I have been waiting to express my sentiments on the tagging aspect of this voyage to allow plenty of time for reflection before I attempted to convey what I experienced through close observation of our anglers throughout the trip. To some, it may not have occured that captains of these vessels must not only be master seamen and consistently productive fishermen, but they also must be keenly attuned to the overall tenor of their groups as well as the sentiments of individual anglers if they are operating within the full capacity of their job description.

In the case of this voyage, because the concept and practice of complete tag and release is so far beyond the parameters of a regular long range excursion, I was especially observant watching for even the smallest indications of how anglers were processing the tagging activities and most importantly, if they were enjoying themselves and having a good time.
One key observation, that was identical to last year's Revilla tagging expedition, was that the act of tagging the fish, prior to release, adds a miraculous element to the battle that both verifies the angler's success and justifies the hard effort expended. I don't know exactly how to put it other than to say when that tag connects, the battle is won, and the successful angler, and everyone within eyesight, gives a satisfied "yeah" while extending genuine accolades for the tangible accomplishment. The second part of the process, that is equally as inspiring, especially in the case of the archival tag surgeries, is the angler and all others present genuinely cheering for the released fish as it regains it's wits and gracefully swims away altered, but unharmed by the experience. That is a feeling of satisfaction completely different from any long range voyage other than one that offers the ability to tag and release fish.

Last year I did my best to describe the same feature of these voyages and felt that my effort either fell short of it's goal or was simply dismissed because the idea is so foreign to the vast majority of long range anglers. "How can I possibly have a good time if I can't keep any fish?" is the standard question among the skeptics who cling to the old school measure of fishing success like a dog worrying over a bone. Believe me, you can. After discussing the topic with many of this year's participants we collectively decided that there really is no way to express the feeling in words; one simply has to be there.
On board this voyage was a remarkable young man named Drue Cicchetto who at seventeen years of age paid for the voyage and tag donation with his own hard earned, well saved money to create his senior high school project as a student at High Tech High school in San Diego. While taking numerous photos of the tag and release process, this naturally observant young man made an insightful comment that really summed up what I had been feeling the entire trip. Ironically, he made the comment following the release of a one hundred forty pound class fish carrying an electronic tag that was caught by the one angler on board that had a somewhat grumpy disposition. As the fish was released out the boarding gate, our standard practice of recruiting the triumphant angler to assist the process with a shove on the tail was recorded, as it was many times this voyage, by young Drue. As the fish made a perfect entry and darted away a photo was simultanously snapped. When the camera was lowered Drue's comment was "God I wish I could capture that look on everyone's face; it's the same every time when they see their fish swim away". I looked up quickly to catch even grumpy with a beaming smile on his face and a delighted expression that spoke a thousand words.

Although I realize I won't change any minds here, I had to pass along these thoughs as they are so unique to these tagging voyages. Keep in mind also that I am a fisherman who makes his living catching and keeping fish. I don't entertain the thought of pure catch and release fishing, other than when tagging or in select fisheries, being the "way to go" in long range sport fishing. I am simply reporting what I experienced and informing all those reading these reports that I, the consummate, veteran fisherman, sincerely enjoy and cherish these tagging experiences.

Photo Here...
Photo Here...
Photo Here...