Just returned home from a weeks fishing trip for all species! We held our own, and got our Hali’s, lings, Coho, and springs. Not to mention,octopus! Best ever when smoked.
I had been in touch with Jim ( The Bevrle)and we were trying to put a day aside to target Tuna, he said he had two other boats that wanted to join as well, and weather was looking up for Wednesday. I talked to Oli, and he couldn’t swing it that day as he was in the process of winterising the resort. We headed off the dock around noon out to fuel up, and saw a commercial boat offloading tuna, so we pulled in and talked to them. They had blown a head in port engine and had to get back to Victoria. He shared some coordinates with us that he got from a buddy of his, and we were off to fuel. (This is Tuesday) we headed out to top Knot, got our salmon, and a couple Hali’s! 5 pm headed in to fish cliff for the low slack. As we came through the Gap, I heard someone calling for After Hours, I replied, and it was (Hook Up) Bob Talbert! He was anchored up in behind Cain’s. I spun around and pulled up beside him and discussed the next mornings plans.
All boats meeting at 4 am in behind Cain’s. so we did cliff for an hour, with one more Coho in the boat, and headed in to ice up, and top up with petro, and process the days catch.
Alarm goes off 2:45, off Oli’s dock by 3:15 anticipation at its highest levels! We traveled to Cain’s alone at 6.5 Nmiles and arrived at Hook Up’s location behind the Light at 4am sharp. Also arriving was Bevrle, and Green Machine! Oli had talked to one of his commie buddy’s, and gave us coordinates as well, and seemed to be on the same line as the other tuna boat had given me. 148 degrees for 67 miles! We took a terrifin shot, and got under way. We traveled at around 7 knots for the first 2.5 hours till we had adequate light to get up and go, cruised at 20 knots for the next hour, till the 4 foot swell tightened up, and slowed to 16knots to save all our bodies! Finally started to hit the edge by 7:30, and on top of it by 8:15. Bob said he was going to stop there and drop lines, so green machine and The Bevrle stopped as well. The water temp was 61 degrees there, so we decided to go another mile or so till we hit 62! There were 2 commie boats fishing there as well, and we had crossed over some white sides dolphins, and a sunfish, but not many birds showing. Bob came across the radio and asked that whenever we hooked into a tuna, get on the radio and say HOOK UP so we all knew what was going on. Well........ not 5 minutes after those boys stopped we hear Bevrle holler HOOK UP! So we idled down and threw out the gear! We set up as usual, 3 guys on the boat, 4 rods with splashers, two divers, and a straight off the stern with a rapalla! Moments later, Bob is radioing HOOK UP! We were so excited and ready for action........ but nothing! The seas flattened right out, and was like glass! We could see 2 or 3 sharks finning at any one time up to 200 yards away! Green Machine comes on HOOK UP! And we carry on trolling along as Sculpin and Smiley showed us on our first couple adventures, but not a sniff! Then we hear HOOK UP again, and then DOUBLE! We still have a ton of hope as we have been fortunate enough to never skunk yet! 5 hours go by, and all our buddy boats have HOOKED UP more than once, and some doubles and triples! I watched what they were doing as we went by each other, and we were all doing the same speed, and I noticed that no one was splashing! Bob had one splashers our! And the rest were naked, and Rapallas! I asked Jim on The Bevrle after they hit another double, if they were splashing..... notta! Watching the commies... all splashing, and not a fish coming over the boards! Within 2 minutes all our splashers were off, and just running American and Mexican flags on the top! It’s now 1:30, and we only have 2 hours left. 4 minutes later...... WE ARE ON! ........ DOUBLE! Now everyone wakes up! We are seeing bait patches everywhere, and buddy boats are HOOKING UP as well. We land our first two! ( so excited) 5 minutes go by, I turned and went back across that same tack, and WE ARE ON again...DOUBLE....TRIPLE! Gong show to say the least! All landed. Then a single, and went 15 mins with nothing. Bob came on the radio.. HOOK UP, we turned to the same tack, and WE ARE ON!...... DOUBLE.....TRIPLE...... QUAD! Now what??? Three on board! 20 minutes later we had all 4 in the boat! Craziest blood bath I have ever seen! Bevrle comes on saying HOOK UP, we turn and nothing, start racking towards WH with BOB, and he is on the radio.... HOOK UP! Green Machine and The Bevrle made the decision to pack it in and head for land as fuel was getting scetchy! Bob Talbert and I decided to go another half hour before rolling! 5 min later...... we hear HOOK UP! .... Bob is on, then DOUBLE! We go another 5 min... WE ARE ON! ...... DOUBLE....... TRIPLE ! Unreal, we are all fighting fish, and watching the fourth rod! Lol but had to idle down to stop the line peeling.
We gave the 10 min warning, and 5 min later WEWERE ON ! One last single to end the day, 30 lbs! Biggest fish of the day for our boat. All the rest were cookie cutters around 20 lbs.
Up and rolling on flat glassy calm seas, cruised in doing 30 mph, home in 2 hours! Absolutely the best day we have ever experienced tuna fishing, and if we started the day not using splashers, we probably would have been out of ice, and room to put them all.
We ended up with 15 in 2 hours, as I can figure, out 4 boats combined boated 36.
A huge hats off to Bob ( HOOK UP) for heading this trip off, he is a very calm and genuine guy with a ton of knowledge! Don ( GREEN MACHINE) and Jim (THE BEVRLE) you guys were all top notch to travel and fish with. What a team! Thanks for all your help, and intel!
Looking forward to the next 6 weeks..... let’s get a group together out of Tofino or Ukee.
Tight lines!