Offshore conditions forecast 2022

[SilverFly]

Given the massive upwelling we had last year, that put a huge damper on mid-late tuna season, a discussion on ocean condition forecasts would seem appropriate.

I'm assuming the negative phase PDO had much to do with pushing the clear/blue water out of sport range - but that's just a guess. Currently it looks like we're headed for a neutral-ish PDO by tuna season. And possibly El Nino.

La Nina Peaks in January; El Nino risk late 2022. - Climate Impact Company

News - La Nina Peaks in January; El Nino risk late 2022.

climateimpactcompany.com

 

[Evan B]

Any improvement over last year is welcome for me. I only made it out one friggin time last year, though that one trip was the best I'd ever had.

 

[Nick Clayton]

The crazy part of last year is that the warm, crystal clear blue water was available and in range of us most of the season, but for the most part the fish just weren't in it. What fish were around were found consistently in the dirty green, much cooler water all season long. As the season progressed we all kept waiting for that to change but it never did.

Even the commercial guys were reporting the same thing. They had to either go WAY out there to find numbers of fish, skipping miles upon miles of great water, or they fished the cooler water edges with the rest of us.

Most common theories I read and heard were centered around oxygenation levels, but I'm no scientist and really don't know.

I spent way too much fishless time working beautiful, blue, 63-66 degree water that was often full of bait but no fish. The one day of truly wide open tuna fishing I had last year was in the perfect warm and blue water, but even that day we had to work miles of similar water that was totally fish less before finding em.

Eventually just sorta came to terms with the fact that fishing the dirty water was going to be the only game in town, and focused on that. I think overall last year made me a better tuna fisherman in many ways, but I'm sure hoping to not repeat that again.

 

[Evan B]

My one and only trip last year was around the "corners" off the Columbia. mid 60s blue water, right off the break. Hit fish immediately and plugged by noon. Ate lunch and headed in. We'd troll for like 5mins, hit fish, then pick up 4-5 on the jigs. Only took a couple stops and we were done. But hot damn was that a fun trip.

 

[SilverFly]

The crazy part of last year is that the warm, crystal clear blue water was available and in range of us most of the season, but for the most part the fish just weren't in it. What fish were around were found consistently in the dirty green, much cooler water all season long. As the season progressed we all kept waiting for that to change but it never did.

Even the commercial guys were reporting the same thing. They had to either go WAY out there to find numbers of fish, skipping miles upon miles of great water, or they fished the cooler water edges with the rest of us.

Most common theories I read and heard were centered around oxygenation levels, but I'm no scientist and really don't know.

I spent way too much fishless time working beautiful, blue, 63-66 degree water that was often full of bait but no fish. The one day of truly wide open tuna fishing I had last year was in the perfect warm and blue water, but even that day we had to work miles of similar water that was totally fish less before finding em.

Eventually just sorta came to terms with the fact that fishing the dirty water was going to be the only game in town, and focused on that. I think overall last year made me a better tuna fisherman in many ways, but I'm sure hoping to not repeat that again.

Seeing so much bait in the green water makes me wonder if the tuna were there, just stuffed and picky. But yeah, whatever the reason I don't want to fish another season like that. Just glad the fly crews were comparatively holding their own against the bait boats.