9/24/12

To say we earned every one of them today would almost be an understatement. From dawn 'til
dusk we fought, kicked, and scratched our way to a decent score on quality yellowtail that
were abundant in quantity but reluctant to bite. And as it was a yo-yo jig bite almost
exclusively there were some tired arms by day's end; the unmistakable Maraca like rattle of
the ibuprofen bottle being tapped resonated in the galley more than once after dinner.

And after a full day of winding and grinding for a few here and there ironically day's end
is when it finally happened. After pursuing small spots and a few better schools that
didn't bite throughout the afternoon minutes before sundown they finally decided to give us
a run for our money.

What a challenge, what contrast; a game changer no doubt. I wouldn't exactly say that our
anglers were caught flat footed, but I don't think they were quite prepared psychologically
for the full potential following our day long slog for one, two, and three at a time.

When the yellows finally did settle in to the idea they went all in - one second we had
nothing on our lines, the next we had twenty of twenty five anglers at their mercy. Oh it
was pandemonium. I'd like to say it wasn't, priding ourselves on maintaining control at all
times, but I have to admit that for a few minutes during that round the spirited yellows
wrested the reins from our hands.

It took everything we had to sort it out, and in the end the cooler heads and quick work of
journeyman crew members prevailed. But there were too many close calls to count, and a few
inevitable casualties. It is part of the game, and a good reason to favor 50# monofilament
on one's yo-yo outfit when targeting yellowtail. When the occasional mix up does occur the
50# pound test is far more durable providing a buffer against line abrasion; food for
thought if nothing else.

In the end we made a fine day of it enjoying our surroundings and late evening triumph.
Settled in for the night in soothing flat calm our day tomorrow will reveal the real
potential of this zone discovered late. Photo for the day was a quick one I snapped just
before the shit hit the fan. Lively!

Tim Ekstrom


Photo Here...