The forecast for today was lousy in the AM and slowly improving.
I told the crew we would be leaving late and be dragging our feet getting out. Clark texted me early to tell me that EVERY charter that went out, got beat up, and came back in. No worries, as we have a fast boat and an improving forecast. We ran out at 17 knots through a lumpy sea and could not find birds or even a decent temp break until the .48 line. Just after we put in we got a call from Opportunaty (we fish as a team with them) that they had them going 6 miles north, so we ran their way. We started getting into fish and after some false starts, we got the rhythm going and pretty soon 6 rods were hooked up. We pretty much plugged the boat when we got sharked up and decided to head in to beat the bar. We ran in at 26 knots on a pretty nice ocean and everyone went home with a whole bunch of tuna. A big thanks to Dan, who gave me an awesome pair of Shake N Bake laser engraved Leatherman snips. I can't wait until I get to use them on Saturday. DirtyE, Clark, and John are running tomorrow and I will put up a report when I hear from them. Captain Mike
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After sitting on the dock for a week, we could not wait to get back out there.
The ocean was a little rough on the way out and it was raining and 15-20 knots of wind and 4-5 foot wind waves from the south. Not exactly dream conditions, but we wanted to fish. We stopped on some birds close in and got one tuna and that was it. It was looking bad when we got a call from our sister ship, Opportunaty, that it was WFO. We picked up and ran an then dropped in on their chum line. It was WFO from the get go. Despite the sloppy seas, the fish followed us around for two hours. Everyone jackpoled a bunch and we were pretty much plugged. The ocean was lousy and going home seemed like the thing to do, but Pete wanted break out his fly rod. We gave in and Pete showed us how to fish a fly in 20 knot winds. He hooked up right away and the fight was on. John joined the fun and next thing you knew we had a double on flies, actual flies. Clark joined in the fun and got one too. It does not get any better than this. Captain Mike For whatever reason, we have had a ton of wind this year.
We are shut down for a few days, but back at it again next week. Time to watch the slow drags in Ilwaco and get the oil changed on the Cats. Captain Mike DirtyE and Clark ran Shake N Bake today.
They got them going early but got sharked up. They had to hunt a little, but eventually filled the boxes. They are at it again tomorrow. Captain Mike I keep saying fishing can't get any better, but it keeps getting better.
Today we ran back to the south side of the Astoria Canyon and started looking for jumpers. We didn't see any so we started trolling west. One of our crew spotted a HUGE patch, like 3-400, of birds sitting on the water. We slid in and tossed some bait. Every bait that went into the water after that got bit. We had fish flashing off the transom from the get go. Bruce busted out the fly rod and pretty quickly caught our FIRST TUNA ON A FLY. Not our first tuna on a flyrod, as we have cheated in the past and used a flyrod with live bait. Bruce actually got a fish to hit a hook with nothing but feathers on it. We caught fish on a cedar plug dangled in the water (me), swimbaits dangled, not casted or jigged, and of course, live bait. We wore our crew out pretty good and then busted out the jackpole. Everyone took a turn on the jackpole and we were beyond plugged and headed in. We left late and still plugged the boat well before noon. I don't know how it could get any better, but I hope it does. Captain Mike Our crew showed up a little bleary eyed from some late night drinking around the campfire.
We were worried we might have some pukers, but the ocean was flat and we were into fish almost right away. It went wide open and we had fish darting under the boat for two hours. The jackpole was deployed and everyone jackpoled a tuna. We were beyond plugged and did some catch and release fishing. I have no idea how it can get any better, but I am willing to find out. Clark and I are at again in the AM and I can't wait. Captain Mike After the great fishing and good forecast we could not wait to get out.
The first clue we were screwed was seeing a charter that left at 2 am running in at 7. The next clue was all the sport boats heading in. We crossed the bar and it got worse and worse. We turned around and headed home. What a bummer. At it again tomorrow, as the forecast looks excellent. Captain Mike DirtyE and Clark ran the trip today, so I am light on details.
They plugged the boat early. It turns out it was one of the crew's birthday. Not a bad way to celebrate your birthday. I am back at it in the AM. I can't wait. Captain Mike DirtyE and Clark ran Shake N Bake today. They had to run a little farther west, but they found a bunch of tuna. They plugged the boxes and then some. The fish were big pigs like they have been for the last moth or so. I can't imagine how big they are going to be at the end of October, but I am going to find out. Here is a link to a great video from Pat Soles from one of our trips last month. Fishing is only going to get better from here on out. Captain Mike Today was an early one, as we met at 5:30 AM to get out before the bar got big.
It started out slow and then Clark saw some jumpers and got the fish boiling around the boat. After that it went WFO. There were fish swimming all around the boat. Every bait got bit. We broke out the jackpole and put a few more on the deck when we did the math and we were plugged with HUGE tuna, so it was time to head east. We had a celebrity guest today, author and writer David Vetter. He fulfilled his dream of jackpoling a tuna and took a bunch of great photos that should be in Sportfishing Magazine next year. I am taking a couple of days off, but Clark and DirtyE are at it again in the AM. Captain Mike |
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