Sat Night Squall 8/6

[Threesenough]

Fantastic squall. I have not been in one that good since my sailing days. Made me happy that we decided to go in the Sportfish instead of a center concel that night. Almost pulled the plug and bailed out, but everything calmed down nicely.

Ended up releasing a small (44.5 inch) sword around 1:00 and headed in. Hope everyone made it through the squall without incident. Seemed like a decent croud out there once the weather cleared. Not much chatter on the radio.

[hannaman]

I was out there also. Nice night to be out there if you stuck it out after the storms. It was quite for us also. We stuck it out to 2am with only 1 bite which came from the deep rod/live bait, got wacked off without any sign.
Someone boated a Mako about 500 pounds on the 47 line and had to drag him to shore at less than 5 knots, don't know what time he made it back.

[Sea la Vee]

I had a similar experience - except we were in a 31' center console. And it was quite a ride.

We arrived early, so we threw a herring over the side on a 10lb. bait rod hoping for a dolphin (the fish have been small this year). Immediately we were hooked up. But this fish was fighting like a tuna and peeling line. And now, with this fish in control, we could not set up for the Swords either.

Here comes the squall line from the west - and we still have not seen this fish. Yellowfin? Blackfin? We have to find out... So we stay on him. Little by little we gain on him. We land the fish just as it starts howling. Skipjack - damn. No sushi.

I quickly check the radar and decide to run south - only made it about 2 miles before things got too hairy to run beam to. But that was just far enough. The center of the cell was to our north and we were just on the outskirts. Although it did not seem like that at all.

I turned the bow into the waves, trimmed up the motors a few degrees and just hung tight. Wind was whipping the top of every wave at us at 40 knots as they hit the bow. Thank god for H&T Neptune rain jackets - Thanks Stan.

The waves were not huge, but so close together that we took the top of one breaking wave over the bow and had ankle deep water in the back of the boat. But the SeaVee was solid and in control. The water drained quickly. And I managed to avoid a repeat.

What a ride. It was actually pretty thrilling. Although the thought did go through my mind - what if it picks up another 20mph? Or the cell was bigger?

Anyway, I hope this puts you there... it was definitely an experience.

We stuck it out and hooked that same 44' fish you caught - only at 11:00. I knew he'd live to fight another day...

Mario
Sea la Vee

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[Threesenough]

Just after we got into the squall there was a blue center console, a Contender I believe, that set up right on our starboard quarter. They where running south to get out of the storm when it all let loose. They where huddle up pretty tight behind the console but looked to be riding it out just fine.I guess misery loves company. Our big concern at the time was keeping the Bimini top on the flybridge. Good thing it was new. The old one never would have made it. We where at 79-50 25 52 when it blew through.

[Sea la Vee]

That was me alright. The blue contender is a SeaVee - but yeah, that was me and the crew. :shock:

It was nice to know we were not alone out there... See ya out there soon.

Mario

[Threesenough]

Mario,

Nice rig you have, from what I could see of it between wind gusts. I was going to call you on the radio at the time and check in, but the guys on the boat thought I was just rubbing it in that we were dry in the salon having dinner. We kept an eye on you for a while until we started motoring to the west to see if we could punch through the other side.

Should be back out either Friday night or Sat. night. Hope we can find a place to park on the fifty line. Might be a good night to try something a little different and stay away from the herd.

[Sea la Vee]

Yeah, with the tourney going on, we'll have no place to hide. I'll be out saturday night with my brother in law and his friends (batchelor party). We'll see how much fishing gets done... I hear they are hardcore. We'll see... I'll be on 72 or 78. See ya out there threesenough.

Mario