West Coast Angler - Long Range Fishing Reports

Bill Roecker for FishingVideos.com & the San Diego Sportfishing Council

Net Update

January 22, 2008

Hurricane Bank Flip-Flop: Tuna to Wahoo

By Paul Sweeney

“We had a bonanza afternoon on the last day,” Skipper Jeff DeBuys said after returning Independence January 22. “And we had two very good days on tuna at Hurricane Bank, and then the conditions flip-flopped and all the tuna left. But that’s when the wahoo came in.”

The 16-day Avet-Ozaki charter returned with six cows, yellowfin tuna over 200 pounds.

“We had a good group of people,” charter master Rick Ozaki said, “and our last stop was great. We were on a long soak on a pretty good meter mark. Once the sun dropped, twelve anglers hooked up one by one, right on down the line.”

Ten minutes was all it took for Allen Smith of Santee to take home top spot in the jackpot with a 235-pound yellowfin. Allen used a 5/0 Hayabusa hook, 100-pound Seaguar Premier fluorocarbon, 100-pound Yo-Zuri Hybrid line, an Avet 50 Topless reel and a Calstar 7465 H rod.

“I got 13 wahoo at the Bank,” said Allen. “All on Raider jigs.”

San Diego Angler charter member Don Rolstad of Bonita placed second for a 226.4-pound tuna caught on the kite. Don used a live flying fish on the boat’s gear to haul it in.

“I’m 80 years old,” Don said, filling out his San Diego Angler Official Weight Receipt. “And I exercise regularly, but I didn’t exercise enough for this trip. He fought quite well.”

Dave Rocchi of Cypress placed third with a 206-pound yellowfin tuna. Dave hopped on the Indy a day after returning from his 10-day charter aboard the Royal Star January 5. Dave fished a sardine on a 7/0 Hayabusa hook, 100-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon, an Avet STS 50 reel and a Seeker 6460 XH rod.

“It’s been 26 days for me,” remarked Dave who reps Yo-Zuri, Hayabusa, Newell and Seaguar. “My wife is used to it, this isn’t our first rodeo.”

Tony Dekruif of Manhattan Beach saw his last bait out turn into a 206-pounder. Tony used a 6/0 Hayabusa hook, 100-pound Yo-Zuri line, an Avet 50 reel and a 6455 Calstar rod.

Frank Bartell of Buena Park was disappointed when his 200.8-pound tuna was weighed at Pt. Loma Sportfishing Certified Scales. “I only wanted a 100-pounder,” he exclaimed, “and I missed it by a hundred pounds!”

Frank fished a sardine on a 6/0 Hayabusa hook, 100-pound Yo-Zuri line, an Avet 30 reel that he won on the boat, and a Calstar rod. “This fish was frisky,” he noted.

First time long ranger Wayne Silger of Fresno caught a 170-pounder. Wayne was highly appreciative of Jeff and the Indy’s crew.

“I’ve already signed up for next year,” he said. “This was my first tuna trip of any kind. That boat was just awesome.”

The Indy also brought back an archival tag, passed on to Ed Everett of the IATCC for analysis. Ed said the tag would reveal the sex, diving depths, internal body temperatures, sea temperatures, time and date.

“It looks like it was tagged a couple months ago on the Royal Star,” remarked Ed. “They were down at the Lusitania where Jeff said this one was caught. We don’t see much movement from the fish at the Banks. Down by the Equator, we see a lot of distance traveled.”