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Thread: The Tuna are biting on the El Dorado out of Long Beach

  1. #1

    Default The Tuna are biting on the El Dorado out of Long Beach

    This year is finally shaping up on the offshore scene. The problem is it's the end of October and one good storm will plummet the water temperature and this year is a rap!!!! So with that being said, "it's now or never time on one last tuna trip." I'm even planning another tuna trip this week if they keep on biting. Right now there is a MASS Concentration of these things on the back side of San Clemente Island. So much you usually start drifting at grey light and the tuna find you. If you're not so lucky just find some porpoise and make a day of it!!!!

    These things bit every day but Tuesday of last week. Wed rolled around and many boats had a 100 fish or more per boat. It slowed down to 40-60 for the next 2 day's but that's still pretty good. The weekend slowed things a bit but there was still plenty of opportunity's for most boats and people. I haven't been on the El Dorado in many years but it's fixed up pretty nice. I say that with some conviction!!!!! Just last week I made a feeble attempt at going Tuna fishing on another boat. When everybody bum rushed the Bunk rooms and finding it hot and stuffy and no where to sleep. I told myself, "I'm not going on a SLAVER!!!!" So I packed my bags and went home without going fishing!!!!

    We arrived at China point way before first light in some pretty miserable conditions. The wind was blowing and we had a pretty big swell making the start of the day pretty challenging. I've known with 40 years of experience behind me when the sun comes out things usually start to turn a little nicer. (which they did) I've been hearing all week their losing 50% of everything they hook. They are a lot of nice ones around with a 25-40 pound average. (there is some small ones around too) I had my friend Sean with me, who last week went on the Outrider and lost everything he hooked. So I wasn't taking any chances!!! 40 pound test, a floro leader and a ringed circle hook. My friend Sean said, "you won't get bit with that rig." (we will see???)

    As soon as the sun started to come up we started hooking fish. I swear the first 7 fish they hooked they only landed 1!!!! Sean get's bit and he loses it after only a 3 minute fight. What the heck is going on here???? Super human fish they can't be landed!!!! So I stick to my guns and fish the 40 pound rig. Soon after words I see a flash and a boil right on my bait. (I actually saw the fish eat my bait) Since I'm fishing a circle hook, I simply point the rod at the fish in gear and wind down when he takes out drag. Perfect hook set right in the corner of the mouth. I land this thing in only about 8 minutes!!! (a nice 20 plus pounder) I go to my friend Sean and say, "their not impossible to land." lol We keep hooking fish and seemingly losing a lot of them. I get bit again and this time this one means business. I fought this one for a good 15 minutes trying to avoid any hooked fish going by with people fishing with braided line. I bring him to gaff and he's bigger then the first one. In the mean time Sean hooks up to a tiny peanut size tuna and he lands him. (a solid 8 pounds) That's the only fish he lands!!! I hook up again and land a smaller size tuna then the first 2 but he's not a peanut. 3 in the sack and I'm pretty stoked!!!! Just about that time the Navy kicks us out of our area and that's all she wrote. I didn't care as we headed for calm water on the inside. I just watched the World Series all the way home. It's nice to be back at the landing right at dark with only a 30 minute drive home. We were a little on the short side in the fish count department. (24 people landed 26 fish) A few boats did worse, but some boats got between 60-100 fish that day. Which makes me want to go again!!!! This time I'm picking between the 2 hottest boats. (The Aztec or the 0 95) The El Dorado was nice cheap and easy boat but she really is more of a shallow water rockfish kinda boat. (not a tuna boat) However, I had a really good time so I'm not bagging on the boat in the least!!!!! Thanks again for reading my story.
    Last edited by etucker1959; 11-01-2016 at 09:24 AM.

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