Friday Night Fishing Report - March 9, 2007

[RiskTaker]

This trip was another great darkside adventure with Cogzwell, 2 other friends and myself aboard the Hailey Ryan. We went 2 for 2 on swordfish and also caught a Hammerhead shark that was estimated at 150 lbs. Winds were NE about 10, and it is about 7 days after the full moon, with the moon expected to pop up around 11 p.m. The ocean was mixed with chop and small swells but manageable along with some salty spray, I mean wetness, during the ride. We started our trip early around 4 p.m. and by-passed the on-shore live bait gathering. There have been reports of Tinkers offshore.

With a little bit of ear scratching, listening carefully and hearing of catching swords in the daytime, and perhaps even in shallower waters, being March with the activities of fish pushing north and fishing the tempertature edges, along with a few bits of paraphenalia added to the fishing bag of tricks: we were stoked to go fishing with a slightly different game plan.

Our plan was to fish the inside edge of a temperature break (colder side). The SST report showed, by ticks of 15 nautical minutes that we should be able to find a transition at about the W 79:55 give or take a lot as we had a bigger view snapshot and things change over time. Now, we don't regularly fish this far in as the norm, but we were experimenting, so we were hoping for an optomistic return. Our SST thermometer showed 79.4 F, inside of the 79:50 so we ran inward and finally found the temperature break at W 79:54.3: the water temperature measured 78.8 F. A distinct change in temperature was found; albeit less than a whole degree. Our plan was to fish the cooler side: we checked our drift and we were moving inward at a slow pace. After a slight adjustment closer to the boundary: we dropped baits before sundown.

As the plan goes: we fish it for an hour then move elsewhere, unless we got action. 4 squid baits were set out and the fifth bait was going deep. After about a half-hour our deep line went to 700 FSW, using an 8 lb. deep drop weight, with an LP Disco, positioned above that. The new experimental approach was deployed but nothing. Instantaneous gratification was not in our destiny. So I started working the deep tip rod upward in 50 ft. increments. Then the far shallow balloon (100ft.) tells-tale by clicker alarm and we drag-up and draw tight. There is a strong fish-on and Alejandro is nominated with the privilege to angle this fish in. Due to the line positions we elected to clear the other balloons by retrieving them. The deep tip is still patrolling the 500 FSW realm and our shallow tip is still fishing.

Alejandro is gaining on the fish after some initial drag pull, ~25 lbs. at strike setting, but we are not at full spool since this line is out aways. He is a newbie at this night-time offshore stuff, so he needed a little bit of coaching to level-wind and to keep the rod in a favorable position in the excitement of it all.
After a few minutes of in-the-holder fighting, he has a belt harness on and works the fish for a while to get it in close. Our tip lines are now cleared away. Here comes the fish, big and strong, slow and steady, but is was not a swordfish... it was a rock ... no I mean a Hammerhead shark. We pull the shark up close for a few pictures, and when his head goes back under; he wants nothing to do with us and he books, but he is still attached. Now Alejandro gets his biggest workout because the fish is actively pulling line at 25 lbs. drag for a ways. After struggling with a really goog work-out and a switch of gears we get the fish back to the boat and cut the line close.

We reset closer to the 50 line back in the warmer water. After a while, fish on the 300 ft. ballon line. Nick is pulling in on this one: I believe a first for him too. This turns out to be a small swordfish which I am able to grab by the bill and also grab the bend of the hook from his mouth. I had to release the fish as his bill was slashing about with only a single hand hold. But the hook managed to part ways and the fish was off in brisk fashion without any collateral damage.

It was getting close to 11 p.m. and the moon still had not popped. We reset the close balloon and the captain, Cogzwell, makes the call to fish another 20 minutes. I suggest that we should fish until we see the moon even if it takes a little longer. Agreed. My performance was intermittent due to nausea, and a few bean bag breaks to keep the nausea at bay. Once settled, I motivate to get the rear tip line out. This was a quick hook through the mantle without the usual tag-end rig I prefer but I did not have a tag to clip. Shallow drop with a tri-color (white on top) electrolume and 12 oz. sinker all attached as one unit, right below the swordlight. Within 3 minutes, fish-on that rod. Since I am still standing there, I naturally take the rod for that fish. Drag goes to strike and he is pulling some line. The fish races along somewhere near the surface as you could see the eletrolume moving fast through the dark water about 200 ft. away from the boat. We are wrapped with the 300 ft. balloon that is the closest one. Everyone on the boat is helping to work this fish: the balloon line is cleared up by getting it unwrapped an cleared away and one of the other balloon lines is pust over head so it is out of the way. I am basically standing-by with fish pulling until we are tidy. Now I work the fish closer and we clear the EL/weight. With a few struggles where the fish wanted to run to the back of the boat, I had to drop the rod tip down so he didn't get wrapped up under the boat. The fish is coerced back up front, because we are still fishing two lines in the back. The fish is assessed to be a keeper, so the fish gets pumped in close up to the swivel and Cogzwell works the gaff into a nice head shot and the fish is pulled aboard. I think that Alejandro was impressed with the size of the fish because he looked like an excited and happy camper as he was trying to hold the fish steady. I grab the oyster shucker out of the tackle bag and dispatch the fish before he spazzes. We got the fish in the boat pretty fast so their may have been plenty of reserve energy in store. This fish was still small at 54" but it was plump fish.

At this point the VHF was alive with chatter of mutiple hook-ups going off. The bite was on but the moon still had not yet popped. We were temped to fish more even though our previous 20 minute call had probably just expired. So we had a nice fish in the boat and it was time to head home.

As the last line is cleared, Cogzwell sees a smaller sword chasing after his bait on the retrieve. It was fun te see the fish swimming within the reach of the light. But we are not intersted in hooking into a fish that is likely smaller than the one we have in the boat already.

Another fun night on the dark size: a nice hammerhead for the newbie, a small swordfish for another, never on a swordfish, and I even got lucky to be on the rod for the keeper fish, 2 for 2 plus 1 Tiberon lunker and the bonus fish in the light. We're good with that.

[WhItEoUt 23]

Awesome report cappy every body came home satifised

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TIGHT LINES AND SHARP HOOK'S

[P33JP3]

great report RT and WTG on a nice night of catching some fish.

[Flyin By]

Great report guys.

[CaptKen]

Wow Risky, lot of info to process when I first wake up, We ended up 3 for 3 all rats, one super rat pulled 30 lbs of drag on an 80 like he was a 200 lber, and a brown shark, We turned a first timer into a 3 timer, not bad for a guy dreaming of catching his first sword.

[dpdash]

Nice report!

[weekendbender]

Great report.

[kc]

Ken ....
We were out on Friday night as well, and hooked up with one of the "super-rats" you were talking about too. We thought it was a much larger fish based on the way it was pulling drag. We ended up 3 for 3 with the super-rat, a chunky 48" fish, and a stout 68" fish. Funny thing was I thought the 68" fish was another rat because it only took line in very short pulls for the first thirty minutes. Then it started taking line in longer runs. We had it in the boat in about an hour total.

[WhItEoUt 23]

KC way to go guy's

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TIGHT LINES AND SHARP HOOK'S

[miamiangler1]

nice report .. congrats

[Tunachaser]

Nice work RT . We fished Sat night and were 1/1, keeping a 55" fish. Not the fish we were looking for, but had 3 newbies out so it was nice to be able to get a fish for them . She ate a squid on the tip rod @ 275'. Lookin' for another window. . .

[Gaitor]

Great report! Congo-rats

[cappy]

was that a novel, or a fishing report

[RiskTaker]

Originally Posted by cappy

was that a novel, or a fishing report

Cappy:

I suppose that depends on how fast you read. If you read at 15 words a minute, you could call it a novel. If you read at 4 words per minute you may as well call it an Epic.

In either case, some folks may appreciate the details I put into that post. I thought it painted a pretty good picture, for a Short Story.

So be critical of the crap, Cap. and leave the good posts alone.

Or else we'll have to Keel Haul you mate: Arrrgh.
And there's sharks in them thar waters, Cappy.

[cappy]

I'm so scared I guess I touched a nerve, but I am entitled to my own opinion. I am on the water 7 days a week and don't have time for all the bs. You want to threaten me, I would like to see you keel haul me and feed me to the sharks I've been killin since I was 10.

[RiskTaker]

I wasn't trying to threaten you Cappy. All in good fun. Just that your post stood out in the crowd among all others.

But there are Bull sharks in them thar waters, keep your eyes peeled out for them.

And I'll keep my eyes peeled for one of your fishing reports. I'm sure you can muster one up, being on the water 7 days a week. And don't make it a bloody Novel either! Otherwise, I'll have to call you on that and raise you by one. Arrgh, the Pirate is wild: hhh hhhhh hhhhh hhhhh hhhh.

[bajakian]

Originally Posted by RiskTaker

Cappy:

I suppose that depends on how fast you read. If you read at 15 words a minute, you could call it a novel. If you read at 4 words per minute you may as well call it an Epic.

In either case, some folks may appreciate the details I put into that post. I thought it painted a pretty good picture, for a Short Story.

So be critical of the crap, Cap. and leave the good posts alone.

Or else we'll have to Keel Haul you mate: Arrrgh.
And there's sharks in them thar waters, Cappy.

Mike -Those of us, like myself, that dont fish 7 days a week appreciate all the facts in your reports. And those that dont appreciate them can pass right on bye. Its all good.

[miamiangler1]

RiskTaker ... like your novel gives me something to read when I can`t get out onthe water ... I like long stories ... Wish I can be out on the water 7day`s a week .. cappy when do you have time to read ???

[cappy]

I have time to read monday mornings as today is maintenance day. My report for the weekend 8/10 on sails and 13 golden tiles to 10lbs in 2 days. you can also look up liquid gold reports as I mate with Justin when I'm not fishing on the 45' Hatt or 65 Hatt I part time on. You can also look up canyonrunner.com as that is my family's buisness. My tally since the first of the year is 26 swords combined boated and released, not including pulled hooks.