Currently headed back in to Garibaldi on my friend's boat. Plugged with tuna. Full report later
Also..
Also..
This was not the target species
- Thread starter Evan B
- Start date
We weren't even gunning. Motors off, just drifting. I think the motors were off from about 2:30pm-5pm.
Let's see if this works.. one of the videos I tried to take of how it looked out there. You can see a few fish crash, it'll give you an idea of how far out they typically were. We just couldn't keep them from disappearing when the boat got close, even with the motors off.
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New video by Evan Burck
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Let's see if this works.. one of the videos I tried to take of how it looked out there. You can see a few fish crash, it'll give you an idea of how far out they typically were. We just couldn't keep them from disappearing when the boat got close, even with the motors off.
New video by Evan Burck
Man, watching that is giving me the itch bad. If there is a ton of life signs, and fish in the area, I often think shutting the motors off is best. Especially if they are skittish. A even a light drift rate you're still covering water and even if stationary the tuna sure as hell aren't. Drag some flies, swimbaits, live baits, off the upwind side and toss a little chum now and then. At some point the boat becomes a big kelp patty that's dispensing food. The trick would be containing blood and other shark attractants if fish were being caught. Easy for me to say though as a non-boat owner, or charter captain with pressure to get clients their money's worth.
Yeah, if I had my 12wt yesterday, I certainly would have tried getting creative. If it were my boat, it certainly would have spent some time in the water. The swimbait the guy wasn't having much luck with did get bit that way - he cast out and let it drag in the rod holder while he was doing deck work. It was his own personal rod, and just not set up well. Had like old 50lb mono on the reel which made casting terrible, then he broke off the fish when he finally hooked up.
Made me wish I had brought some rods, we could have certainly used them. Captain didn't have his own, so the other two guys brought theirs - one guy brought all the troll rods and that swimbait rod - and his stuff was very poorly maintained, had old line on them, etc etc. Other guy was my buddy who is kind of my mentor, he brought all the jig rods and sets things up exactly like I do. I wish I had brought a couple troll rods and the 12wt. Either way though, we put as many fish in the box as we could fit, so it just would've made things more pleasant to that point.
I've had some luck experimenting with "drift jigging" flies. Think this still counts as fly fishing since the fly is cast. If I'm on the upwind side and don't get bit on the first strip cycle or two, I'll stack mend the line out and use the rod to give it action. Basically a slow rod tip sweep a bit faster than the drift rate, with a very brief pause or two. Then let the line back just barely maintaining tension. So far the grabs have been coming about when the rod is pointing at the fly - which also happens to be the best time to strip set. I can see four rods doing this almost as a troll spread.
Who and what are important, but "it's all in the delivery"!
Badass. I can't cast a fly close to 200 feet but I would've tried just like you're saying. But yeah anytime you can toss stuff to tuna and they bite, what's to complain about? If it's really good fishing I love trying to catch them different ways.Let's see if this works.. one of the videos I tried to take of how it looked out there. You can see a few fish crash, it'll give you an idea of how far out they typically were. We just couldn't keep them from disappearing when the boat got close, even with the motors off.
New video by Evan Burck
As to the "itch" @SilverFly : I know just what you mean. Didn't you just get through processing a new pile of tuna, but that short clip of an ocean going off with life practically has me drooling. It's just so cool how much things vary out there but also how mysterious they seem to me.
I've watched you doing this, and emulated it a bit, with a little success as well. It's not my favorite way to fish, but it is a way and I'm willing to do what is working, and try variations.
Yeah, I can cast a Coltsniper jig really, really far, and I was just barely at the edge of the range of where we could get bit. They were taking it within the first like 10' of the retrieve. Never had any takes anywhere near the boat.
Like the videos I've seen where the dudes pull up to the outside of the reef and send a plug 200+ feet for GTs.
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I've thought about getting an Alvey Side Cast for that out-range-shit. 200' is a mere lob for an Alvey. They supposedly have great drags too. Retrieve speed might be an issue, or not given the large arbor.
As someone who loves a centerpin, it's definitely an interesting concept. I just love my Shimano Trevala rods way too much. They're my favorite rod ever and make catching anything on them so much fun.
I only have one Trevala as my non-fly tuna rod, but really enjoy using it. I compromised a bit and went with the med/heavy with a Torium 20 to cover a few more bases like bottom fish and chinook. I can fish flat sides OK but not really fun for ripping. It's a good outfit for chucking heavy flat fall jigs and will give me a shot if something bigger grabs at depth. At some point I'll probably add a medium action with a smaller, high-speed jig reel.
Paging @veilside180sx for custom rod ideas to match an Alvey as a albacore gun.
I've got 4 of the M action spinning rods with Shimano Spheros and Saragosa reels on them, then two MH casting rods with Avet reels. Of all the rod setups I own, that fleet is my pride and joy.
part of the reason they can huck that bait forever is the giant surf rod- which may be a pain in the ass (though potentially fun) on a boat...
Yeah, a big lever is definitely part of it. The half-baked idea I have is something 8, maybe 9' in glass or hybrid graphite. Basically a jig sling shot.
Ceviche!
Bruce Baker
Steelhead
YUMMMY!!
