Fish Report for 8-9-2011
Royal Star Fish Report
8-9-2011
Royal Star
And to throw the final incentive at everyone we took the effort to extreme lengths today. Unexpected perhaps, but to none of our surprise, the first jig stop on school size yellowfin tuna was followed by the coveted opportunity every summer long range angler likely dreams of in this day and age. As we pushed into the area it had an old familiar feeling. In fact I turned to my right hand man Chief Engineer Sean Bickel, who also possesses a set of eyes of uncommon ability, and made a comment to the effect of how fishy it felt. The set up was ideal for offshore fish; water structure, weather, waxing moon - perfect for... Bluefin!
Sean actually made the call. Following my comment that we were going to find something good, like a big kelp loaded with yellowfin, yellowtail, and dorado, Sean said that we were going to find a big sonar school. Not ten minutes later there it was. And it was a signature I am so familiar with from the past. A couple of sweeps and I let anglers know over the P.A. that it was a school of bluefin.
Being the final day, and that we were absolutely loaded with bait, including about fifty scoops of live squid from yesterday's show, we didn't hold back. It was make or break from an opportunity that very well could have been unique to us in light of this season's examples so far. The response was immediate and impressive. Thirty to forty pound bluefin came flying out of the water everywhere blowing out on sardines and squid liberally broadcast by crewman Blake Wasano. The best part was that this time, contrary to the frustrating, not biting pattern these bluefin have been torturing us with on so many occasions this season, they acted right; just like you want them to is how I described it to my colleagues in the area.
When all was done we ended with 38 of the offshore bluefin from what became a classic bluefin "plunker" following the initial rush. About a dozen were fifty five to seventy pounds, the remainder were thirty to forty, and a few jumbos in the estimated one hundred pound or larger class smoked us on our forty pound outfits. One heart breaker lost a mere four or five feet from it's demise confirmed this size estimate.
While we were drifting along there were several features I mentioned to my colleagues indicating that there were plenty more around than what we found. True to form, within an hour or two just about every vessel around was drifting on bluefin. Some very good scores were reported following our departure from the area on our final day. I mentioned yesterday that it was time to consider a 1 1/2 day with zero prior knowledge of what was to occur. The combination of flat calm seas, good indications that offshore fishing was on the upswing, and the waxing moon was convincing enough. This final piece is over the top.
So much so that we scheduled another 1 1/2 day impromptu departing Wednesday the 10th returning Friday the 12th. I know all of you read my occasional comments about it being time to go, the set up being perfect, etc. etc. If this doesn't convince you nothing will. There is presently no way to swing the odds in one's favor better that the overall set up right now. Yesterday while traveling toward home listening to reports on the radio of my colleagues clobbering bluefin, yellowfin, yellowtail, and dorado I was sick at the thought of missing one day of the upcoming four. It is going to be good. Flat calm weather is forecast for at least four more days. If you are waiting to go now is the time. Call the landing or the Royal Star office to jump on the trip leaving Wednesday or Friday. I am charged up by what I see offshore. Everything we have been waiting for is finally aligning in our favor.
Photos for the day feature two fine examples of what is in store for those jumping on a trip. Long time veterans Willy Cloyes and Dave Patterson (with crewman Paul Caramayo) are both rightly ecstatic with their fifty pound class bluefin landed during our morning foray on the grounds. Come on out and get in on this action; trust my instincts - the time has arrived.
Tim Ekstrom
Photo Here...
Photo Here...
Sean actually made the call. Following my comment that we were going to find something good, like a big kelp loaded with yellowfin, yellowtail, and dorado, Sean said that we were going to find a big sonar school. Not ten minutes later there it was. And it was a signature I am so familiar with from the past. A couple of sweeps and I let anglers know over the P.A. that it was a school of bluefin.
Being the final day, and that we were absolutely loaded with bait, including about fifty scoops of live squid from yesterday's show, we didn't hold back. It was make or break from an opportunity that very well could have been unique to us in light of this season's examples so far. The response was immediate and impressive. Thirty to forty pound bluefin came flying out of the water everywhere blowing out on sardines and squid liberally broadcast by crewman Blake Wasano. The best part was that this time, contrary to the frustrating, not biting pattern these bluefin have been torturing us with on so many occasions this season, they acted right; just like you want them to is how I described it to my colleagues in the area.
When all was done we ended with 38 of the offshore bluefin from what became a classic bluefin "plunker" following the initial rush. About a dozen were fifty five to seventy pounds, the remainder were thirty to forty, and a few jumbos in the estimated one hundred pound or larger class smoked us on our forty pound outfits. One heart breaker lost a mere four or five feet from it's demise confirmed this size estimate.
While we were drifting along there were several features I mentioned to my colleagues indicating that there were plenty more around than what we found. True to form, within an hour or two just about every vessel around was drifting on bluefin. Some very good scores were reported following our departure from the area on our final day. I mentioned yesterday that it was time to consider a 1 1/2 day with zero prior knowledge of what was to occur. The combination of flat calm seas, good indications that offshore fishing was on the upswing, and the waxing moon was convincing enough. This final piece is over the top.
So much so that we scheduled another 1 1/2 day impromptu departing Wednesday the 10th returning Friday the 12th. I know all of you read my occasional comments about it being time to go, the set up being perfect, etc. etc. If this doesn't convince you nothing will. There is presently no way to swing the odds in one's favor better that the overall set up right now. Yesterday while traveling toward home listening to reports on the radio of my colleagues clobbering bluefin, yellowfin, yellowtail, and dorado I was sick at the thought of missing one day of the upcoming four. It is going to be good. Flat calm weather is forecast for at least four more days. If you are waiting to go now is the time. Call the landing or the Royal Star office to jump on the trip leaving Wednesday or Friday. I am charged up by what I see offshore. Everything we have been waiting for is finally aligning in our favor.
Photos for the day feature two fine examples of what is in store for those jumping on a trip. Long time veterans Willy Cloyes and Dave Patterson (with crewman Paul Caramayo) are both rightly ecstatic with their fifty pound class bluefin landed during our morning foray on the grounds. Come on out and get in on this action; trust my instincts - the time has arrived.
Tim Ekstrom
Photo Here...
Photo Here...
