Gambler 36hr tuna
 

Just back from a very unusual trip but then, this year it seems to be the norm. In his pre-boarding talk, Bob said he had a couple of ideas for this trip. Immediately think most of the regulars perked up with anticipation. We left the 'Squan inlet and turned left, kinda'. Said it was about 51/2-6hr to there, get some rest. @ 11:30 he slows, stops..a huge weed line--some real nice mahi--25-30@#--boated. After 1/2hr we continue eastward to a wreck, passing some pots, & make 4 drifts over it's area. 7-10 pollack boated by the boys-in-the-bow with everyone jigging. Then back East to the pots for more mahi...each produced...50+ total for both mahi stops...back east to our destination, set up a drift with nothing much happening---NOAA's forecast a little high with nice warm temps--short sleeve weather. A couple blue dogs show up, then 2-3 more-lots of "fish-on's" but all blues. We do get 1 "real one"-50# YFT...After a couple cut-offs, I get a strange hook-up, not a shark, not a tuna--little head shake but not that heavy--I'm flat-lining with 40# test, in comes a ray, foul-hooked & dragged in backwards...We move 5-6 mls to anchor for the night..Wind is lessening, we didn't go far enough, they're back & plague us rest of the night. 2 more yellows--40-45#--boated @ separate times I think, 1 on a boat pole, 1 jigged. Meanwhile, mates & guys are jigging all the squid one could want, bringing up 3 per lift, all 16"-20" with the occasional smaller 10-12", perfect tuna bait. Fishing a whole 20"er I picked up another mahi(7+/-#)--piggy wanted the whole thing-damn. I quit @ 4 AM--tired of losing rigs/line--I'll nap & wait for day break when day light drives the squid down & sharks away, Haha...told I'm like a 4 yo--going to take my toys away so I'll take a nap---SAY WHAT?? I can't sleep until the horn blows 3 times... over half the guys and gal are still @ the rail. Bob tell us we're going to drift--Edwin's reeling in with 60' to go, engines start, his rod doubles over, a 50# bird hits the deck then move 15-20 mins to drift. Wind has died to a whisper no wind waves/ripples & long period swells,some 8' but mostly 4-5'. Didn't move far enough, 2 are back and boy, it's hot--feels like 85-90* under a cloudless sky. Before we move again to run inshore , Duff gets hooked up , in comes another bird-35-40#. Weird, it was long, lean, didn't look like the others, the fat, rotunda-burgers we all love. Comparison:thinking Jack Russel to English Bulldog...even had a long tapered head but it was a longfin...2 hr run to where YFT's were caught before the blow--Bob heard report they were back. lines in, 2 run-offs, a Skippy and a big Brown shark. Water looked more like the Atlantic we know--more wind/waves...
Totals: 3YFT, 2LFT, 1Skippy, 50+ Mahi-mahi, several Pollock & White hake.
KUDOS to Capt. Bob for covering so much ocean to get us fish
KUDOS to 2nd Capt.'s Todd & Greg(capt74),1st mate Chris, Jill(office manager, cook) for expertise, pleasant attitude, to all of us.
Galley had excellent fare, as usual!!!
NOTES: @ night several juvenile Bluefins darting about, sucking up chummed chunks 10-15' under patrolling blue dogs--pretty cool...a few little guys caught/released.
No life first day/night except 1 porpoise swim-by & 1 on the way out, plus a juvenile yellowfin, caught/released...had a small Mako jump @ starboard stern corner, again 30' out up side @ & gone @ night.
Water temps71+* to 72+* throughout.
Each trip seems to get better--hopefully it'll keep building--weather permitting.

Re: Gambler 36hr tuna
 

Great report, thanks.

Re: Gambler 36hr tuna
 

Nice report and read, thanks for sharing.

Re: Gambler 36hr tuna
 

Awesome report Chucky. Can't wait for next friday's trip. Fingers crossed we don't get blown out.

Re: Gambler 36hr tuna
 

Great report as always chucky

Re: Gambler 36hr tuna
 

Great report. Wish the catchin was better for ya

Re: Gambler 36hr tuna
 

What time did you leave the dock ? Forgot to add in the Pollock on your fish total. Thanx for the in depth report, I know you wait all year for these trips.
Those squid are great eating !!

Re: Gambler 36hr tuna
 

Good report, crap fishing

Re: Gambler 36hr tuna
 

Enjoyed the read Pennsy. Was rooting for you out there. Up and down the line, reports have been horrible. We are in a a pattern that has existed for at LEAST the last 6-7 years and it's not a good one. The fall tuna fishing is just not what it was. Wonder if it's due to over fishing by other countries, global warming, who knows?? These captains try hard - certainly not them. It seems that for every ONE good trip there are 10 poor ones. Good trip = AT LEAST 25 tuna on the decks - an average of ONLY 1 per person. How many trips over the last 5-7 years have you heard of where 25+ tuna (good sized not small ones) were caught? It seems like the days of 50-60-70 tuna per trip are long gone. Yes, there are certainly some, but they are fewer and farther between. You can see the PB's changing their fishing patterns (spending more time on mahi and tiles) because fall tuna fishing has totally sucked. Shout out to the captains for doing that and trying to at least put some fish on the decks.

Re: Gambler 36hr tuna
 

You are certainly correct BUT, I see some reports from charter boats in June, July and August where they seem to fill the holds. I'm at a loss over the whole thing also.

Re: Gambler 36hr tuna
 

Agreed, but that was practically all trolling, which in my opinion is not fishing unless you are the one deciding the spread, color patterns, location, etc.
Wondering how the last 24 hour trip went that came in today? Hopefully they got em!

Re: Gambler 36hr tuna
 

If you're spending the $$$ to be out there, its fishing.

Re: Gambler 36hr tuna
 

It’s funny how no one mentions the fact late May-aug has replaced the fall fishery or how bigeye fishing has been incredible. Maybe stop resisting the pattern and adapt to it?

Re: Gambler 36hr tuna
 

It really hasn't replaced it--it's 2 different approaches---May-Aug into early Sept it's 99.9% trolling, from then on it's the chunk---never quite understood it but it's true...only twice did we have a chunk catch in mid-August(many yrs ago on a private boat--we went every wkend). We even tried in early August(chunking) but it only worked twice.

Re: Gambler 36hr tuna
 

Tuna Joe,

Personally I believe the answer to your question is the same problem every fishery is faced with which is a more populated world with greater global demand for fish, coupled with technological advancements being used by commercial concerns supplying that demand. Maybe the big eye fishery has improved because commercials haven't figured out yet how to economically harvest them. Whens the last time you saw big eye tuna in the market compared to how often you see yellow fin?

There's an application you can track commercial fishing vessels based on their transponders. I'll try posting it later. When you look at it, you'll have the answer to your question. It's insane the amount of commercial vessels operating and the pounding these species take year round. Add to that illicit harvesting and black markets and the tonnage harvested would shock us all. I saw three small pieces of Ahi tuna at Costco the other day selling for $65. With prices tags on fish that extreme, these fisheries don't stand a chance. Years ago there were significantly less boats fishing the canyons, today they're parking lots even during the week. The food chain is being decimated, fish on average are smaller and catches on average are a shadow of what they were years ago for every species with a commercial presence. It's that simple. And for certain pelagics, as has been previously pointed out in this and other posts, over fishing from foreign countries is a major contributing factor to their overall decline.

Only when a fishery is no longer economically viable will it stop being commercially targeted which will be too late. And then they'll have no choice but to target another species until that fishery is destroyed as well. The balance that existed for years in the worlds oceans is being destroyed and what we're seeing is the beginning of severe long term consequences in my opinion.

Re: Gambler 36hr tuna
 

Not trying to play marine biologist but it’s easy to say it’s the comms or global warming. With tuna it’s as simple as if the food water is in the area. When was the last time you saw a LEGIT eddy break off or see the steam push vertical instead of horizontal off of NC? It’s been 5 years. That’s how long.

Re: Gambler 36hr tuna
 

I think Carlos from the board is now on the ICCAT, The International Catch & Can Atlantic Tunas, any input would be helpful.

https://www.iccat.int/en/

Re: Gambler 36hr tuna
 

Andy, fixed It...left 8:00 AM, back next night after 9:00...

Re: Gambler 36hr tuna
 

Just got back from Jamaica tuna trip. Last 2 were ZERO tuna... too much squid and other factors. Interesting to see how Voyager make out this weekend.

Not going to elaborate.


Meat Hunter

Re: Gambler 36hr tuna
 

I'm not suggesting weather, water temps, bait don't all impact fish movements but my opinion is the world's oceans are getting smaller due to technology advancements and world demand for fish is increasing exponentially. Steam might be pushing horizontal but see more yellow fin tuna in the fish markets today than years gone by so someone's harvesting them. Individual owner operators are being replaced by conglomerates with the financial resources to more efficiently harvest those resources. One species after another is being pushed to the brink until it's no longer economically viable to target. Ling / whiting in the mud hole is a perfect example years ago. Throw cod and mackerel into the mix as well. Small mesh netters destroyed the ling / whiting fishery until it wasn't economically viable any longer and they moved on. Same thing is happening world wide with every fishery with a commercial presence. You can't over fish a resource which is dependent on its own reproduction and expect it to sustain its existence......it's that simple. Problem as always is money talks and many of the ocean's resources are failing under the pressure.

Do the research and look at harvest numbers in this case with tuna and the problem jumps off the page. Countries now netting juvenile tuna, keeping them alive, feeding them in fish farms until ready to be brought to market and making millions in the process. What impact is this practice having on reproduction and who monitors and evaluates it?

I'm not an advocate of over regulation, I am an advocate of sensible fisheries management. You can't expect salt water resources where no stocking takes place and fish are harvested virtually year round to sustain themselves without adequate reproduction levels being managed relative to overall harvest. It's a losing proposition.

Interesting read on Fish Aggregating Devices (FAD's). The oceans resources are being destroyed by commercial over-harvest fueled by corporate greed and technology advancements. View the data in Figure 5. to get an idea of what's happening in our oceans which most of us aren't even aware of.

https://academic.oup.com/icesjms/art.../1/215/2418180

Re: Gambler 36hr tuna
 

Really appreciate your perspective on this stuff. I was under the impression that the tuna fishery both commercial and rec was very tightly managed. Can you comment on that?

Re: Gambler 36hr tuna
 

Lot of articles on line about the increased harvest of tuna over the past 4-5 decades. Read the attached article which contains a lot of information regarding world tuna harvest. Specifically addressing your question, reference first paragraph in section 1.1.6 addressing IUU (illegal, unreported and unregulated) practices. The data in the article only goes through 2000, but focus on the trend lines. If you assume based on technological improvements of commercial fisheries and market prices of tuna the trend lines have continued to increase over the last 18 years, imagine what the harvest numbers are today.

http://www.fao.org/docrep/007/y5428e/y5428e03.htm

Fisheries management have a hard enough time monitoring and quantifying harvest statistics for inshore species, pelagics with the expanse of ocean they travel and number of countries involved is virtually impossible to quantify and or regulate. World wide demand is increasing, prices have sky rocketed and the resource can't keep pace.

Read the article in the below link, published this year, regarding bluefin tuna.

https://www.thenation.com/article/no...-japans-sushi/

Note the following excerpt, "In 2012 only 6 percent of all bluefin were old enough (three to five years) to reproduce; by 2016 the ratio had fallen to only 2.6 percent. Japan, responsible for 75 percent of all bluefin catches in the Pacific between 1980 and 2014, is now under pressure to introduce serious measures to stem the decline." What does that statement bring to mind? Exact same problem NMFS and ASMFC created with the fluke fishery by legislating over harvest of breeders and allowing commercial operators to harvest during the spawn which is why reproduction over the last twenty years has tanked. Easy fixes but unfortunately money and politics prevents remedial decisions from being made.

Re: Gambler 36hr tuna
 

Did you guys ever make to canyon or fished inshore of it?


No sword or whites action?

Re: Gambler 36hr tuna
 

I am scheduled on this weeks 48 hour canyon run. It was cancelled two weeks ago and is not looking very promising for this weeks. Thursday seas building to 18 feet. Maybe the storm will park on top of NC again

Re: Gambler 36hr tuna
 

Looks like it's a go but only a 30-36hr, probably a 30, given Friday's early AM position...Ketch-um-up guys...

Re: Gambler 36hr tuna
 

I am disappointed with all the fishing reports out there. I am on tonight's 30 hr trip. I guess for daytime I will drop to 30# leaders. for over night I think I will concentrate on swords until we see any tuna action. you just never know.