BLACKFIN ROUNDUP

DIRTYFOOT2 · 09-28-2006, 08:18 PM

Three am trips this week, total of 9 blackfins. All came on kite fished gogs, drifting between 140--180. Have only been kite fishing for three years now, but this is the first time I've seen them this time of year. Anybody know, do these fish migrate south in the fall? If this keeps up I'm having seared tuna for turkey day.

DIRTYFOOT

Relentless33 · 09-28-2006, 09:48 PM

Nice work, hopefully those fish will move down for us

Boboe · 09-29-2006, 12:38 AM

This is the time of year that they stack up along the edges in the Panhandle. One of my buddies who's still in the business said that they were starting to show up pretty decently last week, catching 3-6 on most trips plus a limit of kings and whatever else showed up. Last year in October it got so ridiculous that we were coming in early--no more ice to put them on. The best I did was 22 on an 8 hour trip (and that's with 3.5 hours of round trip travel and 45 minutes of catching bait too!) We had 3-4 on continuously. It was ridiculous.

DIRTYFOOT2 · 09-29-2006, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boboe

This is the time of year that they stack up along the edges in the Panhandle. One of my buddies who's still in the business said that they were starting to show up pretty decently last week, catching 3-6 on most trips plus a limit of kings and whatever else showed up. Last year in October it got so ridiculous that we were coming in early--no more ice to put them on. The best I did was 22 on an 8 hour trip (and that's with 3.5 hours of round trip travel and 45 minutes of catching bait too!) We had 3-4 on continuously. It was ridiculous.

Right on,
I'm curious about thier migratory pattern. Seems like they are northbound in the spring and south bound now. Thanks for the info Boboe.
I wonder if those gulf fish ya'll are getting are the same population making thier way past me and Jr. through the straits and up into the gulf for the winter. Interesting. You fishing the rigs too Boboe?
Catch em up,
BUTCH ( DIRTYFOOT2 )

Boboe · 09-29-2006, 11:26 AM

I've fished the rigs in the past. I no longer fish for a living, so I can't say that I "fish the rigs" anymore.

Generally, the "rig blackfins" were small. By small, I'm talking about 1-8 lbs mostly. Lots of them got turned into chunks and a few were kept alive for blue marlin or big amberjack bait. Those rig blackfins are really easy to catch most of the time. Just get a diamond jig, regardless of size, and start thumbing it down. When it feels like you hit the bottom, you've got him on. If on the rare occasion you get about 200' down without a bite, you can start ripping it up through the water. One will usually find it pretty quickly.

That said, there have been rare occasions when the grade of blackfin has been pretty good at the rigs. They were all 15-30 lb fish. But, when we went to the rigs, we weren't targetting blackfin. We wanted yellowfin.

I don't know if the northern Gulf blackfins head through the straits or not. I know that they show up en masse in the panhandle at this time of year. They'll usually stay around through November. At that point, I don't know where they go. You can stumble across them at any time of year, but from now through November is the peak time. Sailfish usually show up right along with the blackfin in the same location also. I heard of a few being caught last week while fishing for kings and blackfins. Almost all of the blackfin caught right now will be in the 18-25 lb range.

DIRTYFOOT2 · 10-02-2006, 11:57 AM

Thanks for the info. Whatever thier migratory story is, they are scarce here in Lake Worth again. The snapper bite is still good and the kings are getting a wee bit thicker. Supposed to blow like hell all week, so the fishings off for a while.
Later,
DIRTYFOOOT

09-28-2006, 08:18 PM	#1 (permalink)
DIRTYFOOT2 Grander Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Lake Worth fl Best Catch: 53lb Black Grouper Occupation: Gunnel Washer Posts: 2,061	BLACKFIN ROUNDUP Three am trips this week, total of 9 blackfins. All came on kite fished gogs, drifting between 140--180. Have only been kite fishing for three years now, but this is the first time I've seen them this time of year. Anybody know, do these fish migrate south in the fall? If this keeps up I'm having seared tuna for turkey day. DIRTYFOOT

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09-28-2006, 09:48 PM	#2 (permalink)
Relentless33 Grander Join Date: Apr 2006 Best Catch: 81" sword Posts: 3,013	Nice work, hopefully those fish will move down for us

09-29-2006, 12:38 AM	#3 (permalink)
Boboe Hooked Up Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Austin, TX Occupation: Alaskan Fishing Guide, Gulf of Mexico Offshore Crew Boat Captain Posts: 805	This is the time of year that they stack up along the edges in the Panhandle. One of my buddies who's still in the business said that they were starting to show up pretty decently last week, catching 3-6 on most trips plus a limit of kings and whatever else showed up. Last year in October it got so ridiculous that we were coming in early--no more ice to put them on. The best I did was 22 on an 8 hour trip (and that's with 3.5 hours of round trip travel and 45 minutes of catching bait too!) We had 3-4 on continuously. It was ridiculous.

09-29-2006, 11:26 AM	#5 (permalink)
Boboe Hooked Up Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Austin, TX Occupation: Alaskan Fishing Guide, Gulf of Mexico Offshore Crew Boat Captain Posts: 805	I've fished the rigs in the past. I no longer fish for a living, so I can't say that I "fish the rigs" anymore. Generally, the "rig blackfins" were small. By small, I'm talking about 1-8 lbs mostly. Lots of them got turned into chunks and a few were kept alive for blue marlin or big amberjack bait. Those rig blackfins are really easy to catch most of the time. Just get a diamond jig, regardless of size, and start thumbing it down. When it feels like you hit the bottom, you've got him on. If on the rare occasion you get about 200' down without a bite, you can start ripping it up through the water. One will usually find it pretty quickly. That said, there have been rare occasions when the grade of blackfin has been pretty good at the rigs. They were all 15-30 lb fish. But, when we went to the rigs, we weren't targetting blackfin. We wanted yellowfin. I don't know if the northern Gulf blackfins head through the straits or not. I know that they show up en masse in the panhandle at this time of year. They'll usually stay around through November. At that point, I don't know where they go. You can stumble across them at any time of year, but from now through November is the peak time. Sailfish usually show up right along with the blackfin in the same location also. I heard of a few being caught last week while fishing for kings and blackfins. Almost all of the blackfin caught right now will be in the 18-25 lb range.

10-02-2006, 11:57 AM	#6 (permalink)
DIRTYFOOT2 Grander Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Lake Worth fl Best Catch: 53lb Black Grouper Occupation: Gunnel Washer Posts: 2,061	Thanks for the info. Whatever thier migratory story is, they are scarce here in Lake Worth again. The snapper bite is still good and the kings are getting a wee bit thicker. Supposed to blow like hell all week, so the fishings off for a while. Later, DIRTYFOOOT

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