Any Current "REAL" Fish Reports out of San Diego?

[CooldadE]

I just returned from a 4 day on the Searcher... BF limits 20 to 40 lbs  with a couple over 50... fly lining 25 to 40 fluorocarbon mostly.  I stuck to 40#. Night time flat falls and knife jigs worked also.  When we went to the Yellowtail grounds blue and white, green and white and red YoYo jigs produced a really nice grade of Yellows. Also a couple of
Yellowfin were also landed... great trip for me as my last trip 2 yrs ago out of Seaforth was not fruitful. I'll try and get some pics up...
The Searcher is a great boat and crew...

Cool

Thanks to Alan for helping me out with some gear I didn't have !
The man is Aces!

[CooldadE]

I just returned from a 4 day on the Searcher... BF limits 20 to 40 lbs  with a couple over 50... fly lining 25 to 40 fluorocarbon mostly.  I stuck to 40#. Night time flat falls and knife jigs worked also.  When we went to the Yellowtail grounds blue and white, green and white and red YoYo jigs produced a really nice grade of Yellows. Also a couple of
Yellowfin were also landed... great trip for me as my last trip 2 yrs ago out of Seaforth was not fruitful. I'll try and get some pics up...
The Searcher is a great boat and crew...

Cool

Thanks to Alan for helping me out with some gear I didn't have !

The man is Aces!

My first Bluefin and my first Yellowtail...


My haul, less what the taxman took...

[Ron Jones]

Looks like quite a trip. Lots of good eating for sure.
The Man

[Crab Pot]

Looks like you got a visit from the tax man in that last picture!

Nice haul.

[Brewcrafter]

Nice haul!  And for paying tax, that was a pretty small bill to pay!!!!!! - john

[Crab Pot]

Speaking of the Tax Man...damn. 

[CooldadE]

At least he got the collars ! Yum !!!

Cool

[Bill B]

NOOB question.....does that count against you daily limit?  Bill

[Brewcrafter]

Bill - That is a great question!  I mean, rationally I don't think anyone would say it does.  BUT how mutilated does it have to be (the last two photos pretty much cover both ends of the spectrum!)  I would have to say that technically, if you brought in a tuna head that it qualifies as "take" since limits for that only specify species, not size (OK so it was only a head).  And of course for the record breakers out there, my understanding is you could have a world record but if it is shark hit, it's now exempt even if the remains of the fish are still a world record.  But I cannot imagine any boat ever holding a head as part of the count, I am only being theoretical here. -john

[Brewcrafter]

Cool - That really is a nice pile, did you have commercially processed or get to enjoy taking them home to clean?   I have done that, and I respect that is some WORK.....- john

[CooldadE]

John,
I live in northern Ca. So it's a 9hr drive home... I had it processed at 5 Star (the cost was crazy $$$) I bought a huge cooler loaded it with rock hard frozen fillets and packed 10lbs of dry ice on top and away I went. One and a half 5hr energy's later I pulled into my driveway. Heck, I didn't even have my land legs yet. The dry ice was gone so the top layer of fish had started to thaw a bit. I put it to the side to fully thaw to be eaten raw and smoked later. If l lived closer I might process my self, though my back aches just thinking bout it...

Cool

[oc1]

Bill - That is a great question!  I mean, rationally I don't think anyone would say it does.  BUT how mutilated does it have to be (the last two photos pretty much cover both ends of the spectrum!)  I would have to say that technically, if you brought in a tuna head that it qualifies as "take" since limits for that only specify species, not size (OK so it was only a head).  And of course for the record breakers out there, my understanding is you could have a world record but if it is shark hit, it's now exempt even if the remains of the fish are still a world record.  But I cannot imagine any boat ever holding a head as part of the count, I am only being theoretical here. -john

Yeah, but John, a dead fish is a dead fish from a management perspective.  That second one must have been a big shark.

[Crab Pot]

If that head was mine it would have went into the galley for cheek steaks and collars, maybe poke', for that nights grub.

I live in the Sacramento area and drive too, which really sucks because I'm always alone.

I get the deckhands to loin out the tuna and slab the Yellowtail. They place the simi-processed fish in plastic bags on the boat.

I line the bottom of my ice chest with unopened ice bags, place the fish, and cover the top with unopened ice bags. Never had an issue.

I was told never to let water directly touch the meat thus the unopened ice bags.

[Brewcrafter]

I'm a big believer in commercial processing, yes it is not inexpensive but neither is the fish or the trip, and boy does it really hold up better.  Money well spent.  And I actually enjoy cleaning fish but this is one where I let the pros handle it.  BTW, everyone be careful with that tub or cooler of dry ice if you are in some sort of SUV or wagon with the tubs in the back of the passenger cabin - cruising along with the windows rolled up, tunes cranking and the AC turned on, as that dry ice "melts" (sublimates) it turns into CO2 gas.  Basically odorless, you just start to get really, really sleepy....and then bad things start to happen.  CO2 is just part of what I deal with everyday (but it does make the bubbles in our beer  ).  - john

[Jim Fujitani]

I agree that professional processing is money well-spent.  I usually bring one large ice chest for every 4 days of fishing time.  I have almost always used "5 Star fish processing", the last SD stop before my long drive (up to 12 hours depending on traffic and stops) up the valley. 

I request 1-2 pound fresh product packs and rely on crushed ice to start with.  I may have to pack more ice on one of my stops, and I don't drain the water.  The slurry is cold and fills the voids between the packs better.  I may drop off some of my packs with friends and family that I may meet on the way home.