Fish Report for 4-18-2009
Royal Star Fish Report
4-18-2009
Royal Star
Another day of steady production with fifty to one hundred pound yellowfin tuna dominating the morning and mid day action and again switching to almost straight big fish late. Perfect weather complimented the effort in addition to the phenomenal scenery on and around Isla Socorro. So far so good. If all goes according to plan, we will dedicate at least one more day to tagging at Socorro before heading west to distribute archival and conventional tags throughout the entire Revillagigedo reserve.
Before signing off for today there are couple of side notes to share. To begin with, in the early morning we landed the first yellowfin already carrying a tag from a prior Revilla tagging voyage since this project began in 2006. The fish was landed the first time at about ninety pounds by angler Mike McHatton and was close to one hundred forty pounds almost exactly one year later when Dave Hall got him again. As the fish was tagged with a conventional tag, the information was again recorded, and for the second time the lucky tuna was sent back carrying the same tag. Not surprisingly, as much of the data from prior tag recoveries suggests, the tuna was released and recaptured at Socorro, with the time at liberty exactly 358 days. The distance between capture and recapture was about five miles. Apparently many of the tuna and Wahoo around these islands enjoy it so much that they spend the large percentage of their time in the vicinity. From what I know of the Revillagigedos, I can't say I blame them.
To conclude the report, stats for the day are as follows. 116 yellowfin tuna and five Wahoo were tagged and released with big fish of the day going to tagging champion and our good friend Len Cunningham at 219#. Anyone who has fished on Royal Star during the past ten years has likely shared the rail with Len and knows that a finer individual and better fisherman is nowhere to be found. At the young age of seventy seven, Len's stamina, drive, and ability draws the admiration and respect of us all. What a man in every sense of the word. Other big fish honors at 209 and 200 plus go again to Dr. Dave, who always seems to be in the right place at the right time with the right gear in his hands, and Jim Ruch who had a genuine ultimate challenge battle on eighty pound test in which he remarkably prevailed. There were a couple of handfuls of one sixty to one eighties in the evening action as well as a good go around on one hundred to one twenties. Needless to say we are enthusiastic about what is to come and will keep you posted accordingly.
Before signing off for today there are couple of side notes to share. To begin with, in the early morning we landed the first yellowfin already carrying a tag from a prior Revilla tagging voyage since this project began in 2006. The fish was landed the first time at about ninety pounds by angler Mike McHatton and was close to one hundred forty pounds almost exactly one year later when Dave Hall got him again. As the fish was tagged with a conventional tag, the information was again recorded, and for the second time the lucky tuna was sent back carrying the same tag. Not surprisingly, as much of the data from prior tag recoveries suggests, the tuna was released and recaptured at Socorro, with the time at liberty exactly 358 days. The distance between capture and recapture was about five miles. Apparently many of the tuna and Wahoo around these islands enjoy it so much that they spend the large percentage of their time in the vicinity. From what I know of the Revillagigedos, I can't say I blame them.
To conclude the report, stats for the day are as follows. 116 yellowfin tuna and five Wahoo were tagged and released with big fish of the day going to tagging champion and our good friend Len Cunningham at 219#. Anyone who has fished on Royal Star during the past ten years has likely shared the rail with Len and knows that a finer individual and better fisherman is nowhere to be found. At the young age of seventy seven, Len's stamina, drive, and ability draws the admiration and respect of us all. What a man in every sense of the word. Other big fish honors at 209 and 200 plus go again to Dr. Dave, who always seems to be in the right place at the right time with the right gear in his hands, and Jim Ruch who had a genuine ultimate challenge battle on eighty pound test in which he remarkably prevailed. There were a couple of handfuls of one sixty to one eighties in the evening action as well as a good go around on one hundred to one twenties. Needless to say we are enthusiastic about what is to come and will keep you posted accordingly.
