Tuna Report

[togzilla]

Just got back from a Voyage on a non-sponsor boat out of Pt.Pleasant. Scheduled for a 30 hour trip but we left at 10:00am to let the seas settle a bit. Not a bad ride out and once we were out there the seas were fine except for a big swell. Started mahi fishing and then anchored up around 7:00pm. I think everyone had between 5-15 mahi a piece. Biggest went around 20 lbs. Before the anchor got tight a few longing were boat on jigs. After that it was a very slow pick on yellowfin from 60-80lbs. Never got a school going just one or two bites every hour on average. Fished at the rail jigging and bait fishing without a touch until 5:00am when we had a short blitz of long fin and was able to get two bites and boated 2 Longfin. In the end the boat boated a total of 31 tuna for 25 guys so I can't complain getting two of them. Longfin were between 40-60bs. I've been tuna fishing for 20+ years and I have to say the tuna fishing is not what it used to be. I don't say this based on the last trip but really based on the amount of trips I have taken over the last 20 years. I won't stop tuna fishing and have another trip on the 20th but just starting to get a little discouraged.
Good luck to those who still have trips scheduled.

[Chico]

Thanks for the report, glad to hear there are still a few mahi out there as well.

[kmaty]

Do the math fish caught by boats and grow rate just don't add up now adays every boat over 25ft with a motor is a tuna pro!! Pressure pressure pressure!!! Way to get some dinner Tho

[bunker dunker]

tuna on jigs,thats fishing!!!!! congrats on the long skins.suppose to be out
Friday,hope there still around

[AndyS]

Glad you got out and caught a few. Many years ago I remember one trip when we came back 6 hours EARLY. Don't blame the recreational fishermen, blame the commercial fleets.

[dakota560]

Don't think there's a single fishery which you can say is stronger today than it was 30 or 40 years ago. The internet has connected the world, I would venture to say the US exports more fish today than we did years ago.....especially tuna. Technology advancements in fishing have killed many fisheries. Remember years ago most captains who ventured off shore did so without the benefit of electronics and many of these skilled guys were able to find a wreck 60 miles off shore without electronics and GPS readings. Half the people who venture off today can't find a wreck with the benefit of electronics but there's a hundred more guys trying. Wrecks were like gold mines back then, loaded with huge fish for those who knew there whereabouts and how to get on them. It's actually amazing what some of these old time captains could do when you consider the tools they had to work with. Sailing at night to find what amounts to a needle in a haystack off shore without the benefit of modern day technology is incredible. Today with a growing worldwide population, consumers more health conscious (eating more fish), electronics that give everyone access to the ocean's bounty it's a wonder there's as many fish around as there are.

There are apps where you can view commercial boats fishing because I believe by law they have to have a transponder or some type of tracking device on board when they sail. My son showed me one last year which viewed the canyons. Pretty cool app where you could see the number of commercial vessels, where they were fishing as well as the name of the vessel. You wouldn't believe how many commercial guys there are out there......absolutely insane. And as technology advances and the world population grows, it's only going to put more pressure on the ocean's resources.

So enjoy trips where you put JUST a few tuna on the deck because it might just prove to be as good as it gets prospectively. One other thing to bear in mind. I would bet the people who actually get a chance to experience a trip offshore to the deep represents less than 1% of the world's population. Every trip the scenery alone is worth the time and effort, it really is a different world out there one that most people will unfortunately never get a chance to experience. No matter how many Bill Gates come along in our lifetime, hopefully they'll never be able to change that and man it is a priceless experience!

[Garone Custom Rods]

Tuna fishing definitely isn't what it was 15-20+ years ago, but that being said the last 3 fall seasons have been much better than the 4-5 years before.

[nate chud]

good job the fish are there they just gotta bite im on the gambler on the 19th and there are still 17 spots left so if anyone wants to get on a last minute trip give them a call the fish are there !:D

[Capt. Debbie]

True that on tuna. And boating is much safer than it was back then too.

Most guys back then 1960-70's used LORAN right up to the millennium when it was shut off. TD's ruled and then were only so so accurate and varied between manufacturers.

In fact TD #'s listed on charts used to publish who's machine was used to get the #'s like Micrologic.

Back in the late 80's when I ran charters TD's were gold to swap.

ROSS made expensive VHF radios with scramblers capability to talk to your buds on water and swap info. Some guys used to use ( Radio Direction Finders) and coded messages to tack down other boats instead of putting hot spot TD's over the open air.

Ahhhh the old days. Different, but NOT better in a few ways.

[Leif]

good job the fish are there they just gotta bite im on the gambler on the 19th and there are still 17 spots left so if anyone wants to get on a last minute trip give them a call the fish are there !:D

I'll be on the Gambler on the 19th!

We're gonna get 'em!

[nate chud]

look forward to fishing with you leif just got to hope more guys sign up so we get out the fish are there:o

[Pennsy Guy]

I'll be on the Gambler on the 19th!

We're gonna get 'em!

Yes you guys will---we left a lot of tunes for you;) catch 'em up guys...