Well we bagged a couple more deuces according to plan, and also missed on a couple of three other chances that served to remind all of the high stakes nature of trophy tuna fishing. A few days back I said something to the effect of good luck always runs out. This morning was the shining example of that reality. And I advance this thought without losing sight of the fact that we put together a fantastic catch on cows. With twenty fish on board over 200 pounds, one at 320, and another 35 in the 140 - 196 pound class, we came out ahead in the percentage of big fish hooked to big fish landed. We are good to go, and pleased with our efforts.

In preparing anglers for their upcoming voyages I do want to emphasize the importance of rigging and recognition of the fact that fishing for these giants is far more than a lackadaisical pursuit of easy game. The stakes are monumental. The biggest yellowfin tuna of your life is swimming around beneath you sizing up your bait. My goal is not to frighten or intimidate - this is vacation sport fishing. However, fishing for these giants is comparable to the extreme version of most sports. Just like an individual wouldn't show up to heli ski in neck deep powder on a 60 percent grade at 12,000 feet in Bermuda shorts on a skateboard, an angler doesn't enter this arena with marginal equipment or cavalier notions of the attention required to achieve success.

Again, I don't seek to drive anyone to reconsider fishing for giant yellowfin on a long range vessel. The door is open to everyone. The gear advances and methods we employ today have leveled the playing field tremendously. My objective is to acquaint anglers with the stakes. It does get intense. I know there are plenty of times when anglers on Royal Star are surprised by the intensity demonstrated by the crew and I while we are engaged in battle. The emotional investment for all of us is huge. When the prospect of a crowning, apex moment of mutual achievement is hanging on the end of our angler's line it is a big deal. We are serious as any professional should be about succeeding. Our expressions are in line with the circumstances. When we win we are happy. When we don't we are not.

It is all about preparation and tilting the odds as far as possible in our favor through readiness and understanding of the game. Our success ratios today are a result of so many years of heartbreaking trial and error that I shudder in recollection. We don't want to re live the old days of hooking giants and landing one out of ten due to lack of knowledge and adequate equipment for the quarry. Even the occasional taste of it, because as I mentioned before these giants have an uncanny knack for exposing any weakness in the perimeter, is haunting and capable of producing some pretty vehement expressions. We don't take it lightly.

And, I can assure everyone that this is exactly how you want your Captain and crew to be when targeting giants. Your fish of a life time is hanging on the end of your line. You want the men standing at your side invested and cognizant of their responsibility for a successful outcome. The deck hand standing behind you in the cool shades, wearing a pair of slaps, smoking a cigarette, with his knee long shorts hanging half way down his ass will likely cost you your fish and never even realize the disaster could have been avoided. The crewman standing by your side with his attention tuned and heart invested in the sole purpose of landing that fish is your friend for life. There are an awful lot of images after the fact that attest to this. The number of times we line up a fish for photos and the jubilant angler requests the crewmen join him/her in the shot is proof positive.

Following our three hours of targeting giants that passed in a flash, we headed up the remainder of the day seeking variety in the form of dorado and wahoo associating with flotsam. One jumbo kelp produced a lively thirty minutes of action on colorful leapers and a single fat wahoo. Otherwise we clawed for altitude throughout the afternoon enjoying a fine ride in weather that steadily improved towards dark. Tomorrow morning will feature more variety fishing along the "beach" where we will dedicate a few hours targeting yellowtail before continuing up the line. If we do find them we won't be too hard on them. Just a few to fill in the cracks and provide a break in the ride.

Photo today features Ann Van Dyke whom many will recognize as the voice on the phone in the Royal Star office when Tracy is out. Ann is always up for fishing but was a little hesitant when it came to jumbos before this voyage. As seen in the photo her worries were allayed. She jumped right in the mix and landed her first 175 pound yellowfin with the skill of a veteran. Congratulations to Ann. Suffice to say she now "walks the walk" when it comes to first hand knowledge of trophy yellowfin fishing.

Tim Ekstrom

Photo Here...