Well we broke a sweat in a couple of ways today beginning with a very slow morning that had all the earmarks of a catastrophic change in conditions resulting in the fish going off the bite. With two fish to our credit by 11:00 a.m. the real possibility of a fall from grace was rapidly becoming a reality. Then, just when we were about to throw in the towel and convert into travel mode, the action began. This is when the real sweating began as we went from stone cold to hot and heavy working steady for about two hours to keep up with the pace set by anglers who were hungry for action following a slow morning. By 4:00 p.m. it was over and all were satisfied as we departed for points north in calm seas with a picture perfect load of premium Alijos rocks yellowfin tuna and yellowtail refrigerating in the RSW tanks in preparation for our arrival this coming Sunday in San Diego.

On a side note I have to make special mention of a handful of anglers this voyage who beat the odds with exemplary performances while fighting yellowfin tuna over 100 pounds on forty pound class tackle. Long battles of patience and perseverance were the winning combination but proper, impeccably rigged equipment plays a pivotal role in any battle where the gear is borderline for the quarry. In the latest round at Alijos there were many occasions when forty pound was the most effective choice for getting a bite as there were plenty of tuna crashing around that needed to be fooled into taking a bait carrying a hook by using the lighter class gear. Anglers Jeff Cox, Bob Newnam, and Kurt Dearie, who took the plunge using the lighter tackle, met the challenge squarely and now revel in victory with their 110, 104, and 102 pound trophies dressed out and in premium "sashimi quality" condition in the hatch. There were a few others deserving of mention, such as Jim Wade and Chris Hendrickson who just missed the 100 mark with 94 and 96 pound yellowfin on 40# tackle, but with the "century" mark comes a special status that is a definite benchmark anglers strive for in the world of long range fishing. In the case of Kurt Dearie I have to assign extra special credit as he weathered a horrendous stretch of "snake bite" to be ultimately rewarded yesterday afternoon with a fantastic catch that he earned in every respect.

So the northward trek begins as we strategically incorporate fishing time into the plan. We have something special in mind for tomorrow so we will see if good fortune follows us up the line. Look for tomorrow's report with the details.

Tim