Canyon Runner Sail/Sword reports 2/19, 2/20, 2/21

[Canyon Runner]

2/19...Today Capt. Jason Neadel and Capt. Justin Nighan took the Canyon Runner charter of Lee, Stew and Doug out for a day of sailfishing aboard the Big Boy. Starting just off the boca hotel this first line in the water was immediately picked up by a sail. Stew came tight and we had our first fish on within 5 minutes of stopping the boat. Unfortunately after a few jumps the fish managed to spit the hook. After we reset the kings were thick, with 15lb'ers skying on the kite baits and cutting us off left and right...of course they didn't seem to want anything with wire on it! After 10 the bite really shut down, but a stop on a wreck in 200' of water did produce 1 nice mutton, and a few short grouper and snapper.
2/20-2/21
Today Capt. Jason and I had the same charter back for an afternoon of trolling to the sword grounds and then a full night of swording! After leaving the inlet we were quickly greeted with 15knt winds out of the ESE. Trolling produced a shot at one sail, and what might have been a blue in the pattern, but no hookups. We didn't see any kind of surface structure! We set up for swording and right off the transom was a 8' log and some rope...we back up to it and pulled one really nice mahi, and lost a few more...now back to swordfishing. Making one of the longest drifts of I have ever done, 27miles, we ended up going 2/3 of swords tonight with bite at 8:30, 1, and 2am. The charter released a 46" fish and ended up boating a 49.5" fish. Also throughout the night the charter did manage to boat 4 more mahi the were caught cruising past the boat!
2/21-2/22
Tonight Capt. Jason and I took Lee and Stew out for another night at the sword grounds. This time greeted by flat calm seas! Setting up just north of 40+ boats it wasn't looking good out there. The night proved to be a little slow, only having 2 hits all night. The first came tight and Lee fought the fish for 20 minutes before pulling the hook, the second hit while we were fighting the fish, but we just never came tight. That would be all the action for the evening and we headed home at 2:00. From the word on the radio it was a slow bite all around today and tonight, with not many species of fish chewing today! At one point we had 30+ mahi around the boat, all gaffers with a few 25-30lbers in there...but they would turn on for anything!





Capt. Justin
Canyon Runner Sportfishing

[Duke]

Was interested in any advice you may have on some new rods. Looking into new standup gear 30# and 50#. Used to 6 footers, but am hearing and going shorter 5 1/2 - 5' 9" is the way to go on the 30# and certainly 5 1/2 on the 50#. What do you think? Also am going all rollers on the 50, but for the 30 can I go all oxide or should I go with the roller and stripper? I drift, kite and troll on the 30. any help on length and guides would be benefical! Thanks