Thread Rating:
  • 0 Vote(s) - 0 Average
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5
Otta day…
#1
on a ledge far far away…. With Wind Waves & White Caps Running Down the Sea….<br>Was a Summer month…Sunny & Warm…Morning Water Temp rite at Preferred 80 Degree…. <br>We had the guys on Board, Anxiously Hoping for Their Fish…The Big Fish…. As Big as He…<br>As we Watched the Big Yellowfin Slashing Across the surface Chasing after the Bridled Skipee…<br><br>Leaving the harbor, Watching the Sun Rise over the wind swept Blue waters to the East… the 30 knot winds on call for the day were over halfway there, as they had the been Blowing nonstop day & Night the last week.<br>I knew in my mind the Deep waters that were Holding the Pile were in some Nasty big waters with white caps big as houses… waters the gentlemen down below were not prepared for, no matter how they said they think they are on the phone last night… <br>As we came over the 40 Fathom ledge & the current pushed the head high waters into strait up & Down Walls of Blue & White…Could see in their faces & eyes that this Isn’t what they had in mind…though, they weren’t exactly Not liking it.<br><br>So there we were…just going over the edge, the bait rods bit simultaneously… Cool… Neptune likes me today…<br>As the gents got the 25 class rods out & Started working the Small Skipjack tuna to the boat, I quickly reeled in the bigger 50’s that were out & put the lures away & got out the Bait rigs & needle. I ask the gent with the second Aku to just hold his off the corner as I rig up the first, I could see a deep Red forming in my palm from the Skippy as I gently put the needle thru the eye sockets & twisted the bridle to just the rite tight. As I worked the hook from the small feather that caught the Skippy, I could see where the blood was coming from…. I new this was not The bait we wanted, it will surly bleed out in no time….but that’s OK… the other one is lip hooked perfectly & not even a little light pink came off it while rigging the 25 foot mono leaderd 12/0 J hook to it’s head & gently dropping it back into the water to swim with us for a while….<br><br>Ahh…Perfect baits, just under two pound SkipJack Tuna…. One bleeding out slowly & the other Strong as could be.<br><br>The gents were liking this part, the boat slowly Idling down Sea, into the Deep waters, ¾’s a mile off the Cliffs…<br>Watching the Short bait we put just off the rigger, just on the surface, swimming along…weekly as the blood was almost gone from it but it’s Shine was Still in Full Glow… it would get week & skip along a few minutes & then dig back in & swim a little, just enough so the cappy would let it stay…<br><br>The other, Much Healthier bait was out about 150 foot behind the boat Swimming along like a pet…a Scared Pet… By the angle & pull, it seemed very healthy…<br>It was rigged to a rubber band off the transom with a 50 foot drop back loop in the line going back to the Rod that was set At Strike, Heavy Strike as it’s Tuna season & if it gits bit, it’ll be too fast to get the reel into freespool & feed extra the way Bigger Tuna often Grab the bait & Eat on the Run…<br><br>As the boat rides the swell into deep water, the Feeling on board is good, We Are looking Good. The guys are talking about how they are gonna pull in the Big Tuna or Marlin when it will Surly eat one of those fresh baits… the cappy is kina grinning inside knowing the gents have Never seen much less Pulled on Any fish over 30 pounds… & he looks at the 50 Wide Internationals attached to the perfect baits…<br><br>So there we were…<br>Cappy says…`It’s getting Nervous & points to the long baits rubber, it was really stretching out & back as the little Skipjack was obviously panicking back there…<br>The short bait most be able to see as it’s Swimming along looking as Healthy as possible for a wounded fish with a big hook attached to it’s head…<br>LOOK AT THAT !!!<br>Cappy points towards the long bait, as he does, everyone can see the Yellow Sickles on the big tuna as it chased the little tuna around…making a big racket on the surface back there…<br>But the rubber doesn’t do anything….just the pressure from the line dragging behind…then…<br>Snap!! WE’RE BIT !!!!<br><br>As fast as cappy says that, the Rod doubles over & line Starts paying out at an Amazing speed….the reel is more than Screaming, it’s more of a humming sound the line came off so fast…<br><br>As the gents sit there mesmerized by the sound & site of the reel paying out line, cappy comes down & pulls in the short bait that is now hiding close as it can get to the boat, looking to help out Mr. Murphy but it stays clear & cappy puts it the box saying it’s to tired to keep alive & were probably gonna be a few minutes on That Fish that’s Screaming out line from the Rod sitting in the Holder, cappy says…<br>By the Way Guys… `Did ya come ta Fish or just Watch ??? as he Laughed in their direction telling Someone to Please put a belt on & get the rod out of the holder & maybe start working the fish when it slows…<br><br>Then the classic moment when the three guys try to pass on their Fish of a Lifetime…you do it, no, You do it..no, not Me, YOU do it & so on… cappy just Smiles & Says…SOMEONE DO IT !!!<br><br>I’d say the young healthy looking guy ended up with the belt on…but….<br>There really wasn't a guy that fit that description on board that day….<br><br><br>So there we were…<br>8 minutes after the bite…the gent Strapped into the belt & reel…the 50 wide just about half way empty… Full pressure & the older gent couldn’t move… so…<br>we get the Next guy in….<br>He does a little better & the line stretch is out & the fish is slowing, going strait down behind the boat into the winded waves that were breaking into the boat as it sat out of gear like it was Anchored.<br><br>Cappy tries re`explaining what he went thru before departing the harbor about lifting up & reeling down on the rod but the gent was having a hard time at it though he wasn’t dumping line by lifting too hard & fast, he was just having a hard time on the drop & wind part… but gaining a little…<br><br>After 15 minutes of this, time for the next gent…cappy tells him to not be excited & try to work the tackle & Not waste precious energy, this gent does good, nice short lifts, quick drops just cranking what he can get & keeping the pressure on the whole time…<br><br>But The Fish wasn’t Cooperating in the least, once it got into it’s deep style of pulling on the thing in it’s jaw, it was intent on Not getting any closer & it just Stayed where it was, with about half the spool out.<br><br>So there we were…<br>Time for the next round….back to the first gent, he now saw what we were working for & settled into a fairly good rhythm… gaining & losing line evenly….he lasted another 10 minutes & time to change Anglers Again…<br><br>5 minutes into this turn…<br>OH SHOOT !!!! the Reel won’t turn…HUH ??? cappy says as he gives the handle a try…Nothing, it’s Jammed.<br>Heck…Now What ???<br><br>Cappy grabs the thin line & pulls in a few feet by hand to relive pressure & asks to try now….Nothen…<br>SHOOTS !!!! The reel is frozen, line won’t come in or out… &…<br>it’s attached to a pretty good sized Yellow Fin Tuna… in head high waves & 25 knot winds…`We’re Screwed…<br><br>cappy saw it was a good sized tuna & with the seas like they were, handlining the line into a bucket would be just looking for trouble so he decides to take line off one of the other reels & cut & tie this line to it & Reel it in…easy…<br><br>Luckily, the tuna was mellowed by now & with the 250 yards of mono out stretching, it hasn’t broke line yet…<br><br>So there we are…<br>Pulling line off one reel into a bucket as the cappy pulled by hand as much as he could on the fish & gentle laid that line on the deck in nice clean coils in case the fish wanted to run….<br>When the extra reel looked to be empty enough to hold the line attached to the fish…we made the decision…<br>OK, cut that line & pull about 10 feet off the rod & keep that end clear so we could get to it…<br>Then, when we cut this line with the fish attached, we’ll just do a quick blood knot & reel in the extra line cappy hand lined till we come tight to the fish & back to Work…sounds like a plan…<br><br>We did it, Smooth as could be… `but Wait…<br>Oh Heck…<br>We tied the two rods together…LOL…<br>The line with the fish is Still cleated off….<br><br>So we do it again, This time…NO Excitement when the line gets cut…<br>Perfect, we quickly reel in the line on the deck & sure enough, the Very heavy weight of the tuna Is Still there for the gents to pull on…<br>This time, cappy asks them to try & not twist the reel & handle as much between the three of them…<br><br>20 minutes & after they all take another turn on the reel, we have color, not under the boat but back behind it, up on the surface, it’s swimming slowly facing away from the boat…cappy asks the last gent on the rod to just be easy & short stroke it & he does…<br><br>as the 25 foot leader reaches rod tip, we can see the fish looks to be wrapped up…<br>NOT…<br>The Dang Thing went & Hooked itself in the A$$… `yep…the hook is in the Tunas anal slit… & it is just barely swimming away…<br><br>Cappy takes the leader very Gently & guides the fish alongside & Plants the Gaff into it’s throat & ties it off…<br><br>& Turns to look at the three Guys that just Caught the Biggest Fish they have ever seen, as we pulled over the side & laid it on the deck, they were like little boys the way they were Smiling…<br><br>Back at the dock, the fish weighed in at 175 pounds, Allison Tuna.<br>NICE WON !!!<br><br>The reel problem was the three little brass screws that hold the gears together on the 2 speed Gold Penn’s, all three were sheared in half & the heads of them were jamming the rest of the reel up…. One problem with having Many different Fighting Styles on One reel with a Lot of pressure.<br><br><br>[Smile] <b><font color=red>Aloha</b></font color=red> [cool]<br><br>Dan<br>Stand Up!!!<br><br><br><A HREF="http://www.fishingkauai.com" target="_new"> Stand Up Fish`N Charters Kauai Hawai </A> <br>[Wink]
Reply
#2
Stan<br><br>Don't tell me you have hung up the conventional rod and reel for the camera only? It's never too late to go back to it, especially with a story like that from Capt. Dan.<br><br>Fires me up I know. <br><br>Don't ya miss it? Line burning, reel screaming runs, rod bent over almost double, the wind whistling across the mono because it is stretched to it's max? <br><br>Burnin Thumbs!<br><br>Steve - The MJB<br>BFT Lures/Baits<br><A HREF="http://www.demonjigs.com" target="_new">http://www.demonjigs.com</A>
Reply


Forum Jump:


Users browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)