Just got back from my extended stay in SD after a 2-day on the Aztec. Here’s my report of the trip.
We expected to board at 8pm and shove at 9 but a few late anglers held us up by about 20 min. It was a private charter of only 16 and most of us had fished together in the past, so nobody minded.
A quick meeting in the galley with captain Nick indicated we’d be doing typical dorado day fishing and bluefin fishing at night. We were heading towards the west end of SCI and with the bumpy seas he hoped to be in the tuna zone around 3:30-4am for some night fishing before grey light.
It must’ve been bumpier and slower than the captain expected… I overslept until 5:30 and when I woke we had yet to get to the grounds or had made a stop. Grey light came and went, no BFT fishing yet, and we started looking for kelps. Our first day was very steady on decent quality dorado from 10-20lbs. We made numerous stops with most producing fish. By dinner we had about 120 for the boat. I had 9. Such a great day overall. I had hooked a few dorado way back in the albacore days, but they always shook the hook or came off, so this was my first time actually landing them.
We made the move to try for bluefin after dark, but due to very rough weather/waves the captain called it a night after our 3rd stop. 2 BFT in the 60lb range were caught that night.
Next morning was much calmer and we began the hunt for more kelp. It was a slow day, finding few kelps and even fewer that had willing fish. Lunch had come and gone, and I had changed into a cleaner pair of clothes for the ride back home. Then Nick announced he was seeing some jumpers in open water about a 1/4 mile ahead and to get ready on the tank. What ensued over the next couple of hours was complete pandemonium. An absolutely epic dorado bite. No kelp to be seen but fish that wanted to stay with the boat and die happily. The deckhands could barely keep up. Some anglers helped and gaffed fish. If you didn’t know how to tie a knot you we’re screwed because the deckhands didn’t have time to set down their gaffs. I think 2 fish were even free-gaffed swimming by the boat. By the end I had moved up to 60# and was literally bouncing fish to help alleviate the deckhands from having to gaff my fish. Not sure how many I got on that stop but we left them biting as we were 1 hour past schedule and at our limits.
The crew worked very hard on this trip. Galley food was awesome, deckhands we’re friendly and the crew put us on the fish. The dorado tacos for dinner on the ride home was a perfect way to end the trip.
For the most part, 20-30# flouro with a 1/0 hook was the ticket, but that last stop didn’t matter. Toss a dead bait on 60# and watch it get bit.
Hats off to our charter master for another great trip.
Now time to go make my own fish tacos for dinner.
Tight lines!!
<‘){{{~<
We expected to board at 8pm and shove at 9 but a few late anglers held us up by about 20 min. It was a private charter of only 16 and most of us had fished together in the past, so nobody minded.
A quick meeting in the galley with captain Nick indicated we’d be doing typical dorado day fishing and bluefin fishing at night. We were heading towards the west end of SCI and with the bumpy seas he hoped to be in the tuna zone around 3:30-4am for some night fishing before grey light.
It must’ve been bumpier and slower than the captain expected… I overslept until 5:30 and when I woke we had yet to get to the grounds or had made a stop. Grey light came and went, no BFT fishing yet, and we started looking for kelps. Our first day was very steady on decent quality dorado from 10-20lbs. We made numerous stops with most producing fish. By dinner we had about 120 for the boat. I had 9. Such a great day overall. I had hooked a few dorado way back in the albacore days, but they always shook the hook or came off, so this was my first time actually landing them.
We made the move to try for bluefin after dark, but due to very rough weather/waves the captain called it a night after our 3rd stop. 2 BFT in the 60lb range were caught that night.
Next morning was much calmer and we began the hunt for more kelp. It was a slow day, finding few kelps and even fewer that had willing fish. Lunch had come and gone, and I had changed into a cleaner pair of clothes for the ride back home. Then Nick announced he was seeing some jumpers in open water about a 1/4 mile ahead and to get ready on the tank. What ensued over the next couple of hours was complete pandemonium. An absolutely epic dorado bite. No kelp to be seen but fish that wanted to stay with the boat and die happily. The deckhands could barely keep up. Some anglers helped and gaffed fish. If you didn’t know how to tie a knot you we’re screwed because the deckhands didn’t have time to set down their gaffs. I think 2 fish were even free-gaffed swimming by the boat. By the end I had moved up to 60# and was literally bouncing fish to help alleviate the deckhands from having to gaff my fish. Not sure how many I got on that stop but we left them biting as we were 1 hour past schedule and at our limits.
The crew worked very hard on this trip. Galley food was awesome, deckhands we’re friendly and the crew put us on the fish. The dorado tacos for dinner on the ride home was a perfect way to end the trip.
For the most part, 20-30# flouro with a 1/0 hook was the ticket, but that last stop didn’t matter. Toss a dead bait on 60# and watch it get bit.
Hats off to our charter master for another great trip.
Now time to go make my own fish tacos for dinner.
Tight lines!!
<‘){{{~<
Last edited:
