Jumped on the Aztec for a last minute 2 day trip, along with 20 other guys. We headed out at approximately 10am and the plan was to run about 4 hours out and hit some kelps for yellows for the remainder of the day, and jig for bluefin all night.
We got to the zone and rounded up some nice quality yellowtail over a few kelps. Nothing wide open but a few here and a few there. As it got later, we started seeing some tuna in the same area. Everyone was still flylining, but I dropped a drop shot 8oz sinker rig on 80# about 300’ down and got bit almost immediately. After that was said and done I ended up with about a 100# bluefin on the deck. Dropped back in and immediately got bit again, but this one didn’t stick. People started switching to the sinker rigs and we had about 3-4 tuna on the boat before it got dark.
Once it got dark, it was a quiet night. Captain would meter a few fish here and there but we couldn’t get them to stick around. Not a single fish was caught the first night. I called it quits at about 1:30am and got some sleep.
I slept in a little, then woke up as we were approaching a rockfish zone. We did a few drifts for all the giant boccaccio you wanted with some nice big reds mixed in. After an hour or two of that, we made a couple hour move into the tuna zone. Things were looking promising, as there was life everywhere and great conditions.
We bounced around in the same area all day chasing schools of different grades. It was mostly school sized fish during the day but there were some bigger models around. There were tuna breezing and splashing around everywhere, bird schools with fish on them, and lots on the electronics. Getting them to stick was another story so you had to be on your game. The key for me was being one of the first to slide a butt hooked bait back as soon as the boat came out of gear. You had about a 30 second window to get bit on most stops. I decided to try and drop the 80# sinker rig again on the slide, and got rewarded with a nice 80# grade bluefin.
Once it got dark, it was scratchy but some bigger fish were being jigged up. I didn’t get any jig fish personally. Called it about midnight, and headed back in to the dock for a 5:30am arrival.
The boat ended up with 36 bluefin and 18 yellowtail. I had 6 of those bft and 2 yt, and a bunch of rockfish. Gave 2 bluefin away to a couple anglers who didn’t land any. Overall solid trip, awesome captain and great crew with pretty good food and ice cold bunk rooms. I really liked the early departure and arrival and am looking forward to my next trip on the Aztec.
We got to the zone and rounded up some nice quality yellowtail over a few kelps. Nothing wide open but a few here and a few there. As it got later, we started seeing some tuna in the same area. Everyone was still flylining, but I dropped a drop shot 8oz sinker rig on 80# about 300’ down and got bit almost immediately. After that was said and done I ended up with about a 100# bluefin on the deck. Dropped back in and immediately got bit again, but this one didn’t stick. People started switching to the sinker rigs and we had about 3-4 tuna on the boat before it got dark.
Once it got dark, it was a quiet night. Captain would meter a few fish here and there but we couldn’t get them to stick around. Not a single fish was caught the first night. I called it quits at about 1:30am and got some sleep.
I slept in a little, then woke up as we were approaching a rockfish zone. We did a few drifts for all the giant boccaccio you wanted with some nice big reds mixed in. After an hour or two of that, we made a couple hour move into the tuna zone. Things were looking promising, as there was life everywhere and great conditions.
We bounced around in the same area all day chasing schools of different grades. It was mostly school sized fish during the day but there were some bigger models around. There were tuna breezing and splashing around everywhere, bird schools with fish on them, and lots on the electronics. Getting them to stick was another story so you had to be on your game. The key for me was being one of the first to slide a butt hooked bait back as soon as the boat came out of gear. You had about a 30 second window to get bit on most stops. I decided to try and drop the 80# sinker rig again on the slide, and got rewarded with a nice 80# grade bluefin.
Once it got dark, it was scratchy but some bigger fish were being jigged up. I didn’t get any jig fish personally. Called it about midnight, and headed back in to the dock for a 5:30am arrival.
The boat ended up with 36 bluefin and 18 yellowtail. I had 6 of those bft and 2 yt, and a bunch of rockfish. Gave 2 bluefin away to a couple anglers who didn’t land any. Overall solid trip, awesome captain and great crew with pretty good food and ice cold bunk rooms. I really liked the early departure and arrival and am looking forward to my next trip on the Aztec.
