Rpt.-Thur.-07-30-15 Do Do's and Kick *** Tuna Fishing!

[Tunaslam]

After being cancelled on for both Monday and Wednesday, I finally hooked up for the first time fishing with Matt on his 22’Triumpth, “Hail Mary”. I set the alarm for 2:45 am and drove down to Oceanside where Matt met me in the Oceanside parking lot at 4:45am.

Crew Jeff and Andrew were waiting for us at the launch ramp. We launched and were pleasantly surprised that we were only fifth in line for bait. We picked up a decent scoop of the usual large Sardines. About 30% perished by the end of the day.

According to Matt who had fished several days this week, the best area containing fish was southwest at 15 to 20 miles. We stopped on a few small kelp paddies for nothing, and then Jeff spotted a really nice sized kelp paddy off in the distance. Good eyesight Jeff. As we approached, several Dorado leaped on the other side of the paddy.

Matt placed us on a good drift off the kelp paddy and we waited for some action. The Dorado were teasing us, jumping a number of times, and then a school passed under our boat. Gad the bright blue and gold color sends vibrations through our veins. Matt elected to slow troll us back to the paddy, and bam Jeff got bit, then so did Andrew, and then I got bit.

Captain Matt was throwing the iron, when Jeff hollered color, and Jeff quickly prepared the gaff ready for sticking. Jeff was first to land his, then Andrew and then I was ready. Captain Matt was on the money on his gaffing skills.

My Hen Do Do:



A great start to the day:



We moved back up on the Kelp Paddy and shortly thereafter Jeff got hammered. We never saw the fish jump as was expected from Dorado, and looking at deep color we thought it might be a large Yellowtail. This bull fought like hell. Yep, it was a valiant fight; however, the big bull Dorado had let his ladies eat first, then pounced on the next big meal available, after losing sight of his Harem!

Jeff put the wood to him and again Captain Matt made a spectacular gaff.



It was only 7:30 am and we were on the board with some quality fish. We spent the next several hours stopping on empty kelp paddies, except I caught a four pound baby on one that held lots of babies. I released it to grow up soon.

Working our way down to the 181, at about 10am, we saw some birds working, and sliding up near them, we witnessed some puddling Tuna. This was a good sized school, and Matt placed us in an excellent position to throw baits. My bait was inhaled almost immediately, and was so was Jeff’s. We had a double going on the tuna. Jeff also got bit and it broke his line. Captain Matt was throwing iron, and could not get bit.

My Yellowfin Tuna was quick to color and Matt, always ready with the gaff, made a perfect head shot.



Jeff landed his tuna shortly thereafter:



My next bait in the water was soaked awhile, and then got bit. This tuna was another Kamikaze, heading straight at me, as I winded in my line as quickly as possible. I caught up with it and it sounded. Gad it acted squirrely, radicle headshakes, up and down, side to side. Finally I got it to within gaffing range and it did not like the boat, nor Matt’s gaff waiting to strike. A few more minutes of back and forth death circles and Matt sunk the gaff in it.

During my fight Jeff had hooked another tuna and after a fun fight landed it.

We spent the next two hours looking and hoping. We found numerous empty kelp paddies, all empty. Matt worked us back towards home. Off in the distance we spotted a small fleet of boats surrounding the Dana Pride, which was a long way from home. As pulled up near them Matt’s buddy called us in, despite having a bent rod in the stern. They radioed that it had been wide open for the last hour and they had ten Yellowfin Tuna on the boat.

After landing their last Tuna, they pulled up next to us and said they were heading home. Could we use some of their leftover bait? You bet, we were down to only a few lively ones. They passed over about 20 to 30 pieces, before heading home.

The bite had started off with an enormous kelp paddy, of which we approached. The numerous boats around us slowly began to leave, as the bite has obviously come to an end. We slow trolled dines and long soaked them. We worked that paddy for an hour, with the area looking incredibly fishy. We did see lots of small Dorado boil on our baits and jump in the distance. However, we had no hookups.
It was now after 2pm, and we were slowly giving up hope, that any more bites would occur. Then I saw a boil off our bow and another off our stern. We started plunking chucks of bait, and then I got slammed. Fresh one, and soon after Matt got bit, so did Andrew. We had a triple going.

I was first to color and Jeff gaffed my tuna:



Then I gaffed Captain Matt’s Tuna. My next bait in the water was again slammed. We were sure we stuck it out. I landed this tuna, and was instantly bit again. So were Andrew and Jeff. Can you say wide open? Captain Matt kept busy gaffing fish. I landed my fifth Tuna, and was again instantly bit, this one was on a mission, taking a long run. I worked the fish hard, only to have it come unbuttoned at deep color.

Darn, we ran out of decent bait. The barely alive wigglers did not get bit. Matt and others continued to cut up chunks and chum. As we looked down we could see Tuna slurping up the chunks. Captain Matt pinned on a chunk and got hammered within seconds, wow, that was a first for me, as I have heard of long rangers getting the tuna to bite on chucks, but never locally?

So I pinned on a small Chunk and also got bit within seconds. Holy mackerel, that was special. My fish took a long run and pulled hard, then plunk! I reeled in my line and it was a clean cut, probably swallowed the chunk and bit threw the line?

I gaffed Matt’s fish, as he had it to color. Pinned on another chunk and maybe 15 seconds later got bit again. Another long run, wow did the bigger boys move in. Looking down I could see Tuna charging under the boat, eating the chunk baits, what a sight! After several long runs, my Tuna came in willingly. It was an average size, just contained a lot of spunk.

Out of chunks, out of storage space, and late in the day, nearing 4pm, we finally called it. We were 15.6 miles southwest from Oceanside harbor. We stopped near the harbor and slabbed the fish. We took a few more pictures, with not enough room on the bow for all the Tuna to be displayed.








Thanks so much for the invite Matt, what a crew, Jeff and Andrew, you guys rocked. Hope to fish with all of you again soon.

Hook up! Cory

[jaggerbub]

Awesome report again Cory!

[webmaster]

Nice job Cory! Looks like fun.

[cutbait]

Ugh.....


Jealousy doesn't fit me well. .


Awesome trip

[Stumpknocker]

That's a fantastic bunch of beautiful fish...congrats!

[TroutOnly]

..........nice...............

[luckyjr21]

nice haul

[catfishkid1]

Y'all forgot me again??.........Great job fellas, and great report with pictures also.

[TUNAVIC]

I knew your next report was gonna be special,you and your buddies didn't disappoint,what a year,my next trip is in pursuit of Mahi for sure,thanks Cory!

Cya Tuna Vic

[murrieta angler]

Dorado, Mahi Mahi, whatever......one of my top 3 fish to eat...
Looks like good times were had.
Thanks Cory,
Robert
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