Railtime Bluefin!

We departed at 6 pm October 11th on the Rail Time heading for San Clemente Island.  Our hopes were high that the bigger models would choose to bite.  We, Jeff, Jim, Brian, Fumio, Tom and I, settled in.  Gary Adams, Captain and owner, said he wanted to check out Catalina on the way looking for squid.  We were lucky to have Andy cooking for us and Jake on deck.  I hit the bunk early as I was exhausted.

I was up at 3:30 am Friday morning to get ready for fishing.  Apparently the squid didn't bite as there were none in the bait tanks.  Gary stopped on a school of bluefin in the dark.  We fished our Flatfalls hard but the school left us.  Gary searched for another school but didn't find one until after daylight.  Gary finally got us on a school that we were able to get three 20 pound bluefin out of - one for me, one for Jim and one for Tom. 

  

The weather came up so we tried looking for yellowfin on porpoise schools.  The seas became so rough it was dangerous to continue fishing so Gary tucked us in close to the island at West Cove and let us fish calico bass. 

Jeff brought some bluefin from our trip earlier in the week.  He cut it up as an hors d'oeuvre for the group.  Such a treat.  After, Andy BBQ'd tri-tip for dinner while we witnessed a spectacular lightening display on the mainland.  I crashed right after dinner - around 9:30 pm.  We spent a peaceful night in the cove.

I woke up at 3 am when Gary came down to put the coffee on and check the bait.  He told me that it would take an hour to get back to the fishing grounds.  I went back to bed for an hour then got up and got ready to fish.

I changed out my 30 and 40 pound outfits with #2 hooks.  The weather was surprisingly calm considering how rough the seas were the previous day.  Once Gary found a school, we fished our sardines and Flatfalls for nothing.  Eventually Gary found a school that we pulled out 11 small fish  and Jeff caught a 40 pounder.  I managed to catch one, Jim caught 3 as did Gary.  Tom caught 2 and Brian and Fumio each caught 1. 

Gary checked out school after school without anyone getting a bite.  He decided to chase the porpoise schools again on the way home.  Unfortunately they had lock jaw as well.

We ended the trip with 15 tuna, 14 of which were 20 pounders and Jeff's 40 pounder.  Jake and Andy filleted the fish on our way home.  We arrived around 6:30 pm.  I got home about 7:30.  I washed my hair and crashed.

Even though the bluefin were small, they tasted delicious.

Outrider Bluefin

Cathy invited Jeff, Jim and I to join her on the Outrider two-day trip October 9 & 10, 2018.  Unfortunately she injured her back and was unable to join us.  Another of her guests, Dick Guliani joined us as well.

Due to a trip cancellation, the boat was in dock when we arrived.  Even so, we didn't board and depart until 9:40 pm.  Tucker headed to the bait receiver first to load up on sardines then on to the back side of San Clemente Island where the bluefin tuna have been recently.  Justin would be cooking for us and Cody was on deck.

Tuesday morning I got up at 4:30 am but it was still another hour to the fishing grounds.  Captain Tucker didn't find a school to stop on until daybreak.  Once he stopped the boat, we fished our flatfalls hard but it was already too light for the flatfalls to work so we switched to lighter line and bait.  I fished 40 pound Berkley Pro Spec mono with a  3 foot 30 pound Pro Spec fluorocarbon leader tied to a 4/0 Mustad 92677 hook.  I hooked 3 fish in a row that bit through the line.  I switched to a small 5/0 eagle Claw circle hook then I landed two 60 pound bluefin. 

Jeff and Jim fished 30 pound fluorocarbon with a 1/0 Owner Mutu hook.  Jeff landed 3 bluefin, Jim and Dick had one each.  Tucker and Brian (second Captain) caught 3 bluefin as well.  The weather got calmer as the day went on and the fish quit biting.  Our bait had rolled and what sardines were left, were completely red.  By 3 in the afternoon, we had no choice but to return to dock to pick up more sardines.  We lost our chance to fish the sundown and the dawn bite window. 

The new sardines were very good.  We got back to the fishing grounds around 6 am and Jeff cast out a sardine on 40 pound line.  He hooked up right away and 30 minutes later he landed a 183 pound bluefin tuna.  Jeff cast out again and landed a 40 pound yellowfin tuna.  Other than those two fish, the tuna just weren't in a biting mode so Tucker took us to fish yellowtail.  Jim, Dick and I each caught a yellowtail before we called it a trip.

We got back to dock at 7:30 pm and packed up our gear and headed home.  Unfortunately, a woman side swiped my car in Long Beach.  Fortunately, no one was hurt.

I dropped off the yellowtail and bluefin for Shig.  I only kept enough for a couple meals for us.