Tuna 2022, let the games begin!

[Chris Bellows]

Hop into the way back machine. Quote from (then) future tuna Captain Clayton in 2016 about the (then) hypothetical potential of fly gear in our albacore fishery.

That quote is money about any fishery dominated by gear fishing that has fly fishing potential. The problem is that it can be time consuming and expensive to figure out (mostly time consuming) and that's tough for the average guy with a family and full-time job. Great to have people like Nick breaking the mold and pushing a passion. Looking forward to the increase in popper hookups in the tuna fishery in the upcoming years.

 

[Bagman]

That quote is money about any fishery dominated by gear fishing that has fly fishing potential. The problem is that it can be time consuming and expensive to figure out (mostly time consuming) and that's tough for the average guy with a family and full-time job. Great to have people like Nick breaking the mold and pushing a passion. Looking forward to the increase in popper hookups in the tuna fishery in the upcoming years.

I would like to add that just the fly lines we’re hard to find, @SliverFly and me both trolling with a 700gr fly line that is 150 foot long, and the braid running line lets you almost dubbed the amount of running line. Most all of my rods were used, and came out of FL, picked up on the cheap. I was heading to Baja on a ten day trip. $6000 on a trip the was sold as a fly fishing only, which turned into a lot of teasing for marlin. I’ve caught more fish on a one day trip with Nick then I did in 10 days of corse we only got to cast to fish other then marlin for about 4 hrs. But I did end up with all the gear needed for albacore, so it was not all bad.

 

[PhilR]

Getting antsy for my Wed trip with Capt Nick and a PNWFF crew. Looks like it might be a longer boat ride, but it sounds like the fish are still out there.

I hope people aren't expecting too much out of me at work today or tomorrow....

 

[Evan B]

For whatever reason, I just can't get motivated to put my gear in order to drag my boat out for this window. I've had some epic trips this year and think I just feel content. Plus I have super fun fishing happening in my neighborhood, so am having fun with that. I think if I got offered a seat somewhere I'd head out... but the whole chore of dragging the boat round trip is sounding less fun this late in the season.

Hope you guys slay!

 

[PhilR]

For whatever reason, I just can't get motivated to put my gear in order to drag my boat out for this window. I've had some epic trips this year and think I just feel content. Plus I have super fun fishing happening in my neighborhood, so am having fun with that. I think if I got offered a seat somewhere I'd head out... but the whole chore of dragging the boat round trip is sounding less fun this late in the season.

Hope you guys slay!

That's actually a good feeling. Satisfied, and looking forward to the next thing. I'm looking forward to some fall canyon time.

OTOH, I keep finding myself looking at ads for offshore capable boats.

 

[SilverFly]

That's actually a good feeling. Satisfied, and looking forward to the next thing. I'm looking forward to some fall canyon time.

OTOH, I keep finding myself looking at ads for offshore capable boats.

My buddy is selling his 30' Grady White. Asking $95k. I'd buy it... if I had my shop built and another zero on the end of my 401k.

 

[Bagman]

Getting antsy for my Wed trip with Capt Nick and a PNWFF crew. Looks like it might be a longer boat ride, but it sounds like the fish are still out there.

I hope people aren't expecting too much out of me at work today or tomorrow....

Remember you split the fish 4 ways, that’s the rules put down by the boats owner. Hell I’m 75 years old with two bad wings, I have never been able to catch my share but I always pay my share.

 

[Evan B]

My buddy just texted me. They're back across the bar plugged. He got 22 on jigs himself. Making it harder to talk myself out of it. But I don't see putting my life together in the next 6hrs to head out first thing in the morning.

 

[PhilR]

Remember you split the fish 4 ways, that’s the rules put down by the boats owner. Hell I’m 75 years old with two bad wings, I have never been able to catch my share but I always pay my share.

There are boats that don't, and how do you keep track anyway? There's more to it than being the one who reeled the rod.

@Evan B 22 himself? That's a lot of fish. Sounds like a great day.

 

[Evan B]

There are boats that don't, and how do you keep track anyway? There's more to it than being the one who reeled the rod.

@Evan B 22 himself? That's a lot of fish. Sounds like a great day.

Yeah it was the best day he'd ever seen. He's one I 100% trust his report, too. Apparently they didn't even hardly have to troll today.

 

[Cabezon]

There are boats that don't, and how do you keep track anyway? There's more to it than being the one who reeled the rod.

@Evan B 22 himself? That's a lot of fish. Sounds like a great day.

At a minimum, All Rivers boats divide the catch equally. The anglers can then decide to give more fish to some and less to others by mutual agreement. I don’t view these as meat trips to fill the freezer but others may. Generally, I can fill my freezer space with one good trip. If I then have other trips, I am more inclined to take less than an equal share on those later trips.
Steve

 

[SilverFly]

Looks like the last 2022 albacore fly trip is on the books. Thanks to @Tallguy, @PhilR, and @jasmillo for inviting me on their weather reschedule with a season weary Capt Clayton who did double-duty as deckhand.

More deets and pics later, but it was a very good day. Great actually, in the morning. We all caught fish and ended with 19 very good grade albacore, with most taken on retrieved flies.

Interesting wildlife encountered included a pair of fin (or possibly Brydes) whales close enough to hear them breathe. Also saw Humpback, Minke, whales, a Dalls porpoise, and the ubiquitous PWS dolphins.

 

[PhilR]

Yeah, such a great trip. Those whales were the coolest. And the little flocks of baby sunfish.

Still wish I’d gotten one on a popper.

 

[jasmillo]

Looks like the last 2022 albacore fly trip is on the books. Thanks to @Tallguy, @PhilR, and @jasmillo for inviting me on their weather reschedule with a season weary Capt Clayton who did double-duty as deckhand.

More deets and pics later, but it was a very good day. Great actually, in the morning. We all caught fish and ended with 19 very good grade albacore, with most taken on retrieved flies.

Interesting wildlife encountered included a pair of fin (or possibly Brydes) whales close enough to hear them breathe. Also saw Humpback, Minke, whales, a Dalls porpoise, and the ubiquitous PWS dolphin.

That morning bite was great and the coolest wildlife encounters of my 4 trips to date. Plus I landed more fish cast and stripping than trolling.

I think we actually ended up with 21 fish. Though two were not fly caught. @Tallguy got a couple on the jig rod. We should have had more if some guy knew how to properly tie in stingers and and convert on the majority of his troll hookups .

Just wrapped up vacuum sealing my fish except for a loin that went in the fridge for dinner tomorrow. Awesome day!

 

[adamcu280]

More likely fin than Bryde's just based on what's more common out there. Sei would probably be more likely (less unlikely?) as Bryde's. Any pics of the dorsal fins? They're all quite different.

 

[Tallguy]

I think Silverfly might have photos or video of the whales. We saw multiple species out there, several whale encounters through the day. It was a fun day, great morning bite till 11 or so, then burning gas and grinding out a couple fish here and there for the rest of the day. The afternoon never really turned back on. I also feel like we left a few fish on the table, more than usual for tuna fishing, due to mistakes and misses. I missed a couple strikes, had one get off the hook (probably didn't strip set hard enough), and broke another off when I wasn't careful enough clearing my fly line on the initial run and my reel got wrapped with my running line.

Having the boat hooked up to multiple tuna while in casting distance of multiple large whales was pretty darn cool. National Geographic moment.

And yes, 2 of our 21 tuna need to be moved over to the dirty gear fishermen thread. I like having the option of a deep drop if they aren't really doing the surface thing, and if the back deck sometimes feels kind of crowded for fly fishing, an occasional drop with the jig rod sort of optimizes the space for everyone. Plus it's the only way I'll ever catch a WA opah. Probably on the same day Silverfly latches into his BFT.

 

[jasmillo]

I also feel like we left a few fish on the table, more than usual for tuna fishing, due to mistakes and misses. I missed a couple strikes, had one get off the hook (probably didn't strip set hard enough), and broke another off when I wasn't careful enough clearing my fly line on the initial run and my reel got wrapped with my running line.

Yeah, no doubt there. I trout set on one fish and lost it, lost two after hookups trolling and had my stinger pull out on another. Definitely fish left on the table..well left in the ocean I suppose .

 

[PhilR]

Yeah, no doubt there. I trout set on one fish and lost it, lost two after hookups trolling and had my stinger pull out on another. Definitely fish left on the table..well left in the ocean I suppose .

I’m just glad I was able to LDR that stupid shearwater. I have some whale video but can’t figure out how to post it.

 

[Bagman]

Yeah, no doubt there. I trout set on one fish and lost it, lost two after hookups trolling and had my stinger pull out on another. Definitely fish left on the table..well left in the ocean I suppose .

Did the stringer pull out leaving the hook in the fish? Or did it just break? I seem to be able to leave way too many fish that I loose in many ways in the ocean. Got to work on that myself, but I’ve been lucky enough to have great fly guys on my trips to carry my short comings.

 

[SilverFly]

I’m just glad I was able to LDR that stupid shearwater. I have some whale video but can’t figure out how to post it.

Better than having to break off a pinneped! Actually shocked we only hooked one out of the feathered entourage that was picking off the carking scraps. Just glad it wasn't an albatross. As much as I'd like to see one up close, I'd imagine it would be like untangling a pissed off pterodactyl in the boat.

Did the stringer pull out leaving the hook in the fish? Or did it just break? I seem to be able to leave way too many fish that I loose in many ways in the ocean. Got to work on that myself, but I’ve been lucky enough to have great fly guys on my trips to carry my short comings.

Al, I have my off days too. Last trip in Sept, I lwent 1 for 4 on the flyrod. Other than the old leader material you were using this year, you seem to do just fine.