This weather blows...somebody turn the fan off...there's tuna to catch before the cooler weather sets in. I hear the Bacardi is on fire with Yellowfin on the chunk and jig.
The Voyager out of Pt. Pleasant seems to have openings on their Canyon day trips for Tuna... Is it worth it?
Cap called. Said we could squeak an overnighter Thursday to Friday. Bacardi has been producing nice Yellowfin Catches. 2 flats of Butters 2 flats of Sardines 5lb box of squid several gallons of fresh peanuts. Headed out the inlet at 6:00PM seas 3' at 7 seconds SE swell. Not a bad ride but a little bumpy. When the sun went down had bullshit drones flying around with bright lights. Can fuck you up a little when you're looking for red or green boat lights to confirm what direction boats you see are going because those drones have red and green lights too. Orange slice of a moon comes up about the time we arrive. Plan was to find the Jamaica and mug it because they chunk crazy and to be in their slick is beneficial. Saw a party boat well-lit so we set up in its slick. Lines in 10:30PM first bite at 10:45PM two fish on one spit the hook at the boat. Second fish boated 11:09PM. Continued chunking. Made all the hook baits sardines as it seemed they were eating them. Lots of squid around attracted to the underwater lights. Had a fish to the boat broke off, another hook spit. At 1:30AM two lines went off boated a nice 40 lbr. We were using 50 lb leaders so anglers may have been horsing the fish too much. Had a pup Mako on thankfully didn't knot up the lines. Sunup at 6:29AM. Had a big 150 lb Mako leap full out of the water came tight too. After it broke off set up lines again. Started to see Skipjacks swirling, Tuna Chicks, Shearwaters knew something was about to happen. 7:00AM Had just made a butterfish bait for the Captain. He threw it in and Bam! Line went off. Feisty fish. Took the Cap up on the bow to fight it. Cappy was being careful due to the light leader. 7:24AM boated a nice 49.5 Yellowfin (we weighed it because we are in a monthly tournament). Continued to chunk till we ran out about 9:00AM. Buttoned it up and headed for the barn. North East wind made the ride bumpy but those guys that stayed out there were in for a rough night. So, after all went 3 for 7. Heard a great charter near us went 0 for 4 overnight until he mugged us then boated 4. A commercial fishing boat we know overnighted too had 2 rat Bluefin, a Mako, and a couple Mahi. Funny but the commercial boat kept asking where we were and we said next to the Jamaica. Found out later it was the Paramount? No wonder he couldn't find us. These head boats turn off their AIS so you can't mug em like we did.
PS: Reports are that an eddy is starting to peel off the Gulf Stream and will be pushing into the Hudson in the coming days. Should extend the tuna fishing for a while.
Didn't know the Paramount did Tuna runs. Small boat with an engine they never turn off because they don't know if it will restart. Diesel fumes in the back and mates with lousy attitudes. Not my favorite by any stretch. The Big Jamaica otoh, has the size to make a Tuna run comfortable. They have bunks too so you can get some sleep before the battles. I got Pully Ridge in a month so I'm slowly putting my gear together. Already have a nice number of oily baits already chunked up. Blues, Macks, Bones and Bunker all in the deep freeze, packaged and labeled. Bringing 4 rods one of which will be my planer which hopefully, will bring in a black fin when we make a move back to 300ft. Probably will troll Nomads as I saw them produce last year on my first trip down there. Even saw a Mahi come over the rail so I'll probably bring a spinning rig too. This month I think will be prep and prayer that the Hurricane season holds off one more month.
