trolling at 6:15 am in the grey. There were several boats in the area and more joined us as time went on. We put out two inside deep diving Rapalas and outside on the riggers we put cedar plugs. The area looked very fishy, birds everywhere, deep blue and clear water and beginning temps at 67.9 degrees, which gradually increased throughout the day to 70.25 degrees.
Frank spotted a kelp paddy and we chummed some anchovies with immediate boils. Both Jeff and Frank had brought 20 pound outfits, my lightest was 30 pound, so I had to switch out my 3/0 circle hook for a #2 J-hook and added a split shot. We saw some boils and got excited. Frank was bit and it was a decent sized Yellowtail. On the 20 pound outfit it put up a good fight, when Jeff finally sunk the gaff in him:
We pulled back up the kelp paddy, tossed some more Chovies, and there was one more boil, but no one got bit. I wanted to move back and throw iron, however Jeff spotted some porpoise in the distance and elected to go chase them and troll alongside of them. He had marked the kelp and we would return later.
We chased porpoise and diving birds all morning to no avail. There were now 12 to 15 boats working the area and no one seemed to be hooked up, and those that stopped were soaking baits. We pulled in the trollers and Jeff chose to take a look at the 226 and then move on to the 302. Both the 226 and 302 banks were devoid of life and everywhere in between. At 1pm we returned to the upper 9, having started at the lower 9 earlier in the day. Immediately we saw lots of life. Once again enormous schools of porpoise diving birds and some breaking fish. We slow trolled baits, we soaked baits and trolled lures through all fishy areas for nothing! We finally called it at 5:20 pm.
On the trailer at 6:30 pm and at Jeff’s house at 8:30 and I was home in Diamond Bar at 9:15 pm. An extremely long day. That’s why they call it fishing not necessarily catching. However, it’s the catching that brings you back to the fishing!
It just seems to be a bit early yet to fish Tuna until bigger hungry schools of fish arrive. Since on the weekend you will probably be able to walk from boat to boat on the 9, maybe heading further south to the 425 and if you have the range, I understand the 238 is holding some Tuna. We only heard of one boat that caught a few Tuna, if others caught them they weren’t bragging about it on the radio. I know the Malahini caught five Yellowfin and the New LoAnn caught 15, however, we never saw a Spot boat anywhere. They must have been south of the Islands? Good luck everyone. We paid some dues and took one for the Gipper.
Thanks so much for the invite Jeff, you are a dedicated Captain, with sensational stamina, kudos. Way to get the skunk off the boat early Frank, nice meeting and fishing with you. I hope we can fish together again soon. I think my head hit the pillow and I was already asleep! Yikes, I am feeling my age.
Hook up! Cory
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Originally Posted by DockRat
