Today was forecasted as being rough. Eddie moved his trip to friday as did several others. Mike Jeffcoat and I rolled today. From yesterdays reports we were not going to the lump. Did not want to fight kings and sharks in dirty water. The customers wanted wahoo #1 and tuna second. With a East wind blowing we stuck our nose out the south east for a short ride. After that we would generaly have the seas a little to our back the rest of the day. Just before our first rig the water cleaned up. The first rig had nothing as did the second but the third one was game on. We get a tripple and they are all screaming hooters. The customers grab the rods and the fights are on. Problem is these fish are running all over the place. Before the customers have a chance to follow the fish we have a 3 way tangle. I get one free quite easily. The other 2 are wrapped several times. As I get them untangled the rod in my right hand starts singing drag. I am reaching aroung trying to go around the other rod once more but the 100 pound Jerry Brown is cutting 2 of my fingers and before I can grab it with my other hand I watch my Talica 25 and trevala 80-200 class rod with several hundred yards of 100 pound Jerry Brown and an X-Rap go in the drink. As it was sinking it was skimming along through the water. That wahoo was not slowing down at all. The cuts were not that bad and I question if I could have held on a little longer. Too late now. Of the other 2 we had one lure, another X-Rap, get cut off. The other fish threw the hook. Fish 3 boat 0.
Once we regroup we start trolling again. Another hit but the fish once again comes unbuckled 4-0 not good. Another hit, this time we get it to the boat.
Not a big one but respectable.
Fish 4 boat 1. Our next fish on manages to break the line. Another lure lost. As we troll along we get some more action. This is a different fish but still put up a fight for a 17 pound fish.
Yep just as I thought a nice blackfin. Only 2 fish so far and the seas are building as promised. This was a day I wished the weatherman had lied to us but he warned us. Guess he can be right once in a while. As we moved from one rig to another being carefull to not get too far out or go in a direction that would give us a nasty ride home we managed another blackfin and lost a couple more lures. We were fighting with studs most of the day. A bomber right next to the boat gets hit and there is no stopping this horse. I give the shimano 30 wide to to customer and the fight is on or so I thought He stops reeling and tells me the reel is broke. NOT! I take it and show him when this hog is pulling he can not budge it. Short strokes and even if you can not get a full turn just get all you can and take advantage of every chance you get to gain on it. He settles down and lands his trophy.
It did not want to stop fighting even in the boat and without a bat I had to secure it so nobody got hurt.
This fish was not fat but it was long. It stretched almost across the contender. This stud made sure no other fish would share it's trophy. It broke the bill on the bomber and also pulled the split ring. I change all the split rings and hooks on these bomber lures. The ones they come with are not heavy enough for these fish. This is one I had already changed.
About 1:30 the head of the party called it. He had gotten tossed around the boat enough for one day. As best as I could figure we ended up fish 8 boat 2 on wahoo. and fish 1 boat 4 on blackfin tuna.
The big wahoo went 75 pounds. A costly adventuresome day to say the least.
Life is Good!
Fishing is not a matter of life or death. It's more important than that.
CAPT HOOP -- OUR FREEDOM