It’s amazing what some nice weather to work in will do for the offshore scene.
The weather finally got out of its windy June funk, and the past two days have shown the potential of this whole bluefin thing. Cliff Note's the bluefin floated big time for multi-day and long range boats on our day of Independence.
It takes getting down past 150 miles to have a shot at it, but the fishing was truly incredible on the Fourth. The Royal Star turned in “daily limits” on the bluefin, while over on the Red Rooster III Andy Cates stopped the boat on a yellowfin tuna jig strike that turned into bluefin bait fish — and an all day drift on the bluefin. The best part? There’s signal of that 60- to 80-pound bluefin that went missing when the weather was up. Here’s Mark Mayeda’s 65 pounder caught on the Royal Star yesterday:
The stuff is just out of range for the 1½-day trips. But some of the 2½-day runs have got some licks in.
Scott McDaniels on the Sea Adventure 80 reported getting 48 quality bluefin to go with 37 yellowtail at 172 miles.
Yeah, the stuff is still a long ways from home. Hopefully it will push up. Or will it? There is some cold, dirtier water keeping the bluefin in a big zone below the brake. We can’t always have our cake and eat it to. Book a longer trip if you want to get your shots at tuna. After all, the past few seasons have shown that nothing is a given. Wait for backyard fish, and the boat might just sit.
Enjoy the good island and inshore fishing, or go big and go offshore. It’s a perfect way to bring in July.
And yeah, the seabass are still biting. Here’s my One Man Charters' client, David Hansen, carting a seabass back to his truck from Tuesday night’s trip.
He wanted to show his son the seabass, halibut and half limit of big sand bass that were going on the barbeque on later that night before the fireworks.
Bass, halibut and seabass along the beach or bluefin and yellows a day's worth of travel away.
Decisions, decisions.... here's to whatever one you make this weekend, month or season! |
