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Flight Risk
Posts: 2,491 Captain
Pura Vida!
LWI - 11/26/16 - Skip Jack Saturday
Flight Risk
Posts: 2,491 Captain
Got a late start again, splashed the boat around 1:00 PM and headed for the inlet. Heard a boater yell out my name, turned out to be JIMinPB on his way in and had some live Gogs and a small Bonehead left over, thanks JIm! :grin
Was greeted with somewhat sloppy seas and decided to troll feathers toward the Northeast. Got to 130 and picked up a small Bonita. That was a good sign. Continued to deeper water, saw birds working, a small Skip Jack was next up and made it to the waiting ice bath. Planned to head out to 600' and turn back inbound. Trolled another hour or so, at 560' the starboard long gets crushed! A few minutes later a nice 8-10 LB Skip Jack shows up boat side, gaffed and stuffed into a waiting ice bath to join his cousin...
That one hit as I was going eastbound between swells. Made a 180 and headed back through the same area with no joy. Made a circuit headed out to 620' then a wide turn back Westbound just due east of LWI. Again, around 570' the starboard long is slammed again! 10 minutes later, another 8-10 Skippy is boatside, gaffed and on ice! By now, it's 5:30 PM, decided to head for the inlet and call it a day. If the seas were friendlier I would have stayed out for some night time bottom and drift fishing. It was just too nasty out there for my liking.
It was a short but fun afternoon of fishing with something nice for dinner. My wife put in a request for Tuna (AHI style) for Sunday, glad she got her wish!
Doesn't get much better than that... :beer
Was greeted with somewhat sloppy seas and decided to troll feathers toward the Northeast. Got to 130 and picked up a small Bonita. That was a good sign. Continued to deeper water, saw birds working, a small Skip Jack was next up and made it to the waiting ice bath. Planned to head out to 600' and turn back inbound. Trolled another hour or so, at 560' the starboard long gets crushed! A few minutes later a nice 8-10 LB Skip Jack shows up boat side, gaffed and stuffed into a waiting ice bath to join his cousin...
That one hit as I was going eastbound between swells. Made a 180 and headed back through the same area with no joy. Made a circuit headed out to 620' then a wide turn back Westbound just due east of LWI. Again, around 570' the starboard long is slammed again! 10 minutes later, another 8-10 Skippy is boatside, gaffed and on ice! By now, it's 5:30 PM, decided to head for the inlet and call it a day. If the seas were friendlier I would have stayed out for some night time bottom and drift fishing. It was just too nasty out there for my liking.
It was a short but fun afternoon of fishing with something nice for dinner. My wife put in a request for Tuna (AHI style) for Sunday, glad she got her wish!
Doesn't get much better than that... :beer
Pura Vida!
Replies
http://forums.floridasportsman.com/showthread.php?303-8-21-10-FPI-Crazzzy-Day-Offshore-Fishing-Trip
I've been shying away from the feathers lately because they don't hold up as well as other types of lures do, & I got tired of replacing them all the time. I may need to rethink that.
take a skip jack over a blackfin any day.
David
Hook N Up
That's interesting. I haven't caught either yet but I assumed skipjack was what they make tuna in the can out of and blackfin would be more like something I would season and sear. I'd love to hear your input.
One time when I came in with a boat load of mahi, a buddy of mine suggested that I boil some & make mahi salad out of it, much the same way that you would make tuna salad out of the stuff from a can. I tried it. It was a waste of good mahi. I can't understand why so much of the tuna sold in the US is canned that way. It truly is an example of making a sow's ear out of a silk purse.
Good to know. I had always heard the chunk light thing and figured the skippies were inferior. Now I know not to discriminate. If I can just get a few samples of each on the boat I can test it out. My favorite way to eat tuna is seasoned and seared.
I need to get the hang of that method. I eat most of my tuna as sushi. I'd like to add a few more options to my menu.
JIMinPB - Jim - I got these feathers at the new bait and tackle shop right at the foot of the Blue Heron Bridge under the Billboard sign. $5.00 each.
Plastered - I'm with you. Have had both. Both make great Ahi style tuna and Sashimi as well. I did read on the FWC (I think) website recently that Skipjack contain less methylmercury than the Blackfin, therefore, can be eaten more frequently.
Hook N Up - Agreed! Thanks David.
DarylB23 - Get a Red/White feather. Make sure it's a 'feather' and not a plastic skirt. Get them at Tuppens, Lott Bros. or the new bait and tackle shop on the west end of Blue Heron Bridge right underneath the Bill board on the south side of the road. They cost right at 5.00. It's rigged, all you need to do put it on with a snap swivel. Get out past 200 feet. Let the lure out as far back as you can stand it. Mine was probably 600 or 700 feet behind the boat. (I use braid on a 6/0 Penn) You will get hit! Best trolling speed seems to be around 7 to 9 knots. If you are closer in, like 120' or so, you will pick up the Bonita's. Mixed in with them sometimes are Blackfins. In the deeper water, you seem to get the Tuna's like BFT and Skippy's - And, occasional Dolphin. I've been told to put the feather on a planer for better hook-ups, however, I was not using a planer.
Another thing. Look for the birds when you are out there. If you see BFT breaking the surface feeding under birds, DON'T troll through them, but instead, make a wide circle around them, and by the time the lure gets to the fish, the boat is nowhere near and you're dragging it right through the school all by itself... you'll get clobbered often that way. Post some pics of them when you get them. By the way. You will need an HMS permit to keep the Skip Jacks if you don't already have one.
One more thing. BLEED THEM by cutting through the throat under the gill plate.
Good luck! :grin
PS - Try making some Ahi Poke with it if you like Sashimi style tuna.
Pura Vida!
The original Mirrolure ,(3.5 inches, silver sides, green back) is a tuna killing machine. Lose the front treble hooks completely and switch out the back two trebles for single strong J-hooks. It'll track true at pretty high speeds if you adjust how far back you run it. The sinking version is a little better running than the floater. Don't try to swing the fish in if it is of any size however, the front eye screw you attach your line to can rip out of the plug. Use a net/gaff....give it a try.
Capt. Scott
I was in Hong Kong and couldn't read your post.
Apparently, the Chinese have figured out that I'm a spy and consequently, I can't do anything on FS Forum, Craigslist, etc.. :banghead:banghead
Great report and way to make something from nothing.
Cheers
Eric
PLANE FISH N
We gotta get out there if the weather will give us a break soon.
I felt the same way - something from nothing. Was happy to get them.
Capt. Scott - Thanks for posting, will also give it a try on the Mirrolure.
Pura Vida!
The 52M and 52MR,(3 5/8") in color #18,(green back, white belly, silver scale sides). Color # 24,(blue back, WB,SS) is also good when there are flying fish around. I see they have also added the 77M, (slightly larger at 4.25 inches, same colors, #18 & #24) which I'm sure would also work well, especially on larger tuna. Be forewarned though, Wahoo/Kings will clip these off your line at an alarming rate, but the tuna generally won't hit them with wire traces....If wire is needed and there are tuna in the area, use single strand coffee stainless #5 or 6, and no longer than 6 inches long....