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.”

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

Net Update

January 20, 2008

Woman Scores Hurricane Cow

The Loftus & Martin open charter aboard the Qualifier 105 returned to Pt. Loma Sportfishing at dawn January 20. Joe Crisci was skipper on the 16-day excursion, which produced three cow tuna and numerous fish on the cusp of the 200-pound marker, as well as a good take of wahoo.

The best tuna was caught by Tom Kelleher of Corona del Mar, a 241.6-pound tusker that chowed on a double sardine kite rig and the boat’s loaner gear for the purpose.

“It took an hour and 15 minutes,” said Tom. “I saw it hit, then the balloon marker came off. He took me from the stern corner up to the bow on the other side. He’s my second-best fish ever. I could tell my gear was maxed.”

Second skipper Cal Link said Tom’s boat rig had two 9/0 Eagle Claw circle hooks on 100-pound Big Game line and 130-pound Big Game Spectra, an Accurate 50 reel and a Calstar 6465 XH rod.

Chris Green of Riverside won second place for a 215.2-pounder he got with a mackerel on a 9/0 Eagle Claw hook. He said he used 100-pound Maxima line and 100-pound Spectra on a Penn 50 reel and a Calstar 6465 XH rod.

“He kicked my behind,” said Chris. “He’s my biggest fish.”

Jackie Fitzpatrick of Pacific Grove won third place for her first cow, a 211.6-pound yellowfin she bagged with the double sardine rig on the same boat outfit used by Kelleher to get the jackpot winner. She also got a tuna that weighed 194 pounds, and the trip’s best wahoo, a 70-pounder that won an award.

“He jumped out of the water and onto the bait,” Jackie said of the bigger tuna. “Then he took off right away. I’m saving up to do this again next year.”

Qualifier 105 will be in port for her annual boat work over the next few weeks, said skipper Joe Crisci.