October 21-24 2.75
Captain Scotty
Co-Caps Dave and Julio
Deckhand Mike aka Magic
Cook Eddie RIP Brother
17BFT- 12 OVER 100# – 1 @ 175#
Last year, 2021, our annual OREGON BOYS (+JEN) GBOGH trip was cancelled due to gale warnings and unfishable weather. Even this year, half or more of the fleet saw the upcoming forecast and decided to cancel and huddle in the harbor. We waited til the last minute then made the call to go for it. Knowing 5’-8’ swells at 7-8 second intervals and 15mph winds is typical fishing conditions up in OR, that made our decision to go easier. In hindsight, it was a tough but good call. Cancelling trips is no fun, I’m happy that we don’t have to call next years trip Outbreak III.
We were scheduled to leave at 10AM but Scotty and his crew fortuitously and graciously agreed to get us onboard at 8AM. It was a last minute change and idea from Ryan, so we could get to the tuna grounds a few hours earlier to take advantage of the forecasted small weather window ahead. We arrived around 6PM after a 100+ mile run. All 25 of us worked from sunset to sunrise on the rail but the bite was a slow pick with just a handful of quality jumbo’s making it to the fish hold. Saturday daylight fishing mirrored our night bite. Windy’s forecast said we’d have to leave for calmer water by late afternoon but fortunately we were blessed with a bigger weather window. Then at and after sunset we got into several nice schools that wanted to play. We put a dozen bft 100-175# on deck with 5-6 heartbreakers. Not 100% sure who but pretty sure it was Bill or Bret that misread my memo first and then some others followed. For a stretch of time, one after another jumbo hooked was painfully lost at color. I had told everyone that this trip is a “NO CATCH AND RELEASE” trip unlike the way they fish on some waters up north. After the 5th or 6th fish I had to mildly remind them with bamboo gaff in hand that we are NOT fishing “catch and release” and not letting any of the 100#ers go...Peter hooked a good one though right before my reminder, 250-300#er+, on a sinker rig just before sunset. Peter and Sean tag teamed the beast for 75+ minutes on a Penn Torque 60 100# braid with a 130# mono wind on. The way the rod bent and how it fought reminded me of 280#ers we landed and the 300#er plus we lost on the TG80 a few years ago. Peter and Sean have both notched 200#ers on their belt but this they knew was a bigger beast that had humbling power...After a hard fought battle they had it at all the way to about the 50’ marked line when it unexpectedly and disappointingly chewed through the 130# mono. Peter fell backwards, looked at the stars and laid on the deck in exhaustion shaking his head...Bottom line, next year we’ll be using 200# fluoro on our wind ons, no more mono.
High Stick Award and jackpot winner was Joe P. 40#-107#-175#. Amazingly it was his first time fishing for BFT! Best Angler Award was Joe D. He landed a 105#er then handed off a 116#er to a fellow angler to battle. Not many anglers will hand off a good one before they get their limit but Brother Joe D is the humankind exception.
I know the TG80 has been flamed recently here on BD but Cap Scotty and the whole crew went above and beyond for us. Tough trip but some personal bests achieved, lessons learned and great memories were made with a great group of guys and one gal. The only complaints I have is towards our Maker above. If we had just a couple more hours Saturday night we’d have put another 8-12 100#ers in the RSW. And on Sunday, after sheltering in Pyramid Cove, we cruised the leeside of SCI then around the tip and down the backside scratching and searching the 80 fathom line all the way down to the 381 and then we turned left to the 86 and Desperation. I was up in the wheelhouse watching and hearing Cap Scotty say first in his head and then out loud repeatedly, especially when we got to the 381, “ I know you guys are here, where are you #*#%^!” This part is crazy, as you can see from the pic, if we’d of just run 5-7 more miles on that same diagonal line we’d have run over and found where the massive school moved after the winds! Chasing BFT is sometimes exhausting and humbling, on second thought, maybe it’s not sometimes but always.
He is good. Sorry for the complaint Boss, blessed and grateful to be on the water....
PS RIP Brother Rod Lathrop aka 2Rotten. He was on a 10 day pulling on wahoo and yellowtail. I had heard there was death on his trip but was unaware and was waiting to meet him at the landing...Last trip of the season here brother but I’m positive if there’s fishing in heaven Rod’s already got tickets and spots in hand. Seven of Christ’s twelve disciples were fishermen, so I believe the best is yet to come but knowing Him a little bit I’m thinking there’ll be a memo that says “catch and release, only” Save me a spot on the rail Rod!
Captain Scotty
Co-Caps Dave and Julio
Deckhand Mike aka Magic
Cook Eddie RIP Brother
17BFT- 12 OVER 100# – 1 @ 175#
Last year, 2021, our annual OREGON BOYS (+JEN) GBOGH trip was cancelled due to gale warnings and unfishable weather. Even this year, half or more of the fleet saw the upcoming forecast and decided to cancel and huddle in the harbor. We waited til the last minute then made the call to go for it. Knowing 5’-8’ swells at 7-8 second intervals and 15mph winds is typical fishing conditions up in OR, that made our decision to go easier. In hindsight, it was a tough but good call. Cancelling trips is no fun, I’m happy that we don’t have to call next years trip Outbreak III.
We were scheduled to leave at 10AM but Scotty and his crew fortuitously and graciously agreed to get us onboard at 8AM. It was a last minute change and idea from Ryan, so we could get to the tuna grounds a few hours earlier to take advantage of the forecasted small weather window ahead. We arrived around 6PM after a 100+ mile run. All 25 of us worked from sunset to sunrise on the rail but the bite was a slow pick with just a handful of quality jumbo’s making it to the fish hold. Saturday daylight fishing mirrored our night bite. Windy’s forecast said we’d have to leave for calmer water by late afternoon but fortunately we were blessed with a bigger weather window. Then at and after sunset we got into several nice schools that wanted to play. We put a dozen bft 100-175# on deck with 5-6 heartbreakers. Not 100% sure who but pretty sure it was Bill or Bret that misread my memo first and then some others followed. For a stretch of time, one after another jumbo hooked was painfully lost at color. I had told everyone that this trip is a “NO CATCH AND RELEASE” trip unlike the way they fish on some waters up north. After the 5th or 6th fish I had to mildly remind them with bamboo gaff in hand that we are NOT fishing “catch and release” and not letting any of the 100#ers go...Peter hooked a good one though right before my reminder, 250-300#er+, on a sinker rig just before sunset. Peter and Sean tag teamed the beast for 75+ minutes on a Penn Torque 60 100# braid with a 130# mono wind on. The way the rod bent and how it fought reminded me of 280#ers we landed and the 300#er plus we lost on the TG80 a few years ago. Peter and Sean have both notched 200#ers on their belt but this they knew was a bigger beast that had humbling power...After a hard fought battle they had it at all the way to about the 50’ marked line when it unexpectedly and disappointingly chewed through the 130# mono. Peter fell backwards, looked at the stars and laid on the deck in exhaustion shaking his head...Bottom line, next year we’ll be using 200# fluoro on our wind ons, no more mono.
High Stick Award and jackpot winner was Joe P. 40#-107#-175#. Amazingly it was his first time fishing for BFT! Best Angler Award was Joe D. He landed a 105#er then handed off a 116#er to a fellow angler to battle. Not many anglers will hand off a good one before they get their limit but Brother Joe D is the humankind exception.
I know the TG80 has been flamed recently here on BD but Cap Scotty and the whole crew went above and beyond for us. Tough trip but some personal bests achieved, lessons learned and great memories were made with a great group of guys and one gal. The only complaints I have is towards our Maker above. If we had just a couple more hours Saturday night we’d have put another 8-12 100#ers in the RSW. And on Sunday, after sheltering in Pyramid Cove, we cruised the leeside of SCI then around the tip and down the backside scratching and searching the 80 fathom line all the way down to the 381 and then we turned left to the 86 and Desperation. I was up in the wheelhouse watching and hearing Cap Scotty say first in his head and then out loud repeatedly, especially when we got to the 381, “ I know you guys are here, where are you #*#%^!” This part is crazy, as you can see from the pic, if we’d of just run 5-7 more miles on that same diagonal line we’d have run over and found where the massive school moved after the winds! Chasing BFT is sometimes exhausting and humbling, on second thought, maybe it’s not sometimes but always.
He is good. Sorry for the complaint Boss, blessed and grateful to be on the water....
PS RIP Brother Rod Lathrop aka 2Rotten. He was on a 10 day pulling on wahoo and yellowtail. I had heard there was death on his trip but was unaware and was waiting to meet him at the landing...Last trip of the season here brother but I’m positive if there’s fishing in heaven Rod’s already got tickets and spots in hand. Seven of Christ’s twelve disciples were fishermen, so I believe the best is yet to come but knowing Him a little bit I’m thinking there’ll be a memo that says “catch and release, only” Save me a spot on the rail Rod!
Thanks for the report
