Four Day on the Pacific Voyager

Started by Crab Pot, September 03, 2021, 06:33:53 PM

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Crab Pot

Returned home Wednesday morning at 0200.

Overall a successful trip even though I only caught two game fish.

The trip was a four day charter on the Pacific Voyager, 16 anglers all friends who know how to fish.

Day one was spent on the West Side of San Clemente Island where there was a fleet of charter and private boats. We set the hook and promptly caught every single Bonita within a miles range with a Yellowtail here and there. Captain Mark decided to move us to the inside a bit more to try and get a way from the Boners but they followed us. After awhile it was decided to move, we had maybe 10 Yellowtail total.

We started to head over to Tanner Bank and while on the way we trolled and flew the kite.

The kite lure was a California Flyer which is a bad #### lure that looks and acts like a flying fish.

It wasn't in the water but 5 minutes and it was getting rolled on. Shortly after it was taken and it was game on.

I was on the kite and an hour plus later a nice 130 pound Bluefin was coming over the rail. A personal best for me which my buddy's said didn't count because it was on the kite. I'm counting it anyway.

Once at Tanner Bank we set the hook and began a night of jigging for Bluefin. Wasn't long till we had multiple hook ups and the rail dance was on. Lots of sub 100 pound fish coming over the rail with two guys on something big.

Pete landed his fish two hours later, a real bruiser in the 160-180 pound class. Jeremy got his up to the boat twice but some how he ended up with a birds nest and it snapped off after over two hours.

Later that night Travis landed his first Cow Bluefin weighing in at 210 plus pounds.

Day two we woke up on Tanner Bank to find out the Boners had found us again. I can only imagine how much premium bait was lost to the Boneheads on this trip but it was a lot.

A few Yellowtail and Sheepsheads were caught too and one Barracuda.

Captain Mark decided to head south to Tanner Bank so back on the troll we went. At some point the kite was brought back out, I let them use my 100 pound kit as the kite rod a decision I'd soon regret.

Out went the California Flyer lure and it was even in position yet when a monster of a Bluefin took it and started heading to Mexico. My kit was a Calstar Grafighter matched with a Penn International 20 VISW with 500 yards of 100 pound spectra. It was spooled in less than 3 minutes. So I was done with night fishing for the remainder of the trip.

Captain Mark pulled out another California Flyer (these are $200 lures) and this time we used a boat rod on the kite. Up it went and no exaggeration it was crushed by another large Bluefin. Unfortunately the reel had a mechanical failure and the line snapped.

Not to be discouraged Captain Mark pulled out another California Flyer, we rigged Matt's 100 pound kit and off it went. Within minutes it was hit and game on. Two plus hours and three anglers later a 274 pound Bluefin comes over the rail.

Once we reached Tanner Bank we set the hook. The weather was starting to get cold and the wind was really blowing. Yellowtail's were there but not in numbers. The Boneheads were though...

From about 8pm till the morning it was rough, I nearly rolled out of my rack, I was happy to learn no one got sick.

Day Three still on Tanner Bank. I was getting bit but only on light tackle, 20 pound and the Yellowtails dove straight down into the rocks. A lot of us were getting sawed off but they just wouldn't bit on heavier kits. Deckhand Mitch was throwing a surface iron and hooked up, he handed me the rod. My first and only Yellowtail of the trip.

Day four was pretty much a boat ride. We trolled for hours searching for paddy's working out was as far east as the 425. Boneheads were caught on the troll and two Dorado were pulled off the only small paddy we found. We pulled the plug around 1pm and started to head home.

Side note, the Bluefin wanted nothing to do with flat falls for this trip. The money lure were knife jigs in the 500 gram range.

Only bad part of the trip was my car was broken into at the Seaforth Parking lot. They cleaned me out...
Buy it nice or buy it twice.

Bill B

Great report.....sorry to hear about losing you braid, car getting broken into, and all those flying fish lures.  At least fish were coming over the rail, even if they were bonito.....sounds like some real bruisers were in the mix.   Bill
It may not be very productive,
but it's sure going to be interesting!

steelfish

nice fish!!

sorry to hear having your car broken into, I just went through that experience and it was brutal.

The Baja Guy

Swami805

Nice trip! Got your shot at a big one and converted!  Sucks about your car.
Do what you can with that you have where you are

MarkT

#4
Mitch is a good guy. He's Marks son.

Any fish with my tag on it counts!
When I was your age Pluto was a planet!

Maxed Out

 Sorry to hear about your car prowl

$200 per lure....WOW. It obviously works and the price doesn't seem to scare serious fishermen away. Milton Tackle is currently out of stock. $199.95 each !!
We Must Never Forget Our Veterans....God Bless Them All !!

Crab Pot

Mitch is a great kid. Did you know he passed his captains license?

I knew he was Mark's son.

Dominick and Charlie rounded out the crew.

Kody and Cozy were off but I hear Cozy runs a six-pac boat now.

This was my sixth year in a row on the PV. Great crew.

Buy it nice or buy it twice.

MarkT

He didn't have his license when I was on board at Memorial day but he said he was working on it.  No Cody but Dom was there... that's not a downgrade, I really like Dom.
When I was your age Pluto was a planet!

Crab Pot

Dom can get ornery, but he means well, just wants everyone to be successful.

Hell of a fisherman. He's forgot more than I'll ever know.
Buy it nice or buy it twice.