December 12/9/2021
Sorry that I haven't kept up on the post. I get bummed out when my boat is laid up. I don't have an answer to what is wrong with the engine. However I'm very fortunate to have friends with boats still in the water.
Roger and I finally got that December bluefin. When we broke the inlet the forecast was way off. Light and variable winds ended up being NE at 15kts with plenty of white caps. The saving grace was the fact that we were heading SW. The ocean did eventually lay down. which made it easy to run and gun. It's an incredible sight to see tuna rolling on the surface. Roger did a great job all day long putting us in position so our lures would land within the tuna school. I'm popping my heart out and I hear a huge explosion and than I heard Roger scream "I"M IN!". 15 minutes later our excitement would turn to disappointment. We are a team out there. Roger didn't lose the fish we lost the fish. Roger was throwing a popper that didn't have on the correct split rings on his popper. Don't go out there without 150lb or 220lb split rings. After a lot of foul language we get back on the hunt. It didn't take long. Roger once again put me in a great spot to get a cast off that lands right in the middle of them. A huge hole appears behind my popper. You don't get many chances chasing these fish. My heart is racing so fast I can't believe I just missed a fish. I keep popping hoping the fish comes back. With white water flying all over and my reel screaming there was no need tell Roger that I was in. Roger is as excited as if he had hooked up. 15 minutes into the fight I had no choice but to ask Roger to take the rod. My back has been really bad lately. Roger made quick work of the fish and the celebration was on. It's hard to explain to people that don't fish how exciting it is out on the water. Your hands and feet are frozen. The rain is cold and stings when it hits you in the face but hook up with a fall bluefin and you will feel like you are in sunny Florida. We would get one more shot at a big fish that missed my popper 5 feet from the boat. There are days where you won't get a chance at any fish. To have 3 chances in one day is pretty good. What a great day I hope to get another chance next week.
It's been a weird but great bass run. The photos to the right are from my last 2 trips with my buddy Brian. If you can find the bunker you will catch bass. The bunker haven't been on the surface in 2 months. On the way to the tuna grounds yesterday we came across a lot of schoolies out by the tankers.
