I thought I would try to get in one more trip before the season ends, so I booked an overnight trip on the Old Glory for some tuna fishing at San Clemente Island. There was a light load, and I have always had good luck on this boat, so things were looking hopeful.
The ride out that night was pleasant, the seas were calm all day and there was very little wind to speak of. We started started trolling around 6:00 in the morning, starting off at the southeast corner of the island, where the captain said there were fish a few days previous. We trolled around for a couple of hours, seeing nothing in the way of fish, and the captain said we were going to head over to the west side of the island where there were also fish a few days before.
Getting to the new spot, we start fishing, and almost immediately we get a few fish on. It was slow but steady for the rest of the day, with someone on a fish for the next 3 or so hours. The most frustrating part of the day was seeing all the big bluefin boiling around the boat, but the fish were not all that interested in our sardines. People tried poppers, flat falls and irons, but with the exception of one fish caught on a flat fall the tuna were not interested. The boat ended up with 16 fish for 17 people, and they were all good sized fish in the 40 to 60lb class. The key to catching these fish was using smaller sardines, as the captain mentioned that the fish were eating the small anchovies in the area and were showing no interest in the large sardines we had for bait.
I came home with two fish so the freezer is restocked and I caught my first bluefin!
Overall it was a good trip, with one of the best groups of fishermen I have experienced on a sport boat. No drama, everyone was friendly and worked very well together. The captain and crew of the Old Glory were once again first rate, and I personally think this is one of the best boats in the San Diego fleet.
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