Got an invite to fish Canyon Runner Charters one of the best charters on the East Coast. Left at midnight after the storms moved offshore. 48’ 80’s version Viking with large Bonner Box on deck. ran to Triple Wrecks. Must have been 60 boats out there. Lines in at 4:40AM. Two long riggers rigged ballys, 4 wide tracker spreader bars white pearl, purple black, green, pink. Two rigged ballys in the wash. One way back just behind the farthest spreader bars. First fish hit at 5:15. Boated a nice 40 lb Yellowfin at grey light. Lines out again on the troll. Any life that showed itself got covered up quick by center consoles with poppers. Second Yellowfin boated at 6:00AM. Fought the Poppers for awhile then trolled farther North and East. Hot day much beer consumed. Around 2:00PM got some intel the bite was on near the Toms. Pulled in out riggers and made the run to the flats inside the Tom’s. Whale spouts dolphin schools birds. We knew it would happen soon. Chugged our way around the few boats there. Suddenly a sportfisher gets a double right in front of us but we were still chasing whales in the distance. Question was do we mug the boat fighting the doubles or keep chasing the whales which seemed to moving East. We followed the whales. Finally making headway on the whales came across a patch of Shear Waters mixed in with Dolphin and the whales chomping on sand eels brought to the surface by the big whale flukes. 3 rods started to scream! Boated 3 nice Yellowfin. While we slowed to get the lines back out 3 chicken Mathis attacked the spread and got boated. On the next pass through that Nat Geo area we doubled up but lost one at the boat. Plowed that field again. No love right away but Pow! The long rigger Bally got smacked. Of course the biggest fish and farthest out they handed the rod to me. Boated our 7th Yellowfin. After that the bite shut down even though there was plenty of bird, whale, and Porpoise action. Trolled until 6:00PM then headed for the barn. 7 Nice Yellowfin, 3 Mahi.
Hell Yeah! Thats awesome... unfortunately dealing with knee issues (AGAIN) or Id be up there today.... You rigging the ballyhoo with Islanders or chugger heads?
Little inshore trip to Axcel for flatties on Thursday yielded 4 keeps and 1 seabass. Lots of youngsters and almosts. Highlight of the day was passing a kidney stone when I got home! Beer is a wonderful remedy.
Headed out Tuesday for a meat hunt. Was originally thinking about bonito/blues but the Ling bite is smokin right now so, I'll fill the cooler. 3 weeks until next Tile trip so I'll be bringing spinning gear, mackerel rig and a A47 just in case some bait comes thru.
I get the cleaning done by the mates and put immediately on ice. Really good eating fish. I like Ling better than Sea Bass. Basically its the oily strips I'm after for the smallish Ling and keep the fat filets for the table. Need the oily scent in the water on the Tile Trips. Will stop by Fisherman's Den and get some bunker too. Use some for the Canyon trip and freeze the rest for the Pulley Ridge trip in October.
