Had Chuck Locke and Charlie Hopson today for a tuna trip. The plan was to go for bluefins and then backtrack to the other inshore tuna area if needed.
Left SRI at 3:45 am and had a great ride out doing 21 kts in the dark. Set up on anchor at 6:20 am and had our 1st bluefin tuna bite at 6:25 am. Went 4 for 5 there with bluefins to 45". No over fish. The bite was over at 9:00 am. We caught some false albacore and skipjacks also.
Spoke to my dock friend Eddie and he had some yellowfins back inshore. We set up on the very slow drift and had some false albacores.
About an hour later the 40' line goes off fast and I grabbed the rod. The tuna fought like a yellowfin...it was about 45 lbs. We got it close but the line broke at the circle hook due to the light leaders. I did not see if it was a bluefin or yellowfin but it fought like hell. My fault...I thumbed it too much and put too much pressure on the leader.
Headed back to the barn at 3:45 pm and did 30 kts coming home.
Great day all around - weather, friends and fishing.
Joe T.
