Flamboyant Flat Fish (9/21)

[Latimeria]

Got a call to go Ahi fishing on my buddy's boat.  Weather window this week was very small and my buddy got Ahi this last Saturday and his buddy scored just the day before at the Hidden Bank. 
Got my Mexican permit last minute online (which is a blessing over having to run down to the shops and pay extra for their handling charges)
We were running a little late due to some unforeseen issues, but still launched at only a minimal delay.





It was a spectacular sunrise in the morning!  Forecast called for light winds and small seas, and on the way out it looked like that was going to be the case.



On the way, we kept hearing reports of people turning back to fish the islands because the weather was so sloppy.  Maybe I should have remembered "Red Sky at Night, Sailor's Delight.  Red Sky in the morning, Sailor's take Warning".  Not sure if this would qualify though.



As we got to the islands, there was waves coming from the mainland???  WTH?  it was a washing machine trying to get by the Coronados and never let up.  We were guessing it was leftover wind waves and current from a windy evening and the wind just only died slightly.

We get to the grounds to find 3 sporties trolling, along with a handful of other boats and not long after we arrived, Ali showed up in his ridiculous BD center console boat which is more like a 45' cruiser with a 25' tower for 4 and three 350's on the stern.  (Yes, that is a little jealousy talking)  lol

We trolled for hours and just watched the entire fleet dissipate all over.  Some going south, others going west, north and east....  Just a single blind strike is all we heard of until someone got a triple up at the 425. 



Trolling, Trolling, Trolling... Keep those doggies Trolling..



Things did not look fishy at all... We heard a call about Dorado about 10 miles west of us and normally we don't go chasing radio fish, but there wasn't a kelp or even bait to be seen here, so we reeled in the trolling rigs and bolted NW.

About 9 miles away and we see this... with not another soul around!



Biggest paddy I've seen in years, covered with turns and jumping dorado all around it...  The excitement was electrifying!
I actually brought a spinner since the fish have been line shy and was remember hating all the fools on the sport boats that would hook up when no one else was on junky coffee grinders.  I did a little switching of my gear the night before and rigged a perfect rod for pitching baits into the wind and hoped the rig would hold.  We metered up to find thousands of dorado all over, but would not eat a thing.  We started to chum the area with chunks and that wouldn't even get them to go.

Finally we started to slow troll the 'dine and it was like a dinner switch was just turned on!  We lost a few on pulled hooks, but had fun in getting our limit.

Nice cow



Almost all cows....



My buddy got the bull, but I guess didn't want a fresh shot since he slammed a plier through his head before holding him up for a picture.  He needs to learn the beauty of a fresh picture over a beaten and bloodied picture. hahaha



My buddy kept farming them (as well as I before I filled our quota and before the fleet found us on their radars and came swarming in).  They would jump like crazy and I think my buddy got some great video on his GoPro



Friggand people just started showing up out of the blue and only  one of the boats had any courtesy.



We caught and released a couple more before we decided to head out and look for tuna.  It didn't help that a huge sea lion came out of nowhere like 24 miles offshore and started to screw everything up.  The sealion just barely got a hold of this guy before I swung him over the rail into my arms.  Not sure when I tossed him back if it got him though as the big dog was like a missle under the boat in hot persuit.



A Flamboyant Flat Fish flying out of my hands when trying to hold it for a quick pic before the release



As we were trolling again looking for tuna, I thought I saw a pod of dolphin, but with the stabilizer binoculars, I saw it was a football field size of tuna!  As we picked up and ran to it, a big 57' flybridge sport boat was heading that way and literally ran through the school before stopping on it and sinking them out.  I'm not kidding, like right in the middle of it!  I was dumbfounded.

A smaller school popped up near us and we started to run over to it, but they were only up for 45-60 seconds tops before sinking out.  We saw another group and you guessed it.  Mr. Daddy Warbucks in his million dollar yacht ran right over them again.  Ugh.... This time they stayed down.  We tried drifting baits on them, or at least where they  possibly were, but to no luck.

By this time we just trolled until we were about 2 hours from the ramp before we headed to the barn.  It was a rough ride in from the NW winds, but we actually got back to his place before dark to clean up the boat. 

Back at his house, we cleaned up the boat and I saw his filet job on his Dodo... and had to stop him from cleaning mine.  I'm a little picky when it comes to cleaning my fish and didn't want a hack job, so I packed them in ice and will clean them when I get home.  One of my many quirks as Squatch would attest to, but also to anyone who has ever eaten any fish I caught, knows the quality  from that quirk.  lol

As I was getting home, the moon down the end of Mission Gorge was mesmerizing!  The picture didn't do it justice, but anyone out last night around 7:30 knows what I mean!



Well, thanks for reading.  I checked my messages and no call from the shop about the boat.  I'll call today and see where it's at.

Thanks for reading and I needed that trip to mellow my brain!

[BenCantrell]

Nice work on the mahi Tom! That's awesome!!

[sasquatch]

Was looking forward to sharking but I would have canceled for a boat ride too so no hard feelings.

Glad you had a good trip.

[Tim524]

 Those are some beautiful fish, even after the Joe Pesci treatment Nice trip, congrats 

[KogaHead]

Damn, like the taste of Dorado better than Ahi.

Lot easier and funner to catch, especially on light tackle.

You had a killer of a day.

[jrodda]

Dodos have gotta be my favorite fish, still waiting for my first west coast one. Good job cleaning up on em. Too bad about the kooks running over the tuna.

You gotta make a masterclass video on your fillet job, I'm real curious. My filleting has been getting better this year with all the solo trips but I'm sure I have much to learn.

[vdisney]

Awesome write up Tom, stoked for you...............   

[skrilla]

Beautiful paddy. Glad you got em. I know what you mean about the moon, the skies staged it extra nice this week.

[Pinoyfisher]

I love me some fresh dodos!!!