Pennsy Guy
11-14-2023, 03:24 AM
Just back...Bob told us water wasn't nice north so we're going south, probably 110 miles, get some rest. And off we went! We didn't get to that 110 mile marker as the Gambler stopped at the Spencer when she crossed a temperature break...62* to 77*! WHAT? Yes, not a typo. After setting up a drift, after 40 min. a yellow football is in the box, another 1/2 hr and a bigger yft joins the other in ice; then just at false dawn, another shot with 4-5 hook ups but with 3 boated, I think, then nothing. We were inundated with at least 50 Shearwaters--lovely birds, very fond of your baited hook and are excellent divers bent on eating all the chum chunks. With no more runoffs, we ran a bit, ending up in the Wilmington with the same water and boated the very occasional yft. Moved again, back at the Spencer, only the water had cooled to72*--still good. With each move those lovely birds found us within 5-10 minutes...some were wing-caught...I scored for two and a few fake runoffs from them hitting the line on dives for chum or discarded hook baits. We'd get a shot of fish through now and again, then they'd retreat to a safe distance until that disturbance was done, then return. This continued until 3 PM when all hell broke loose. 50-70* yft are holding under the boat--not drop and reel but close enough with 2-4,5 fish on at once---and only rarely coming together. Guys and gals listened to and did what the mates told them to do and got the tails beating on the deck...mates did a hell of a job coordinating the dances.
We stayed late by an hour, got an added 20 min. on top of that and headed home with 35-40 yft's and two birds--longfin, not shearwaters!!! Also had chicken mahi small pods visiting and caught--hook and jig, but just a few.
Oh yea, two y's came aboard shark bit--one a big chunk out of both back loins, the other, back loins chomped and no belly left at all. Blue sharks, mates saw them following those fish being dragged to the gaff. That's not like a blue, they must have been demons.
This was a crazy trip, I had my yellowfin limit in 1hr, 15 min.. #1, 35* on 60#; 2nd, 55# on 30*; 3rd, 50# on 40* & tail wrapped but mouth hooked. I think a lot of these fish couldn't dive and beat the line with their tail--at least that's what it seems like happened from the way the line and rod acted--in retrospect. 2-3 came in tail wrapped.
The tuna that were flushed were empty, they held nothing--must have been really hungry!!
So many "Thank You's." due this Captain and crew for their determination to perform at an extremely high level for us as guests on their platform--and what a platform it is!!
We stayed late by an hour, got an added 20 min. on top of that and headed home with 35-40 yft's and two birds--longfin, not shearwaters!!! Also had chicken mahi small pods visiting and caught--hook and jig, but just a few.
Oh yea, two y's came aboard shark bit--one a big chunk out of both back loins, the other, back loins chomped and no belly left at all. Blue sharks, mates saw them following those fish being dragged to the gaff. That's not like a blue, they must have been demons.
This was a crazy trip, I had my yellowfin limit in 1hr, 15 min.. #1, 35* on 60#; 2nd, 55# on 30*; 3rd, 50# on 40* & tail wrapped but mouth hooked. I think a lot of these fish couldn't dive and beat the line with their tail--at least that's what it seems like happened from the way the line and rod acted--in retrospect. 2-3 came in tail wrapped.
The tuna that were flushed were empty, they held nothing--must have been really hungry!!
So many "Thank You's." due this Captain and crew for their determination to perform at an extremely high level for us as guests on their platform--and what a platform it is!!