Braid 8-Day 2009

We departed June 27th on the annual Braid 8-Day on the Excel heading straight for the Rocks after picking up a load of healthy sardines. The forty-four hour travel time to Alijos Rocks was spent with tackle seminars and rigging tackle. We would be the third boat to arrive making our prospects less than ideal.

Captain Justin Fleck ran the trip with Mike Ramirez as second. On deck were Joel, Derrick, Brandon and Dustin while Jim and Vince were in charge of the Galley. The trip was light this year with only 24 passengers, however, they were mostly regulars. After dinner the first night I had the pleasure of distributing Braid T-Shirts, jigs, trolling lures and the new Hand Wipes to remove offending smells that may repel fish.

Rigging Gear

View from my Stateroom Window

I had the pleasure of Stateroom Four on the main deck. It was the first time I've had a window stateroom and I enjoyed the view.


Free Diver "Chris" with his first yellowfin tuna caught from the deck of a boat


As soon as we arrived at the rocks and got the anchor down, Justin put the kites out. I was first up with a double sardine rig. It didn't take long to get bit and what a surprise when my fish came to color and I had to call for two gaffs - two gaffs because I caught two fish - one on each hook. I sent both to the galley for dinner.

I had great luck fishing with bobber balloons catching seven yellowfin between 50 and 65 lbs. the first day. I also had 5 yellowtail for the day. We boated 47 yellowfin and 42 yellowtail the first day and about the same the next. The third day conditions changed so we took off for the ridge arriving there the next morning.

It was wide open yellowtail fishing for 20 to 35 pound yellowtail. They bit jigs, bait, surface irons, slugs, poppers - virtually anything you threw at them. We had all we needed in 3 hours so Justin called for a crew fish off. First yellowtail to hit the deck wins - but there was a catch. The fish had to be gaffed by one of the lady anglers - there were four of us - Jill, Kathy, Holly and me. I wish I could say I was part of the winning team - but not only did I lose, I cost Dustin first place. When Dustin's fish came to the boat, it was green and I couldn't get a good shot with the gaff. Kathy and Mike won. I did get to gaff Justin's yellowtail which was 48 pounds.


Holly pulling on a fish

The Gaff Girls - Jan, Jill, Kathy & Holly

Kim with a nice Yellowtail

Jill pulling on a yellowtail

Yellowtail fishing

Kathy with a nice yellowtail

Justin's 48 pound yellowtail caught on a surface iron

Shortly after the trip began, Jim developed a problem with his leg that our on board doctor suspected might be a blood clot. Jim had to keep his leg up for the remainder of the trip to reduce the chance of it breaking loose - if it was a clot. Vince handled most the cooking the rest of the trip with assistance from all the crew. One morning our Captain decided to cook breakfast - mushroom and swiss cheese omelets. They were fabulous!

We headed up the line to fish reds outside of Benitos. I managed 3 reds before a sealion took all my fish, hooks and all. Justin got the word that the albacore were biting and we took off for the off-shore grounds.

Fishing Reds

The albacore fishing was slow but we did manage to pick up 41 albacore before calling it a trip around 1 p.m. We cleaned up our gear and settled in for a nice final dinner. I had the pleasure of dining with a very unique group of anglers - each and every one unique in their own way.

My dinner companions

Path traveled during our 8 days at sea

Jackpot winners - Don Burnside with a 90.7# yellowfin; Roland Reesby with a 72.8# yellowfin; Jim Kastorff with a 72.6# yellowfin; and Steve Alexander with his 47.6# Bigeye caught at the rocks.

I had Mario loin out my 4 albacore and 5 of my yellowfin in preparation for canning. The next two days I canned 84 pint jars of albacore. The third day I smoked the rest of the tuna and canned that ending up with 72 pint jars of smoked tuna.

Canning tuna

Smoked Tuna ready to can

Dinner. The benefits of fishing - all you can eat sushi.