The day was cold and we had the usual bone chilling run down the river.
Expecting conditions to get better once out there as had been the norm for the last week was not to be. The air remained chilled and the water color had dirtied up. We attempted to troll for wahoo and tuna but instantly doubled up with Jack Crevalle. We tried other places near by and found the same with big sharks attempting to get free meals from the hooked ones. The Jacks were so thick you could actually free gaff them swimming around the boat. We saw some bonito busting and the second the plug hit the water a Jack was on it.
We made a 20 mile move further out and found the fleet. We set up chunking and watched everybody around us hooking up. The bite was not hot but at least the fish were here. As the day went on we got bit off by sharks and kings. We could not buy a tuna bite to save our lives. Late in the day we are running low on bait so another boat comes by and tosses us some extra bait.
At 5 minutes before 3 we get our first hookup. This is running like a good tuna. The first guy gets to about a stalemate position in the fight so his buddy relieves him for a spell. After a while they switch off again. The fight was so evenly matched that the tuna never had a chance to dive but they never had a chance to gain on this fish. About 30 minutes into the fight Mike and I were sure we had a shark on but without seeing any part of the fish we just let them fight. After 45 minutes or so I get a glimpse of color and look at mike and the guys and say one word. STUD! It is just after 4 when we get the first gaff into the fish. With the help of the second gaff we haul it over the side.
The sun was getting low so we had to stuff this guy into the fish box of the 36 contender and head to the barn.
If you are going to only get one make it a good one. At the dock it weighed 116.0
Of note;
While we were fighting this one a boat near us was also fighting a hog. His almost doubled ours. Congrats Willie B. of Super Strike Charters on your 206 pounder today.
Life is Good!
Fishing is not a matter of life or death. It's more important than that.
CAPT HOOP -- OUR FREEDOM
02-15-2015, 08:33 PM
Cold slow day
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