Quote:
Originally Posted by hubbahubba
You're right, a 70 mile run out would kill a day. On the longest days I would go 30 or so miles out to a high spot, then troll up a ridge for 10 miles, then back in. That would be a solid 18 hour day. I think the most miles I logged in a 24 hour period was 108.
The cool thing is that the fish were not always that far out. Kid you not, once saw breaking Yellowfin Tuna a mile out of the harbor, and Dorado from an inflatable just outside the harbor mouth. Hooked a 6' Mako once under full sail, that was brutal. Ended up getting it to the boat after an hour, and cutting it off. Any way I slice it, great times.  |
Very cool, I’m jealous. I do a lot of mako and thresher fishing here. Great fight and great BBQ. They’re easier for us to get to then the Gulf Stream fish.
This happened about 8 years ago in L.I. Guys were striped bass fishing for 30-50 lb fish in the fall run on the south shore. The bunker( menhadden) migration was on and they’re striper candy. Most use Penn 113 reels trolling wire line and bunker spoons for the big cows. Look up bunker spoon if you don’t know, I don’t think they’re used outside of the N.E.
Most of the fishing is done about 40’ about 200 hundred yards or so from the beach. The people were getting hit and quickly spooled before they knew what happened left scratching their heads. Now a 30lb striper is no slouch of a fish and neither is the tackle so it didn’t make sense. One smart guy put back a spoon on a 50w International and sure enough the rod doubled over. After a nice fight he got it boat side and stuck the gaff. 140lb Bluefin. After that others got in the frenzy for a few days while the blitz lasted but me, I got to the party a few days late and and only caught some nice bass on my boat. Goes to show where’s there’s bait there fish.
Another time fluke( summer flounder) fishing in 60-70’ and hooked one. The water happened to be crystal clear that day and we watched the fish coming up. Then an approx 4’ mako pup made a pass on the fish so I cranked fast to keep it from him. Of course I couldn’t reel faster then a mako can swim and he grabbed it. He felt the hook and ripped off about 50 yards in seconds on my small Abu with 20lb line and he rocketed airborne. The line parted and that was that.
Last one, was in Kona about ten years ago and we chartered a marlin trip. As you likely know Kona is one of the premier Blue Marlin spots in the world. Well we boarded and got underway. We’re still in the marina and the mate was putting the spread in the water. I’m scratching my head as he’s doing this and thinking maybe he’s just getting the line back on the reels even but no, he’s says we have to get ready we’re fishing right outside the marina. It goes from land to 5,000’ deep in about a 1/4 mile and the giants are right offshore! Of course I got skunked that day. Had to wait till I got to Cabo to get my Blue after two strikeouts in Hawaii.
I love being on the salt and fishing, diving, spear fishing and I love swapping fishing stories with other fishermen. Cheers