Left Mon night already loaded with bait headed west. Got the grounds around 12 and found a school and few guys got a couple to go on 300-400g. Night fishing was slow so in the morning we headed south and ended up fishing around the tuna pens about 25 miles from the point.
My goal this year “was” to catch a triple digit fish. I’ll get to that in a minute.
Gavin said that these were bigger fish and to use nothing less than 80-100 flouro sinker rigs and 150-250g knife jigs.
First stop I hang one on a knife jig on the fall. Penn 40 narrow 100# flouro on a Talus 6.5’ 65-200. 20 minutes later I’m on the board, It’s a good grade 90#. And beat my PB by 10lbs, but not a 100#'r. Get back in the water and I’m working the jig back up and bam, I’m on. This is a better fish couple laps around the boat, a bad tangle, cut splice and re-tie by the crew and I’m still in the game. I get the fish to color, it takes a bee line stern to bow under the boat and ping, gone! With my jig!
Said a few choice words and get back in the game. This time with a 100# sinker rig 8-12oz sinker. Get bit down around 200’ come tight fought it for 45 min. Get it to deep color hook pulls…
Ok dust myself off, few more choice words and get back in the game. Same thing bit on the drop, crew checks the drag settle in and ready to do this again. We are drifting near the pens the fish was on the surface close to the pen, it was a close call but got the fish away from danger and dodge that bullet. Ok I’m thinking we are good. Nope, I get 3/4 of my spool back the fish says FUCK YOU! and proceeds to dump my Avet HX loaded with fresh 100# braid. Drag pinned, the spool was beyond hot to the touch. In a move to save my braid I used my plier handle to brace it between the spool and reel frame to slow this beast, like a firecracker the line snaps with a few wraps left. Again, a few more choice words.
I lick my wounds, put on my big boy pants, because cowering in a corner sucking my thumb, like Jim Carey in the bathroom in Dumb and Dumber wasn’t an option. Another angler named Chamus (sp) loaned me a Talica II 25 on a Grafighter XH, 130# now it’s time for redemption. Pin on a sardine drop it down 300’, WHAM! Come right on the fish and bendo! Ok now I’m on the right gear to fight this fish. 1.5hr later 160# hits the deck! New PB!
There were lots of casualties, break offs, and pulled hooks. One other guy got spooled on a Talica II 20. We ended up with 28 fish 3 @ 90. And the rest in the 140-170 range. We easily hooked three times as many fish as we landed. Such an amazing opportunity to catch this large grade of fish so close to home.
The entire crew on the Pacific Queen did a great job and was very helpful. A big shout out to those guys!
I am a Capatin's Concepts subscriber. Gavin and Matt make great videos and content to help educate people on the latest techniques and specific tackle that these fish are keyed in on at that time. I applied a few of them on this trip and it paid off.
This grade of fish is whole new level of fishing I have never experienced. These fish are mean and will test you and your equipment and they will exploit any weaknesses. John The deckhand equated these fish in the 120 to 200 pound class a fish as angry teenagers. If you don’t own the tackle to tackle these fish you can rent it from the landings.
GL and tight lines!
My goal this year “was” to catch a triple digit fish. I’ll get to that in a minute.
Gavin said that these were bigger fish and to use nothing less than 80-100 flouro sinker rigs and 150-250g knife jigs.
First stop I hang one on a knife jig on the fall. Penn 40 narrow 100# flouro on a Talus 6.5’ 65-200. 20 minutes later I’m on the board, It’s a good grade 90#. And beat my PB by 10lbs, but not a 100#'r. Get back in the water and I’m working the jig back up and bam, I’m on. This is a better fish couple laps around the boat, a bad tangle, cut splice and re-tie by the crew and I’m still in the game. I get the fish to color, it takes a bee line stern to bow under the boat and ping, gone! With my jig!
Said a few choice words and get back in the game. This time with a 100# sinker rig 8-12oz sinker. Get bit down around 200’ come tight fought it for 45 min. Get it to deep color hook pulls…
Ok dust myself off, few more choice words and get back in the game. Same thing bit on the drop, crew checks the drag settle in and ready to do this again. We are drifting near the pens the fish was on the surface close to the pen, it was a close call but got the fish away from danger and dodge that bullet. Ok I’m thinking we are good. Nope, I get 3/4 of my spool back the fish says FUCK YOU! and proceeds to dump my Avet HX loaded with fresh 100# braid. Drag pinned, the spool was beyond hot to the touch. In a move to save my braid I used my plier handle to brace it between the spool and reel frame to slow this beast, like a firecracker the line snaps with a few wraps left. Again, a few more choice words.
I lick my wounds, put on my big boy pants, because cowering in a corner sucking my thumb, like Jim Carey in the bathroom in Dumb and Dumber wasn’t an option. Another angler named Chamus (sp) loaned me a Talica II 25 on a Grafighter XH, 130# now it’s time for redemption. Pin on a sardine drop it down 300’, WHAM! Come right on the fish and bendo! Ok now I’m on the right gear to fight this fish. 1.5hr later 160# hits the deck! New PB!
There were lots of casualties, break offs, and pulled hooks. One other guy got spooled on a Talica II 20. We ended up with 28 fish 3 @ 90. And the rest in the 140-170 range. We easily hooked three times as many fish as we landed. Such an amazing opportunity to catch this large grade of fish so close to home.
The entire crew on the Pacific Queen did a great job and was very helpful. A big shout out to those guys!
I am a Capatin's Concepts subscriber. Gavin and Matt make great videos and content to help educate people on the latest techniques and specific tackle that these fish are keyed in on at that time. I applied a few of them on this trip and it paid off.
This grade of fish is whole new level of fishing I have never experienced. These fish are mean and will test you and your equipment and they will exploit any weaknesses. John The deckhand equated these fish in the 120 to 200 pound class a fish as angry teenagers. If you don’t own the tackle to tackle these fish you can rent it from the landings.
GL and tight lines!
