Weather was pretty sloppy yesterday and today was forecast to be a bit worst so we elected to cancel. Finally, a day off.
What a season it's been. Possibly the best, most consistent albacore season I've seen.
Still a handful of fly trips remaining on the books, and I've thoroughly enjoyed the ones I've had so far. It's always great seeing familiar faces, and getting to meet and fish with some forum members I hadn't met before is always rad.
@SteelHeadDave it was great to meet you! I wish your trip had been on a more forgiving ocean, but I appreciated your attitude and willingness to embrace the adventure
I was stoked to finally meet
@Buzzy as well. I feel like I've "known" you for many years, but highly enjoyed finally meeting you and your level of stoke through the day was fantastic. It's always cool for me to see people experience this fishery for the first time. It's the kind of thing that cant really be explained, or shown through pictures/video very accurately, so even though all the reports and talk here always paint a picture, I always enjoy seeing people's eyes light up when they actually see a bit of it first hand. There's just nothing quite like the first time one gets to experience watching albacore streaking all around the boat. Or their reaction to the first time they feel one on the end of their line.
This has been a fantastic albacore season for many reasons, but man it's been a grind like I've never experienced. The weather just keeps cooperating. Not always beautiful weather, but way more often than not it's at least good enough for us to go. I've had very few days off. Since the second week of July, or there abouts, we've only had 4 days where we didn't go. To say I am burned out is an understatement. My wife came down the other night to bring me a prescription I couldn't get locally, and she was cracking up at how loopy I was. My body feels great but mentally I am fried. I was trying to engage in conversation with her but could barely finish a sentence lol.
As with every season, Ive learned a ton this year. From the fly fishing perspective it's so cool to be trying to figure out a fishery where in the grand scheme of things there isn't a ton of information available. There just isn't a pile of books and video and such explaining all the ins and outs of this fishery. So I feel like every trip, and every season, I am learning a ton and shifting my view points on things.
I can confidently say I've personally caught more albacore on flies this season than any season past. I also feel like our fly trips this season have been more successful on average than years past. I think that's a testament to everyone's eagerness to learn, get better, and use each trip as a building block for the next. As more and more people experience this fishery multiple times, I'm noticing a huge improvement and success rate shows it. Just the other day I had to comment to
@Cabezon that his albacore fish fighting technique has improved in leaps and bounds. Doesn't hurt that he's had plenty of experience this season alone lol.
What I have noticed this season is that I feel like I've come full circle in my thoughts on catching albies on flies in regards to casting to them while stopped. There was a long period where I felt like the fly itself was a crucial element, and often the reason why a fly wouldn't be eaten when we were stopped and casting to an ocean swarming with fish. This season I've totally become convinced that the manner in which the fly is fished, as well as the timing of when that fly goes through a zone, is the most important aspect. Personally I've fished two flies all season. My standard half and half style baitfish in either Seahawks colors or grey/black/white, or a squid pattern in orange or tan. Both patterns have caught a ton of fish at an equal rate. I haven't noticed a day where one would out perform the other. It just came down to which I had tied on. I feel that movement and timing is everything. I believe that keeping the fly moving at a steady pace, and the fly itself swimming naturally and not looking out of place is crucial. These fish can see so well that I feel any little thing that looks off results in an instant refusal. I also have totally shifted my thoughts regarding depth. I used to think that getting deep would up my success rate, and while at times I do catch fish while getting deeper, this season I've become convinced that a fly fished in the top 10' of the water is more effective on average. My thoughts here are based on a ton of experience, but ultimately it comes down to the concept that when the fish are down below us 40' or more, they tend to be a lot more chill. They are just cruising around, relaxed etc. But when they come zipping up to the surface they are charged up. They come up for one reason and one reason only....to kill something. So I much prefer to keep my fly closer to the surface where I am more likely to show it to a fish on a murder mission. I couldn't begin to count how many albacore I've watched smash my squid fly just a few feet below the surface, even though that's not where they would typically encounter a squid, and even though they are only coming up because of their interest in eating an anchovy. When they come up top, they are aggressive and looking to eat and at that point fly doesn't seem to matter as long as it's swimming naturally (in their eyes), and it isn't tied in a way where it is swimming off keeled or something goofy like that.
I've become very confident that in those situations I can hook an albacore on any fly on my boat.
Something else I've really noticed this year is how important it is to fish with intensity, and how much of a skill set casting from a small boat on the ocean really is. Quite frankly it's not easy. It requires a level of willingness, ability, and creativity not found in a lot of typical fly fishing. It's not easy. I feel like one doesn't need to make hundred foot casts, but the ability to throw 40 or 50' casts away from the boat and work that fly into the zone is much more effective than short casts right on top of the fish. I feel this gives the fish a much more natural presentation, as well as improves the chances of the fly coming across a fish that is coming up to eat since it's in the water longer. This is not easy to do on a fairly cluttered boat that is being thrown around by the ocean. Fly casting from a boat is just an entirely different skill set. But I've noticed the more so many of you do this, the better everyone gets.
The biggest thing I've noticed this season though is that much of this is very difficult for me to articulate to people. I can grab a rod and fish a fly exactly how I feel it should be fished based on my experience but I really struggle trying to put that all into words. I know exactly when to cast on the upwind or down wind side of the boat, but I can't always explain it on the fly. I know exactly how I want a fly to be fished, but I have a hard time explaining it to people. That's something I am really trying to improve upon as a captain, but honestly I struggle.
Anyway, just some random thoughts from a zombie in Westport. Once again I really, really appreciate all of you who have supported me and these trips over the years. We have continued to grow and promote this fishery and continue to prove what can be done out there by the feather flicking crowd. It's truly an honor to be a part of it, and I can't possibly express my gratitude for all the support and effort you all have made towards that end.
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. I'm onboard for next season whenever that planning starts to happen...
