2025 Tuna and Exotics
- Thread starter Evan B
- Start date
It was really nice. Pics always make things look smoother than they were but we had a mostly flat day. A few sections in the commute both ways got a little snotty but never had to slow down much below 20mph. Was mostly a 30mph run day.
I had days covered on my previous trip. I'm at sashimi and poke for weeks now.
Chris Bellows
Steelhead
Thanks. That looks like what I’ve caught a shit ton on Swiftsure Bank. Not sure I agree with those raving about their fighting ability. They do pull if you let them, but you can lock them down and just strip them in. Glad they eat well.
Fun day with @jasmillo @Tallguy @ffb , @Nick Clayton first fly trip of the season I believe. Started pretty slow, then the action heated up for a while then slowed again before heading home but not without a couple of last minute fish to a total of 17. Nick helped put several in the boat as well.
@ffb had the hot fly today, we followed suit with something small and started hooking up as well. Beginners luck?
@ffb had the hot fly today, we followed suit with something small and started hooking up as well. Beginners luck?
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Beginners luck for sure. I did my tuna fly tying like I do my Puget Sound tying. "This looks neat lets put it on a hook and see if a fish will eat it".Fun day with @jasmillo @Tallguy @ffb , @Nick Clayton first fly trip I believe. Started pretty slow, then the action heated up for a while then slowed again before heading home but not without a couple of last minute fish to a total of 17. Nick helped put several in the boat as well.
@ffb had the hot fly today, we followed suit with something small and started hooking up as well. Beginners luck?
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Only fished the one fly all day. I had a few other flies I'd tied but this was catching fish so if it ain't broke don't fix it I guess. Purple and pink half and half type fly, about 4" long.
Sounds like another good trip; now if only you had gotten the memo about the light blue sun hoody, this photo would’ve beenFun day with @jasmillo @Tallguy @ffb , @Nick Clayton first fly trip I believe. Started pretty slow, then the action heated up for a while then slowed again before heading home but not without a couple of last minute fish to a total of 17. Nick helped put several in the boat as well.
@ffb had the hot fly today, we followed suit with something small and started hooking up as well. Beginners luck?
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Or, this is a photo of the hottest new K-pop group, which consists of 4 middle aged albacore tuna fly fishing dudes and they’re called Hard2Ketch and @Kfish is the heart throbby leader so he gets to stand out with his outfits.Sounds like another good trip; now if only you had gotten the memo about the light blue sun hoody, this photo would’ve been
If there's one exotic out here I'm ok not catching out of Oregon, it's that one
after experiencing striped marlin in Mexico, I've had enough for one lifetime.Striped marlin on a fly rod are a great fight. They go on runs, they jump, they stay shallow, and when they get tired they come in without turning on their sides and doing a death spiral. Like fighting a dorado, but bigger, stronger, faster.
I've caught one striped marlin on a gear rod and it was fun, but kind of a long, repetitive fight. Nothing like a fly rod.
I've caught one striped marlin on a gear rod and it was fun, but kind of a long, repetitive fight. Nothing like a fly rod.
And to round out the traditionally included elements of a tuna trip report:
1) lots of birds were seen. Might be the most birds I have seen on a tuna trip, we were fishing with birds working the water pretty much all day. Mostly I have no idea of their names, other than some terns for sure, and several albatross sighting through the day.
2) possibly we were seeing lots of birds because we were close to shore, closer than I have ever fished before. Land and mountains were quite visible while tuna trolling, I am pretty sure that's a first for me.
3) fishing was slow till late morning, slow enough that Nick reeled us up and ran us toward land with the mains for 10-15 minutes. First time we have had a main engine run instead of a troll toward it on my tuna days. Strong captaining, we soon were in the midst of our best bait stops of the day. Pretty good visibility in the water, still love seeing tuna zip by crushing the chum fish, even if they choose to repeatedly inspect and refuse my fly in close to me.
4) got to watch a nice tuna inhale my fly 10' off the boat on our first fish stop. After the slide, I was reeling in to go to the bow, so the fly was just sitting motionless near the top, till a solid tuna swam out from under the boat and took it into the deep. Very nice.
5) Nick did catch fly rod tuna (and one jig fish I think) on his birthday. I am sure he would have more appreciated a day off, but if he had to be out there...
6) embarrassingly, I only caught one fish on the jig rod, generating much well deserved negative commentary regarding my fishing skills. Expect to see that rig up in the classifieds if it doesn't redeem itself next trip. It seems to be too difficult for me to learn to operate.
7) lots of whale spume sighted throughout the day, usually not very close, and the swell was quite up, so sightings were difficult. One whale was seen repeatedly breaching in the distance. I saw one humpback fluke, and on the way in, a good sized female orca quite close to the boat. Shortly after that we ran through a what must have been a dozen or more whale blows scattered across a couple of miles, so it's possible we ran through a dispersed pod of resident orca feeding on CR salmon returns 4-5 miles offshore. Given the swell, no actual fin or body sightings other than the first, so who knows.
1) lots of birds were seen. Might be the most birds I have seen on a tuna trip, we were fishing with birds working the water pretty much all day. Mostly I have no idea of their names, other than some terns for sure, and several albatross sighting through the day.
2) possibly we were seeing lots of birds because we were close to shore, closer than I have ever fished before. Land and mountains were quite visible while tuna trolling, I am pretty sure that's a first for me.
3) fishing was slow till late morning, slow enough that Nick reeled us up and ran us toward land with the mains for 10-15 minutes. First time we have had a main engine run instead of a troll toward it on my tuna days. Strong captaining, we soon were in the midst of our best bait stops of the day. Pretty good visibility in the water, still love seeing tuna zip by crushing the chum fish, even if they choose to repeatedly inspect and refuse my fly in close to me.
4) got to watch a nice tuna inhale my fly 10' off the boat on our first fish stop. After the slide, I was reeling in to go to the bow, so the fly was just sitting motionless near the top, till a solid tuna swam out from under the boat and took it into the deep. Very nice.
5) Nick did catch fly rod tuna (and one jig fish I think) on his birthday. I am sure he would have more appreciated a day off, but if he had to be out there...
6) embarrassingly, I only caught one fish on the jig rod, generating much well deserved negative commentary regarding my fishing skills. Expect to see that rig up in the classifieds if it doesn't redeem itself next trip. It seems to be too difficult for me to learn to operate.
7) lots of whale spume sighted throughout the day, usually not very close, and the swell was quite up, so sightings were difficult. One whale was seen repeatedly breaching in the distance. I saw one humpback fluke, and on the way in, a good sized female orca quite close to the boat. Shortly after that we ran through a what must have been a dozen or more whale blows scattered across a couple of miles, so it's possible we ran through a dispersed pod of resident orca feeding on CR salmon returns 4-5 miles offshore. Given the swell, no actual fin or body sightings other than the first, so who knows.
I mean, yeah, it can be exciting for a bit. I just don't like fights that take a long time on any fish. Especially when I'm out on a meat haul. On just about any of my tuna gear, or on a 12wt, just about any striped marlin is going to take 30+ mins probably. Just not into that, personally.