to say that 2020 has been an off year would definitely be an understatement. with 24 guys in august, the calls started going out for the final checks. of the original 24, we ended up losing 11, somehow found 7 more, and finally left the dock with 20 guys. needless to say, the cost was higher, but we made it work!
the vagabond was booked, so we ended up at the ramada. even my brother had to bail this year, so tracy was gracious enough to be my driver. i was up all the night before, packing and getting things ready. these trips are tough because i bring alot of stuff for the guys, including 30 rods and reels .
october 1st, 2020 - i slept most of the way down, stopping once at okuma in ontario for parts, then again at squidco and angler's choice, before checking into the ramada. dinner was at 5pm at miguel's!!!!
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_03_11_20_4_12_18_336901466.jpeg)
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_03_11_20_4_12_19_336901199.jpeg)
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_03_11_20_4_12_21_33692182.jpeg)
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_03_11_20_4_12_22_336921543.jpeg)
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_03_11_20_4_12_30_336971568.jpeg)
october 2, 2020 - after many long months, we were finally underway. i won't really believe it until san diego is out of sight.
https://youtu.be/XH09zLm1TvM
we were able to board early. it's an easy boat to settle in to. there's plenty of rod storage, enough room for tackle boxes, and even room assignments went smoothly. basically, old guys with bad backs and poor hearing were assigned cabins aft where there was more engine noise but less pounding in heavy seas. younger guys got the quieter cabins forward, but you really take a beating when the water gets rough.
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_03_11_20_4_12_38_33703347.jpeg)
our new chef was a young man named guiness. we're all going to gain a half to a full pound a day!
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_03_11_20_4_12_39_337042356.jpeg)
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_03_11_20_4_12_41_33705407.jpeg)
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_03_11_20_4_12_42_33705481.jpeg)
spreading out meant the crew usually ate outside.
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_03_11_20_4_12_46_337091899.jpeg)
and then a little down time for a cocktail and a cigar.
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_03_11_20_4_12_47_337092094.jpeg)
not everyone gets to relax, though. a charter master's job is never done.
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_03_11_20_4_12_49_337111707.jpeg)
october 3, 2020 - tom robinson flew all the way out from missouri, so he got the honor of landing the first fish.
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_03_11_20_4_12_50_337112272.jpeg)
roy got a nice fish on surface iron!
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_03_11_20_4_33_50_33813471.jpeg)
we stopped well north of cedros and landed 37 yellowtail for half a day.
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_03_11_20_4_12_53_33713952.jpeg)
did i mention that our chef went to culinary school in bangkok?
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_03_11_20_4_12_53_337131319.jpeg)
the first day of fishing was a nice warm up. everyone has to re-learn how to fish. glad it wasn't too crazy.
october 4, 2020 - first call for breakfast.
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_03_11_20_4_14_02_337291100.jpeg)
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_03_11_20_4_12_56_337151180.jpeg)
this will be the start of a full and very productive day at san pablo bank. the guys already had a chance to shake out the cobwebs, so we had very few mishaps.
https://youtu.be/CSE4TsSLMjQ
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_03_11_20_4_19_26_337331693.jpeg)
this is roy's first long range trip, but he hit his stride very quickly.
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_03_11_20_4_19_37_33740465.jpeg)
max was also on his first long range trip. he says he had a slow start, but it all looked fine to me.
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_03_11_20_4_20_38_33741390.jpeg)
https://youtu.be/WVSH4OgVBWM
lauren is our lone female angler and probably did the best of all of us!
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_03_11_20_4_20_42_337431841.jpeg)
https://youtu.be/BHIgVGdqdDg
jack picked up a nice fish on a jig.
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_03_11_20_4_20_44_337442428.jpeg)
wes brought his fish in hot, hence the body shot with the gaff.
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_03_11_20_4_20_47_337451564.jpeg)
https://youtu.be/wGeX3AI4IIA
mikey got a nice one!
https://youtu.be/-cvuG_FxCgQ
we ended the day adding 97 yellowtail to the board. not a bad day. we'll be running south tonight. guiness (in the background) has an assistant, shao li!
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_03_11_20_4_12_57_337151853.jpeg)
https://youtu.be/WIncNe0w_4c
october 4, 2020 - good morning! not sure how far down we went, but the inshore bite was not happening.
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_03_11_20_4_20_55_337511775.jpeg)
the captain opted to take us offshore in search of kelp and wahoo. we found a kelp paddy that held a few wahoo and landed four. i had one on the hook for 2 seconds. he shook left, then right, then unceremoniously spit out the bomb. mike was luckier!
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_03_11_20_4_21_02_33755526.jpeg)
dewey scored as well.
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_03_11_20_4_21_05_33757191.jpeg)
a little farther out, we hit another kelp that was loaded with dorado. for the first timer, it is a sight to behold. we landed 60 fish in as many minutes.
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_03_11_20_4_25_35_338111144.jpeg)
https://youtu.be/cA5ACBjCqjc
a few of them wound up in the galley!
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_03_11_20_4_21_10_337601925.jpeg)
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_03_11_20_4_21_13_337622468.jpeg)
a nice way to end the day!
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_03_11_20_4_21_23_337681116.jpeg)
october 5-7, 2020 - back inshore, then north to gain some altitude. pretty slow fishing. not much to show for it. a few more dorado on the outside, a few more yellowtail on the inside. mostly it was running to get to the bluefin grounds off tanner bank.
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_03_11_20_4_24_26_33790463.jpeg)
still lots of stuff to break up the day!
https://youtu.be/MzJHTQSGrI4
https://youtu.be/GeRMltSYZYo
we found another school of small dorado mixed with small yellowfin.
https://youtu.be/gNRCSsr9PLo
here's where it gets fun. evan kraft is our skipper for this trip, and he comes down from the wheelhouse to talk to us about the bluefin bite, the kite rotation, bait fishing and flat falls. one of the things that he mentioned was that he recommended 200 pound fluoro or 300 pound mono as the minimum weight for the leaders. that means that the scrawny 150 pound mono leaders that i rigged up already were useless. he said that even these leaders were getting chewed through. strike one! he also mentioned that we needed spring loop protectors because the flemish eye "loop" that i've always used for norcal albacore will rub through. strike two! and lastly, he says that the kevlar cloth fabric used for the assist hooks were getting chewed through. strike three!!!!!!
ok, i have to borrow 300 pound mono from the boat. i already have 1.9mm double sleeve crimps, 1.9mm stainless steel springs, 250-300 pound split rings, and a dozen large tuna hooks in the 9/0 to 11/0 size. split rings make me nervous, but it's all i have. and here is the result. it's a 300 pound mono leader, but who cares about the line weight. it's dark down there and fish don't seem to care how heavy the line is. at the top end is a 350 pound number 6 barrel swivel, double crimped with a loop protector. note that both crimps themselves are double crimped. at the bottom end of the leader is another double crimped loop to a 250 pound split ring. hanging off the split ring is a squish jig (bright) from okuma, a flat fall (bright) from shimano, or a hyperfly (absolutely the brightest!!!) from magbay lures. also hanging off the same split ring at the top of the jig is a 10/0 tuna hook. and then finally, a split ring and the second large tuna hook. we're ready.......
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_03_11_20_4_24_19_33786671.jpeg)
october 8, 2020 - we arrive somewhere around tanner bank in the morning, too late for an early morning flat fall bite. the crew get a couple of flying fish out and we start fishing bait and jigs. eric landed a nice yellowfin on bait!
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_03_11_20_4_21_30_337731275.jpeg)
https://youtu.be/79QSlzvXar0
the first kite fish is tagged teamed by our two vets, mike and tom, then finished off by rich in the middle.
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_03_11_20_4_21_35_33776752.jpeg)
https://youtu.be/dTGUbAZBu74
more bluefin action!
https://youtu.be/wLenDkCx3hg
https://youtu.be/G5z7mG70JI4
dewey got a nice one!
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_03_11_20_4_21_37_337771010.jpeg)
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_03_11_20_4_24_15_33781226.jpeg)
remember roy? yup, the kid caught a nice fish!!!!!
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_03_11_20_4_25_34_338111773.jpeg)
https://youtu.be/Z5YdlFHsiC4
and here's lee's fish!
https://youtu.be/YYXvIyNNdDU
we ended up with 9 bluefin total. eight came in on the kite and one was hooked on my flat fall. i handed that one off to tracy. it taped out at 160 pounds, his personal best!!!!
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_03_11_20_4_24_22_337881387.jpeg)
https://youtu.be/g3nzjYv0GMw
october 9, 2020 - still a full day to go, or so we thought. nothing on the kite yet, but roy caught a nice yellowfin on bait.
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_03_11_20_4_33_53_338142047.jpeg)
right after, the captain notified me that we had a medical emergency with a member of the crew and had to return to port. absolutely! the health and safety of the passengers and crew are our first concert. so return to port we did. a couple of guys disembarked when we tied up a the dock, but the rest of us went back into the harbor, anchored up and spent the night!
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_03_11_20_4_24_25_337901234.jpeg)
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_03_11_20_4_25_03_337941360.jpeg)
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_03_11_20_4_25_05_337952088.jpeg)
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_03_11_20_4_25_06_337952370.jpeg)
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_03_11_20_4_25_17_33800179.jpeg)
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_03_11_20_4_25_18_338002282.jpeg)
october 10, 2020 - back at the dock, fish off to the processors, then home!
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_04_11_20_11_27_40_33844357.jpeg)
just one stop on the way home for a prime rib dinner at harris ranch!!!!!
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_03_11_20_4_25_22_33803741.jpeg)
thanks to evan kraft, captain of the spirit of adventure, and the crew, scotty, jimmy, frank, luke, guinness and shao li, for a great trip.
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1_04_11_20_11_18_49_338201374.jpeg)
more to follow.......
Fish must follow you around Alan. Nice.
-steve
Thanks for the ride Boss - weather looked good :)
looks like fun ........................ one of these years !!!!
Cheers:
Todd
Looks like fun. Is there a chance I could helicopter out and fish then back to sleep on land? ;D I can't do time on a cruise ship. Never mind a fishing boat. I'm glad you all had a good time. Dominick
great pics and stories as always.
Alan, reading your reports are the next best thing to being there. Thanks for taking all of us along for the ride!
i am still loading video!
Nice trip, a few fat tuna. Nice grade dorado. Thanks for the report
ok, the videos are all done. enjoy!!!!!
Awesome trip, great stories and videos! Thanks for sharing! - john
Sounds like a great trip!!!!
Why is the 2nd crimp on the ff jig end of the leader 3 inches up the main line? Is it for added chafe protection????
What a trip...that's awesome! 8)
Jefe, Alan, isnt this trip where Lee got a Big Tuna that a Shark bit it tale and Lee was on the background of the pic really exhausted or the picture you posted on "phote of the month" thread of Lee is from another trip?
Great trip and report Alan!
Quote from: steelfish on November 05, 2020, 07:06:28 PM
Jefe, Alan, isnt this trip where Lee got a Big Tuna that a Shark bit it tale and Lee was on the background of the pic really exhausted or the picture you posted on "phote of the month" thread of Lee is from another trip?
It was this trip Alex.
300 lb leader kinda sums up the trip, congrats!
can't wait to see rest of the videos,
all the videos are in!
Alright! Charter-master Allen, great videography! It's like I was there. Thank you for recording all that.
Someone, what's the deal on alla fish brought onboard? Is it all kept by you guy's, or is some kept by the charter company? Maybe sold to restaurants?
Greg, in California, all fish caught under a sportfishing license (as well as game taken under a sport hunting license), can not legally be sold. The value of such fish and game is "zero", much to the dismay of victims of sport fish and game theft. Fish and game may be gifted, but never upon the changing of hands may they be sold or bartered (Unlike in Hawaii, where the Captain may do with the catch as he so pleases.). Boats are not allowed to mix sport-caught fish with commercially-caught fish on the same trip. The books must be maintained separately as well.
There are cutters and butchers, who will not allow both sport and commercially-obtained fish and game in their businesses because of the extra steps required to maintain the products and books separately. Years ago, I asked butchers at a respectable professional market what they would charge to break down tuna and yellowtail. Their reply was they would absolutely not allow sport-caught fish to cross their threshold. They could certainly charge to process the fish, but since they also sold the same fish they would not take any chances that would/could cause increased scrutiny and costs (fines, etc.). It would be much easier if the butcher is breaking down bear, deer, or elk when they have no such commercially-obtained product on their premises.
I have seen hand-to-hand parking lot transfer of 60-80 pound BFT from crewmen of a San Diego LR vessel to a person wearing a chef's jacket with a restaurant name over the chest. That had all the markings of an illegal transfer. Any normal fisher would infer that the sport-caught fish was being given to a restaurant for sale off the menu.
Unless there is an agreement, boated fish become part of the catch/possession limit of the individual fisher, to be processed or turned over once the boat lands and the fish removed from the holds and separated. The catch may be turned over to a processor for donation to a tax-exempt charitable outfit. The fisher may be able to write off the processing fee as a donation, but not the fish (again, since the fish has no value).
great report. looks like good times by all had.
Quote from: Gfish on November 07, 2020, 04:58:02 PM
Alright! Charter-master Allen, great videography! It's like I was there. Thank you for recording all that.
Someone, what's the deal on alla fish brought onboard? Is it all kept by you guy's, or is some kept by the charter company? Maybe sold to restaurants?
Aside from one guy who wanted to keep his fish whole (to use remains in crab traps) we pooled all the fish caught and split the processing fee and filets evenly among all the fishermen. That may not be exactly right, as some of the guys who had to fly out early might not have gotten their full shares from the processor.
we've gotta figure out a way to fix the processing mess. been working with sean at fisherman's processing. he had some really good ideas. mostly it involves actually tagging fish so that the guys that need to get out right away will get their fish done first. so fish will have to be tagged. we can still share, so maybe the deckhands can tag them for us and keep a running tally. it's still a work in progress, but it's likely that 5 star does not want our business anymore. :-[
Quote from: Keta on November 07, 2020, 04:02:54 AM
Quote from: steelfish on November 05, 2020, 07:06:28 PM
Jefe, Alan, isnt this trip where Lee got a Big Tuna that a Shark bit it tale and Lee was on the background of the pic really exhausted or the picture you posted on "phote of the month" thread of Lee is from another trip?
It was this trip Alex.
thanks Lee,
I found it weird that it wasnt in this report that why I asked, it was a great picture
ah, i forgot that one. i had to edit out some comments from an over-enthusiastic camera man, then forgot to add the video clip altogether! it's in the report now. here it is again!
https://youtu.be/YYXvIyNNdDU
Glad you all got on the water. ;)
Alix, the day we got back I was told about Sal's passing and it did not feel right to me to post the photo. Here it is now.
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1583_19_10_20_6_31_37.jpeg)
Quote from: Keta on July 05, 2021, 12:57:27 AM
Alix, the day we got back I was told about Sal's passing and it did not feel right to me to post the photo. Here it is now.
(https://alantani.com/gallery/33/1583_19_10_20_6_31_37.jpeg)
Thanks Lee, I totally understood the feeling.
I have lost 2 really close friends by the Covid19 virus both around Dec 2020 and Jan 2021 and both hit me really hard, they we fishing partners from many years and both times put me on a depress "mode" for few days. so, I understood how you felt at that time.