THE TANK TRAVELS THE WORLD-PHOTOS AND REPORTS TO COME

[Dominick]

Justin the Tank is in your area of the globe.  would you like to fish it?  Dominick

[redsetta]

Thanks for the offer Dominick!
I'd love to, but the timing's probably a bit tight this time around.
I have another marlin trip coming up next summer, so perhaps I can pencil in a booking as that approaches.
It'd be an honour to fish it one day!
Cheers mate, Justin

[Dominick]

Thanks for the offer Dominick!
I'd love to, but the timing's probably a bit tight this time around.
I have another marlin trip coming up next summer, so perhaps I can pencil in a booking as that approaches.
It'd be an honour to fish it one day!
Cheers mate, Justin

Whenever you are ready.  Dominick

[Steve-O]

And I am in Alaska when Dominick is down south same dates so I'm out for June. Next possible trip in the fall.

Steve your email to me did not say you wanted to use the Tank in June.  I don't mind sending to you for your use.  Let me know if you want it for sure and I will arrange to get it to you.  I'm not sure what I will bring down to Baja with me.  It all depends on the reports.  Dominick

With the guided halibut regs being what they are the TANK would be so overkill it would be sad. The reverse slot size is up to 45" or over 78" ...so a 40# fish or a barn door well above 200#.

Obviously, the smaller size are more plentiful and the captain has to put all the anglers on a fish in a reasonable amount of time AFTER we limit on King Salmon. So unless the entire boat says anchor up for barn doors, we just drop down and reel up a good eating size fish and move on to Lings and Rockfish.

I probably won't even take my two speed but will take two Omotos and an Okuma Komodo for jigging.

[El Pescador]

Sounds like a great trip Wayne.
I've spent a bit of time around Magdalena Bay and it's a magic spot.
Good luck!
Justin

Justin,
Since you have been there, may I PM with a couple hundred questions???

We are putting this trip together thru the Buena Vista Resort on the East Cape,

but for Boots-on-the-ground RECON, I pay for that information!!!!

Let me know, and thank you.

Wayne

[redsetta]

Would be happy to assist Wayne, but I haven't fished Mag Bay.
Been there a few times, watched the Grays etc, but surf was my main focus back then
I did Baja overland every year between '89 and '96, including some pretty sketchy off-road missions between Los Inocentes and Puerto Chale, and north of Punta Abreojos.
But it was all a long time ago now!
Stoked you're planning a trip there - it'll be epic!
Will look forward to the report.
All the best, Justin

[Rothmar2]

Last trip with the Tank today, quick half day of fun filled action on school SBT's, with the Tank in the thick of it.
Full report ASAP.

[thorhammer]

Good for you!!!!That said you can't well finalize the SS jiggy fishing reel if you are actually off fishing...priorities, mate!!! Cheers!



John

[David Hall]

Hurray!
Glad to hear the tank has drawn blood.
Can't wait for the report,

[Dominick]

If you don't post photos it didn't happen.  Waiting for the pics.  Dominick

[Alto Mare]

Chris loves to keep up in suspense, he does it often  .

[anglingarchitect]

Dramatic pause........ Pictures Please.                           

[Rothmar2]

Well it was going to be the last chance to use the Tank. With the weather not giving many opportunities for going after Swordfish, and our skipper of the Choonachasa having a lot of family and work commitments to boot; when long time mate Craig wanted to "blood" his little 16' Tin Dish with some tuna, I jumped at the chance.
  We waited for a little break in the winds, and made a snap decision to goto the Tasman Peninsula. Would be a half day mission only as I had to get back in time to pick the kids up from school at 330pm, and it's approx 1  1/2hr drive back to Hobart  from the Peninsula.
  Reports had been good lately. Plenty of school sized bluefin, but also a real chance of hooking a jumbo tuna in excess of 200lb.
There had been several jumbos landed in the previous week for those willing to battle the winds and seas.



  We launched from Fortescue Bay (between Capes Nola and Hauy) at 0630, and had the lures in 10mins later. Three rods only, as with only 2 aboard, and Craig being relatively in-experienced, I didn't want to cause any more mayhem than necessary, especially in such a small boat, and a 2-3m SE swell running.



Apologies in advance for those who require an abundance of photos in these reports,  but it was a bit tricky taking  photos, and with it only being single figures on the degree Celsius scale, I had condensation problems on my phone's camera lens. I have included the best from a bad bunch.
  With lures only in for 15mins, we get our first hit, my tanked 114 running a self made skirt, gets nailed. Craig is designated reeler, and takes the rod. A short fight, against 8kg of drag see's our best SBT landed for the day, around 30lb's. This is the first bluefin Craig has caught in many years, and he's wrapt!



We circle back over the area, but don't raise another. We continue north towards Yellow Bluff.



A double of jumbos had been landed here just a few days previously. No luck on first pass, and we head up towards the reef marked on the charts off Waterfall Bay. There are a few boats working here, and birds diving, but no-one hooks up. The wind suddenly picks up a little from the NW, so we head back to Yellow Bluff to get in under the protection of the Cliffs. As we get closer we see school tuna breaking the surface, and a few big ones! We get bit straight away, but it's only a small one.Craig and the Tank make short work of the 20lber which has taken the trusty King Brown Halco.



The fish bust up for a bit longer, but get gun-shy, and we don't get any more bites. We head south sticking close to the coast as the wind freshens further, and we wonder if we'll be able to stay out in the little Tinny. We approach Cape Hauy, and "The Lanterns" and the swell picks up somewhat with the current helping it to stand-up.



At least the wind backs off again. We decide to fish on, and glad we do, we get a triple in the swell! One drops off quickly, and I clear the line. Craig grabs the Tank, and then I get my 114. School sized fish, medium drags, short lines, the inevitable cross-over occurs! Fun!
We sort it once playing unders and overs, only for it to immediately happen again. I put my rod down, glove up, leader my fish to the boat, and grab its tail, and lift it into the boat. Undo the snap, unwrap the leader around Craig's line, unhook the fish, and shoot it back into the water. Craig's fish is visibly bleeding, so we decide to keep it. It's almost completely inhaled the Halco, and the singles have pierced it's gills.
   With the boat limit in our waters for SBT at four, we decide to try a bit longer in the hope of hooking a jumbo. Chatter over the radio indicates a jumbo has been lost a bit further south from us, after an hour long battle. We keep heading south along Munroes Bight towards Cape Pillar where the jumbo was hooked, but we never make it. We encounter more busting school tuna, we get a couple more double hook-ups, release 3, keep one more. It's now 1130, if we hook a monster, I'm going to risk getting divorced. So we pull the pin, shoot back to Fortescue, clean the fish,  haul out and head for home.



 Grab a celebratory lunchtime beer on the way home, and make it (completely sober I assure you!) to pick up the kids.
 
A few more pics

The humble "Tin Dish"



Munroes Bight cliffs



Looking down the east side of the Tasman Peninsula. Pirates Bay, home of the Tuna Club of Tasmania, the first bay. Cape Hauy and The Lanterns in middle of picture, The Hypolite Rocks in the distance left of pic




So my time with the Tank has come to an end. Tomorrow I will post it back to Sal for him to service it for it's next assignment.
  This hasn't been a great season for me to go fishing. I've been renovating my house, kids have a lot on, and the weather has been very ordinary of late. I missed the best of the Swordfish bite in April due to being at work in Singapore.
  That's life and fishing I guess.

Maybe I can get another opportunity to fish the Tank again in the future.
But looking forward to seeing where, and what it catches next!

Thanks for reading.

[mhc]

Thanks for another great report Chris, I think the photos are fine - some great scenery as well as great fishing and good to see the Tank and your 6/0 sharing a bit of action.
I'll have to make my way down that way one day, maybe earlier in the year before it gets cold.
Mike

[Alto Mare]

Great report and photos Chris, not a bad day out with that little boat.
Love that shot of the Tank next to your masterpiece, the fish don't look bad either.
I'm glad you got to use the Tank.
Thanks for being willing to give it a shot...you did good!

Sal