2012 TUNA trips

Birdsnest - xrap 15's, 20's and 30's with the "20"s being the most popular. We fished the "bunker" the "sardine", "bonito" and the "green mack" and have not noticed any difference in color preference. Down south some guys swear by the purple/black color. The diving ones have a two inch plastic bill and can be trolled up to 14 mph without weight. you can get them at wholesale sports in Nanaimo but expect to pay $20 each. Cabelas has them on sale for $15. The proper name is Rapala x-rap magnum 20.

The Wash/Oregon guys also use the older diving rapalas with the willowleaf shaped metal bill. They seem to work but the bill will get bent and they need to be "retuned".

Look into the SPOT device. For the price of an epirb, everyone on board can have a SPOT in their pocket. I have no idea why these are not more popular. It will save you!
 
Nobody believes it till the lines are down.

Hey, I have been shopping for X-Raps. Which ones are being used out here? There are 2 saltwater ones. A diving one and a surface one.

Its EPERB time for me. I am looking for a Personal unit. Anybody have one they like/trust?

I bought an ACR PLB and it's registered to myself not the boat. I like that I can take it where ever I go and on other peoples boats etc.
 
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Look into the SPOT device. For the price of an epirb, everyone on board can have a SPOT in their pocket. I have no idea why these are not more popular. It will save you!

There's several reasons why a PLB/EPIRB might be preferable to a SPOT. SPOT is great to let relatives know exactly where you are but it isn't a good substitute for a PLB/EPRIB. SPOT doesn't guarantee a timely call to the appropriate rescue agency. See this link for but one example of a recent failure of the SPOT service in a rescue situation. With an EPRIB or PLB, contact with the satellites usually occurs within 5 mins and the appropriate rescue agency WILL be contacted. The McMurdo Fast Find PLB's are on sale at West Marine (at least in the U.S.) for $200/ea. Also with SPOT, you need an annual subscription but with a PLB/EPIRB you do not.

The upside to SPOT is that it reports your location at pre-defined intervals and allows you to send text messages such as "I'm OK" with the position. The PLB/EPIRB's are for emergency use only.
 
The "I'm OK" is a bonus on the SPOT and is good for reassuring the family that all is well. This is a nice to have, not a need to have.

My main reason for having one is the "911" button which does send the message directly to the authorities. The SPOT lives in my lifejacket pocket on the boat (worn at all times), and in my hunting pack when in the woods.

Not to argue one vs. the other. I think the ideal would be an epirb on the boat, and a SPOT in your pocket. The epirb will go off if the boat goes down, but if I'm bobbing out there, I want something more. If I'm in the water (maybe boat doesn't sink, I've just fallen over?) or have a broken ankle on a mountain, I want a panic button. Cell phones don't work where I play.

Cheap insurance for outdoor guys. Your wife and kids don't need your life insurance money more than they need you.
 
I have been researching and am considering the McMurdo Fast Find 210. It can be purchased an MEC (mountain equipment coop) for $225. Its batteries are good for 5 to six years BUT will have to be sent away to be replaced and the cost of this, after shipping, will be about the same as the original unit. Given the rate that electronics expire, technology wise, this does not seem like a big deal to me. By the time the 5 years have passed I will want the newer better one anyways. Or maybe the batteries will be more readily available and instructions on utube will be at my finger tips to change it myself.
No fees, just one time modifiable registration.

I plan on having a grab bag on deck with flares, hand held radio, and PLB. If the PLB fails the hand held will likely be within range of shipping traffic. Apart from having life boats on lifeboats what else can u do.
 
The "I'm OK" is a bonus on the SPOT and is good for reassuring the family that all is well. This is a nice to have, not a need to have.

My main reason for having one is the "911" button which does send the message directly to the authorities. The SPOT lives in my lifejacket pocket on the boat (worn at all times), and in my hunting pack when in the woods.

Not to argue one vs. the other. I think the ideal would be an epirb on the boat, and a SPOT in your pocket. The epirb will go off if the boat goes down, but if I'm bobbing out there, I want something more. If I'm in the water (maybe boat doesn't sink, I've just fallen over?) or have a broken ankle on a mountain, I want a panic button. Cell phones don't work where I play.

Cheap insurance for outdoor guys. Your wife and kids don't need your life insurance money more than they need you.

I assume you mean the SOS button. That button doesn't call 911 for the area in which you are in. What it does is send the distress call and location to the "GEOS International Emergency Response Center every five minutes until cancelled or until the batteries are depleted. The Emergency Response Center notifies the appropriate emergency responders based on the GPS location and personal information – which may include local police, highway patrol, the Coast Guard, the embassy or consulate, or other emergency search and rescue teams – as well as notifying the emergency contacts about the receipt of a distress signal."

The GEOS center then has to determine who to contact. In the case I linked to above, the SOS button was pushed but the location was not transmitted. However, a track of the position had been recorded every 10 mins. The GEOS center didn't contact any coast guard or appropriate agency and it wasn't until 8 hours later that a coast guard search began when other boaters (racers in the same race) spotted debris.

The PBL's use the same system as the EPRIB's but are (like SPOT) small enough to be carried on your person. When a PLB goes off, the coast guard will be notified as soon as the message is received. For safety, I think a PLB is much better and the protocols for what to do when a signal is received are better worked out and controlled by the government (as opposed to a private company). So my point isn't that SPOT isn't a great device, it's just not a substitute for a PLB or EPRIB.
 
SST's and Chloro's still look good. Weather doesn't look bad. Wish I could play hooky tomorrow;).
 
yup, the charts look good with those large bodies of cold water from the NW blow. Maybe that would crowd some fish up at the edges. May be a few days till we can get out for another try.
 
Anyone sell Big Hammer swim baits on the island? I have seen the Power Bait swimming shad that looks similar. Also trying to find jig heads in the right size for those swim baits seems to be a little difficult.
 
I bought an ACR PLB and it's registered to myself not the boat. I like that I can take it where ever I go and on other peoples boats etc.

X2 Got the ACR Aqualink personal locator beacon. I can take it anywhere I want. Fishing, hunting, hiking. or whatever. It may cost a little more at the start but it's a one time fee. No yearly renewal like Spot. Run by our Defence dept., not a private company. They claim the will know where I am in 4 minutes. Could be hours with others by the time they make the right contacts etc. It also has "I'm Ok" capabilities that can be sent home. Never had to use it but quite happy with that!
 
Tuna ****: Zukers, Clones, and Turds
IMG_0945.jpg

The 3 standards I like best.
IMG_0947.jpg
 
Trying to decide about heading out for them on Saturday but the sst's look all backwards today. The chloro's still look pretty good. I'll take a look in the morning then decide I guess. Nice looking zukers Birdsnest.
 
Trying to decide about heading out for them on Saturday but the sst's look all backwards today. The chloro's still look pretty good. I'll take a look in the morning then decide I guess. Nice looking zukers Birdsnest.

Maybe I don't know how to read the charts but it looked to me like SST was 59+ just this side of Barkley Canyon on yesterday morning's shot. Please help me out if I am way off on this. pretty new to terrafin.

Cheers,
 
I would have fished it(off barckley). It was far enough out to be considered good I thought but I am new at this too. I was skunked on Thursday but took some great video of some whitesides.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZozzpfoAxnY&feature=plcp

This is why getting skunked tuna fishing is no big deal!!

I would love to join you guys some time with my boat, I've got all the gear and even a couple 18' outriggers that would be perfect. It just sucks living here in Calgary to try and co-ordinate it with the weather.......How far of a run did you have to make ?
 
If you ever find yourself in a ****** mood, just watch that dolphin video! Awesome footage Birdsnest!!!! One day ill make it out there to fish for them tunas.
 
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