April 26, 2010
Mikkelsen-Poole Memorial Returns

Excel Coming Home

The annual Ralph Mikkelsen Big Fish trip shared titles and honors with the late Bill Poole this year, and there were big tuna aplenty for the 25 anglers on the 17-day adventure. Most of the fish came from the Hurricane Bank, said skipper Justin Fleck after docking the Excel at Fisherman’s Landing April 26.
“Tuna fishing was good,” he said, “and wahoo fishing was excellent. We took a look at Cedros Island on the way home. The water there really looked good, and there was good fishing for bigger yellows.”
There were 11 cows, or tuna over 200 pounds, on the Excel, along with many fish from 100 to 200 pounds. Anglers had about ten around on the wahoo.

The Stack

Bill Lynd of Green Calley, AZ won first place for a 231-pound yellowfin. He got it with the kite and a flying fish on a 10/ Mustad 7691 hook attached to 130-pound Big Game line and 130-pound Line One Spectra. He used a Penn 50 reel modified by Cal Sheets and a Calstar Baja Boomer rod.
“I had a live flyer for bait,” said Bill, “and he got boiled on as he was swimming out. Then he took off and flew about 25 feet, and when he went back in the fish ate him. I got the fish close pretty fast but then he took off so fast and far we got the backup rig ready.
“Skipper Justin though he was tail-wrapped for sure. Then he stopped, dead on the bottom. All the crew and passengers cooperated to get him back up. I was reeling him close to the boat when a shark came after him, but it turned away and didn’t bite.”

Excel Jackpot Winners

Joann Ciciliano of Las Vegas won second place and the high roller jackpot for her 227-pounder. Her fish ate a double sardine rig under the kite, with the ‘dines hanging on 8/0 Eagle Claw hooks. She said she used 130-poudn Izorline fluorocarbon and 130-pound Line One Spectra on a Penn 50 W reel and a Seeker Black steel 6463 XXXH rod, to beat her prize in 40 minutes.
Janie Massion of Calabasas won third place for a 226-pound tuna he got in just seven minutes, he told Roecker.
“It was that new reel, that Accurate 80 with special high speed gears,” he said, “it has unbelievable speed and power.”
Massion baited a brace of mackerel on 9/0 Eagle Claw hooks tied to 130-pound Momoi and 130-pound Line One Spectra on his Accurate 80 and a Calstar 755 XXH rod.

Cal Sheets on the Royal Star Tagging Yellowfin Tuna

Andy Marcum of Oceanside got a 220-pounder on a flying fish under the kite. He said he used a 20/0 Mustad circle hook and a 12/0 Mustad 7691 tied to 130-pound Big Game line and 130-pound Line One Spectra on a Penn 80 ST reel modified by Cofe, along with a Calstar 755 XXH rod by Peabod.
“It took an hour and 45 minutes,” said Andy. “He kicked my butt. I saw a huge boil, and he was on. He took me around the boat four times, and we ended it up on the bow.”
Patrick Gallagher of Ventura caught a 215-pounder with a flyer under the kite. He said the bait was on a 10/0 Mustad 7691 hook tied to 130-pound Momoi and 130-pound Line One Spectra. He used an Avet 50 reel and a Calstar 7655 XXH rod.
George Meigs of Seal Beach bagged a brace of tuna at 210 and 215 pounds. He fished with sardines for the smaller one and a flyer on the other. The sardine was baited on a new Mustad 6/0 Demon ringed hook, and the flyer on a 10/0 Mustad 7691 hook. He used the same 130-pound Basil topshot and 130-pound Spectra on a Penn 80 W reel and a Calstar 6465 XXH rod on both fish.
Auggie Roberts of Hermosa Beach had a 211-pounder and a tip. He got the fish in 30 minutes, on a flying fish under the kite on a

Tagged Yellowfin Tuna being released on the Royal Star

10/0 7691 hook and a 20/0 Mustad circle. He used a Basil topshot of 130-pound Momoi and 130-pound Line One Spectra on a Penn 80 S reel by Sheets and a Calstar 6465 XXXH rod.
“I got fouled,” he said, “so I was skipping the thing back in when I got bit. He got hooked on the circle, right in the corner of the mouth. “I put a Turk’s Head on my reel butt,” he said, just above the gimbal so the rod won’t slip out of somebody’s hand when I need to pass it off in a tangle.”
Ralph Mikkelsen caught a 211-pounder. He now has over 50 tuna that weighed more than 200 pounds, and five over 300 pounds.
“This one came on a Yummee Flyer under the kite,” he said. “It was on a Mustad 16/0 circle, 130-pound Izorline and 130-pound Izorline spectra. I used a Penn 80 VSW reel modified by Cal Sheets and a Seeker 6463 XXXH rod, and got the fish in 15 minutes. I take no prisoners.”
Bob Buckland of Simi Valley took a 207-pound tuna in 20 minutes. He’s been averaging one cow per trip for many years, he said, and makes about three trips per year. His tuna came on the double sardine rig, on 5/0 Hayabusa hooks, 130-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon and 130-pound Line One Spectra. He fished with an 80 Avet reel and a Seeker 6364 XXXXH rod.
Bob Orth of Moreno Valley got the only baitfish of the trip, a 203-pound yellowfin. It bit his sardine pinned on a 7/0 Eagle Claw hook. He said he used 130-pound pink Yo-Zuri fluorocarbon and 130-pound Izorline Spectra on a Penn 50 T reel by Cal Sheets and a Calstar 760 H rod.
World record holder Curt Wiesenhutter didn’t get a cow this trip, but he said he did score 13 wahoo on bait and one on a bomb.
Tag ‘Em Up, Head ‘Em Out
“Today we borrowed a page from the old Revillagigedo playbook,” wrote Royal Star skipper Tim Ekstrom April 25, “dropping the anchor in the early a.m. and remaining stationary for the duration. Thirteen hours later we had accumulated sixty of the “stock” grade 100 to 175-pound yellowfin tuna with another four or five just under one hundred pounds. By the end of the day we were doing battle with a pretty good gathering of grinners so a new zone was sought to finish on a high note. It took a few attempts to find the right one; and we added another five tuna to the day’s tally for a total of seventy.
“What a pleasure, to take what felt like a step back in time enjoying an entire day of fishing while stationary, scratching away steady on the sardine tackle and kites, is an option completely unique to these Revillagigedo tagging voyages. With the lee side of the island presently the zone of choice, the entire day was spent in calm conditions under the surveillance of the local military garrison on the hillside that was close enough to the action to enjoy the show.
“So with our final day pending, we will finish up our tagging tomorrow and bid my beloved Clarion farewell until the next Revillagigedo tagging voyage in February 2011. I am already looking forward to it. Before I get that far ahead though we have plenty of work to complete tomorrow. I have to say that the indications of fish were fantastic at times today, and pushing into the full moon is traditionally a very consistent period, so my optimism for tomorrow is very high.
“Photo of the day features another dedicated tagging veteran in the process of releasing one of his many big yellowfin during this voyage. By Doug Taylor’s standard’s the 175 in the photo is a dwarf relative to the giant 324 (that was really more like 340) that he released at Roca Partida two years prior. The shot is of Doug’s lucky tuna on it’s way to freedom.”
Still Going
Royal Polaris is headed south on her latest trip. The report from April 25 indicated a brief stop at Alijos that produced “…wet lines.” Fishing reports should commence in another day or two.

Yellowfin In March: Amazing

Shogun at Alijos Rocks

Finding yellowtail at Alijos Rocks in March isn’t surprising. Discovering biting yellowfin tuna of the sort the long range fleet pursues during summer is revelatory. It may have happened before in March, but I don’t recall it. Often the water at The Rocks doesn’t warm up to tuna temperatures (say above 66 or 67 degrees) before May or June. Even then, the fish may not be there. But skipper Norman Kagawa on the Shogun found ’em biting shortly after scoping back on the anchor line yesterday. Here’s the first report.
“The anchor went down at Alijos Rocks this morning,” said the report for March 29 and within half an hour we had a decent tuna bite developing, the fish averaging 35 to 45 pounds, with a handful of fish twice that size. Capt. Norm hustled to get both kites in the air and tuna came aboard on fly lined and kite fished sardines.
“A big heart breaker was lost at color estimated at 125 pounds that bit a chunk bait. The tuna bite slowed this afternoon but the yellowtail picked up the slack. We fished all day under clear skies and fair seas. This evening the Shogun is anchored up at Alijos Bank, perhaps there will be a night bite on the yellows. Tomorrow we’ll return early to the tuna grounds. It’s been a great first day.”

Bill Roecker for FishingVideos.com & the San Diego Sportfishing Council
Net Update
March 29, 2010

Spring Has Sprung

Skin on the Intrepid

With two long range boats heading for home and another enroute to Alijos Rocks, the spring season is underway. The homeward bound sportfishers have cows aboard. Intrepid will dock Wednesday, March 31, after the Wahoodad/Willy trip, and the Royal Polaris is scheduled to tie up at Fisherman’s Landing the next day, April 1, following the Jerry Brown Line One Spectra expedition. Shogun added to her many early-season laurels with the year’s first bluefin tuna, caught on a meter mark. Here are their latest reports.
Flat Rolling For The Barn
“As we head home in beautiful seas,” wrote skipper Kevin Osborne March 27,
“with a great atmosphere here on the Intrepid, everyone is talking about the fantastic Wahoo fishing we encountered on this trip. We have full limits on the skin, to go along with a good catch of Yellowfin to 220 pounds for 13 anglers.
“It was the best Wahoo fishing seen in a long time. If you are thinking of this trip for next year we would like to let you know that the two weeks before the full moon in March all the way through the full moon in April, has, is, and will continue to be the best Wahoo fishing of the year. We have been blessed with outstanding weather for the length of our trip so far and hope it continues for the next few days.

Cow Yellowfin on the Royal Polaris

“The weather remains very nice as we make our way up the line,” he wrote March 28. “We came across a pod of Orcas that seemed to be showing a young calf the way around. The Killer Whales allowed us to get very close and get some snapshots of them as we watched them casually swim around the vessel. There were two large Whales and one younger calf.”
A Sunny Outlook
“Our weather continues to be beautiful, with lots of sunshine,” said the report from Royal Polaris March 27.
“We had another great day of fishing on Wahoo and Yellowfin. The best bite came at sunset with Yellowfin in the 140 to 160-pound range, on the kite and flylined Sardines. The largest fish caught today was by John Jeffreys. John’s fish came in at 212 pounds. This is our third fish over 200 pounds this trip. We will fish until noon tomorrow, then head for home.
“Weather is just gorgeous,” stated the report from March 28, “with clear skies, a slight breeze, and all the sunshine you could ask for. We ended our trip with another 200-plus-pound Yellowfin tuna.

Royal Polaris spots some Orcas

“The lucky angler was Ron Lewis, and it was his first Yellowfin over 200 pounds. Ron’s fish came in at 237 pounds. The fishing cooled off some, but I think it was due to lack of participation.
“We are now headed for home, with a group of happy anglers.”
Shogun Gets Year’s First Bluefin
“This morning the Shogun is once again fishing long range,” said Shogun’s report for March 27, “clearing Pt. Loma by 10 am, headed toward Alijos Rocks. We hope to find favorable sea temps and biting tuna and yellowtail. South of the Coronado Islands there were yellows boiling under the birds and a few Bonito jumped on the trolling plugs, 2010 could shape up to a good fishing season both local and long range, Monday will find us at The Rocks.
On March 28, the encouraging report from Shogun noted, “Our new Furuno sonar marked a small school and a jig strike came a few

Seasons first Bluefin caught on the Shogun

seconds later. Surprise, surprise, the Shogun puts the first bluefin tuna of 2010 on the deck!
“This is another hopeful sign for the local tuna season. Tomorrow morning we’ll be on site at The Rocks, looking for tuna and yellows. In years past Alijos Bank has produced a great night bite on big yellows; that’s 24-hour fishing action!”

Net Update

March 15, 2010

Rooster’s In Cow Country Again
After a brief hiatus, San Diego’s long range fleet is beginning to fish in cow country during the early spring season. Royal Polaris departed from Fisherman’s Landing March 14 on the annual Jerry Brown/Line One Spectra trip. Her first reports should come around mid-week.
Andy Cates has the Red Rooster III on the southern fishing grounds, after reporting 75-degree air and water temperatures Friday while still enroute. One Saturday, March 13, he wrote:
“Our first day of fishing brought great action with a nice sundown finisher. Most of the fish were 60 to 100 pounds with a couple of standouts. Biggest fish went 225 pounds, caught right before dark.
“Tomorrow looks promising. After doing a lot of legwork today I think now we know where to be, But that we will find out at the end of the day tomorrow. The weather is nice and we are looking forward to another day.”

New Book
Bill Roecker and Paul Sweeney are well into production of a new book of photos, stories and right-on information about long range fishing. They are looking at a large format with colorful location, action shots and history, the kind of book to show your friends who want to know why you’d go so far to go fishing. The book will feature stories of discovery of the Toussaint Bank and the 125-pound wahoo caught there, about the legends of the sport like Bill Poole, Carl Newell, Frank LoPreste, Jack Nilsen, Ralph Mikkelsen and all the boats and skippers of the fleet, as well as recent events like the three 300-pounders hooked by Charlie Iwashita and the 364-pound giant just caught by Rob McAdams of San Francisco.
New DVD Coming Soon
Roecker’s next video is about fishing big tuna and wahoo on the Hurricane Bank, the prequel to “300-Pound Tuna,” a popular previous release. The ‘Cane is famous for wahoo fishing, and the skins are biting for the boys on this Accurate charter with Jack Nilsen. Wahoo and tuna bite on iron jigs and sardine, flying fish and skipjack baits.
Kite fishing is featured, and one scene shows a wahoo jumping out of the water repeatedly to get at a double sardine rig. Gary Teraoka gets a big tuna on a flying fish and a 12/0 Mustad 7691 forged J hook under the kite. See giant yellowfin surfing in the waves right at the Qualifier 105!
This is one for the fisherman, with lots of tips on fishing for the wahoo and the big boys. There’s plenty of tackle talk, and you’ll see how to straighten out kinked wire leaders, pin a flyer on the kite rig. Fish ‘em straight up or on the rail, but fish ‘em hard on the Hurricane!
2010 Izorline Knot Tying Contest (Information provided by Howard Hada)
The Izorline Knot Tying Contest was a popular event again at the annual Fred Hall Show in Long Beach. The two line testing machines at the Izorline main booth were kept very busy. Contestants were asked to tie their best fishing knot. After completing the knot, it was tested on one of the two machines provided by Izorline. There were four categories.
The Small Fry Category were for children 9 years of age or younger, the Junior Anglers were from 10 to 15 years of age, the Pro Division were in the fishing industry or media, and Adult Division was comprised of folks that did not fit in the preceding categories.
Hundreds of show attendees lined up to try their favorite fishing knots competing with others to win great prizes donated by those in the fishing industry. The Small Fry tied 25-pound line, the Junior Anglers and Adults tied 60-pound and the Pro Division used 100-pound test monofilament. All entry fees were equally shared by two organizations, The Friends of Rollo and United Anglers.
Daily winners in each division were notified to return for the final tie-off which was scheduled on the last day of the show. The finals were held on the main stage with a very large audience. Prize bags this year were overflowing with goodies such as free fishing trips on the San Diego sportfishing boats, rods and reels, lures, hook packs and clothing. The grand prize for the Pro Division this year was a three-day, two-night stay at the Treasure Cay Hotel Resort and Marina in the Bahamas. The Adult winner’s bag contained an Accurate Reel. All contestants to make the finals were awarded a gift bag and an Izorline trophy for their accomplishments.
The results for this year’s event are as follows:
SMALL FRY DIVISION
FIRST PLACE
Nick Yoro Double San Diego Jam knot that broke at 30.6 pounds
SECOND PLACE
Jordan Burton Palomar knot that broke at 30.0 pounds
THIRD PLACE
Noah Kim San Diego jam knot that broke at 24.7 pounds
JUNIOR DIVISION
FIRST PLACE
Victor Chavarria double SD jam knot that broke at 101.3 poundss
SECOND PLACE
Hunter Denette double SD jam knot that broke at 100.8 pounds
THIRD PLACE
Vasili Buhos 3 turn double Uni knot that broke at 91.6 pounds
FOURTH PLACE
Eddie Moreno (little) Double SD jam knot broke at 78.8 pounds
ADULT DIVISION
FIRST PLACE
Victor Manzo Double SD Jam knot broke at 99.8 pounds
SECOND PLACE
Dean Martin Miller knot broke at 97.9 pounds
THIRD PLACE
Carlo Lapalca Custom knot broke at 96.5 pounds
FOURTH PLACE
Michael Harp Double Improved Clinch knot broke at 88.5 pounds
FIFTH PLACE
Mark Poplawski Unknown knot broke at 57 pounds
PRO DIVISION
FIRST PLACE
Justin Greenberg Double SD Jam knot broke at 138.5 pounds
SECOND PLACE
Mike Meredith Unknown knot broke at 137 pounds
THIRD PLACE
Captain Eddie Moreno Double SD Jam knot broke at 136.0 pounds
FOURTH PLACE
Dan Barrios San Diego Jam knot broke at 135.5 pounds
FIFTH PLACE
Dan Anderson Double SD Jam knot broke at 121.5 pounds

February 28, 2010

Izorline Trip Back With A Blue Moon Story

Red Rooster III Jackpot Winners

Red Rooster III arrived at H&M Landing February 28 after a 16-day Izorline trip with a fly back option. Andy Cates skippered the trip, which garnered four tuna over 200 pounds.
“We had nice days until the end of the trip,” said Cates, “when the wind came up. Most of our fishing was drifting, after we found ‘em on bird schools.”
Izorline rep Ernie Seko fished aboard, winning the jacket given by the boat for the biggest fish caught on the troll. In Ernie’s case, it was a 59.7-pound yellowfin that beat out Nick Montilepre’s 48-pound wahoo. Both fish took trolled Marauders.
The trip’s best fish was ineligible, as it proved to be a toughie, hooked by Jin S. Chang of Koreatown in Los Angeles. Jin said the 258.8-pound yellowfin bit a sardine on a 4/0 ringed Super Mutu hook tied to 130-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon and 130-pound Spectra on a Penn 50 reel and a Calstar Baby Boomer rod.  “It fought for about an hour and 45 minutes,” said Chang, and it went around the boat three times. Two other people helped me to land it.”
Chang stood in with the winners as honorable mention, and gave Bill Roecker a written report of the adventure, portions of which will follow this report.

Red Rooster III

Joe Cho of Fontana and Cosmos Sports of LAA Tackle Store won first place for a 245.6-pound tuna he bagged with a sardine on a 5/0 ringed Super Mutu hook. He said he used 130-pound Izorline fluorocarbon, 130-pound Izorline mono and 130-pound Izorline Spectra on a Penn 50 VSW reel and a Boomer Jr. rod.
Joe, a regular on fly back trips, said he brought the big tuna to gaff in about 30 minutes.
Mike Zakar of San Diego won second place for a 206.6-pounder that stayed up on the surface and fought him for about 20 minutes. Mike said he got it with a sardine on 130-pound Izorline fluorocarbon, 100-pound Izorline and 130-pound Izorline Spectra. He used a Penn 50 reel and a Boomer Jr. rod.
Isto Pollanen of San Diego won third place for a 202.1-pound tuna. He hooked it after a long soak on a sardine and a rig borrowed from the boat: 130-pound Izorline fluorocarbon and Spectra on an Accurate 80 reel and a Calstar 760 H rod.
Bill Wirth of Bonsall was awarded the Izorline Sportsman’s Trophy.
Joe Cho told Roecker that next year’s trip will run from February 11 to 27, and will be sponsored by Cosmos Sports of LA. It will be limited to 23 anglers. The first 16 to book with full payment will each receive a new Penn 50 VSW reel.
The following is extracted from Jin S. Chang’s account of the trip, which he provided at the dock:
“While my friend Joe was fishing, his line became entangled. A deckhand helped him untangle his line. But as the deckhand was handing back Joe’s rod, Joe’s hand slipped off and let go of it. As it fell into the ocean Joe’s quick hands grabbed the line. But since his reel was in freespool, Joe had to keep pulling until it reached the end of the reel. He was then able to get his rod back, after a lot of hard work and effort.
“Among the Korean community Joe is the leading long range angler. He rounds up anglers within the community to encourage us to go fishing. His skills are superior and his knowledge is vast. This was evidenced by the fact he won the jackpot.
“Here is a once in a blue moon story. Bong hooked a fish. As he put on his harness, his rod and reel went overboard. Bong’s lost fishing gear probably cost well over a thousand dollars. But there’s no crying in fishing, and the show must go on.
“About 20 minutes later, Bruce hooked something. He thought it was a fish. When he finally pulled his catch up, lo and behold, Bruce’s two-ounce weight was caught on Bong’s reel. Bruce not only caught Bong’s rig but also the fish that was still attached.
“Bruce, a former NFL player, got a two for one special. Bong was so happy to get his gear back he bought a round of drinks for all.”
Jin Chang’s story ended with a hearty thank you to the Red Rooster III, its helpful crew and skipper Andy Cates, “…for his tireless effort in making sure we had a good time and a great catch!”

Date of Trip: Friday, February 12 to Sunday, February 28, 2010

(16/13 – ride down/fly back trip)

There is a mysterious nature about water.  Water is everywhere and can take any size, shape or form.  Water can be in the ground, on the ground or in the sky.  Water can be in the form of mist, liquid or solid.  Water can also be different colors.  It is because of water rainbows are created.  A person has once said that a rainbow is one of the most spectacular light shoes observed on earth.  Rainbows can be observed whenever there are water drops in the air and sunlight shining from behind.

The sun rises, as well as sets on the water during my fishing trip.  When the sun reflects off the water, it is the most beautiful view you’ll ever see.  And on this fishing adventure, I am on this majestic water for many days.  And my fellow fishermen and I have high hopes to catch the big fish.

As soon as we pass the lighthouse at Point Loma, I know we have 90 more hours to get to our destination, Clarion Island.  Once we get near Clarion Island, we report to the Mexican military camp to notify them of our arrival.  Once the routine procedural things are done, our fishing adventure begins!

It has been my experience that fishermen love to tell stories.  Well, this trip created many stories to add to their collection they can share with loved ones.   And since I am a fisherman, let me tell you a few stories about this trip….

Simultaneous catches: Whose fish it anyway?

I don’t think I have experienced simultaneous catches on a trip before, but how ironic that it happened twice in one trip.  Two anglers happened to hook the same fish.  But whose fish is it?  In order to figure this out, they had to crank in the fish together and figure out who had first hooked the fish.  Bong’s hook was inside the fish’s stomach, while the other fisherman’s hook was on the fish’s mouth.  So it makes sense that the fish took Bong’s bait first, swallowed it and then bit the other fisherman’s bait next.  So, Bong had dibs on the fish because his hook was already inside the fish’s stomach which means Bong likely hooked the fish first.

The second simultaneous catch happened to me and Mike.  Both our hooks were on the fish’s mouth.  The hooks were only about an eighth of an inch apart from each other.  This scenario was not as clear cut as Bong’s incident because our hooks were almost in the exact same spot.  So whose fish was it?

You better make sure to hold on tight.

While my friend Joe was fishing, his line became tangled.  A deck hand helped him untangle his line.  But as the deck hand was handing back Joe’s fishing pole, Joe’s hand slipped off the pole and let go of it.  As Joe’s pole was falling into the ocean, Joe’s quick hands managed to grab the fishing line.  But since his line was in free spool when all this happened, Joe had to keep pulling and pulling the line until it reached the end of the reel.  When the line finally reached the end of the reel, he was then able to get his fishing pole back.  Joe put a lot of hard work and effort to get his fishing pole back.

Just a little note about Joe, he is one of the reasons, I take these fishing trips.  Among the Korean community, Joe is the leading long-range angler.  Joe rounds up anglers within the Korean community to encourage us to go fishing.  His fishing skills are superior and his knowledge is vast.  This is evidenced by the fact that Joe was the jackpot winner of this trip.  Congratulations!

This could only happen to a lucky man.

Here is a once in a blue moon story.  Bong had hooked a fish.  So to help reel the fish in, he needed to put on his harness.  But in the midst of putting on his harness, the hooked fish had pulled so hard, Bong’s fishing pole fell into the ocean.  Bong’s lost fishing gear probably cost well over a thousand dollars.  Not only did he lose his gear, but the fish as well.  But there’s no crying in fishing, and the show must go on.

About twenty minutes later, Bruce had hooked something.  The line was pulling, so Bruce thought it was a fish.  After a couple minutes of trying to reel it in, Bruce felt that there was something odd about this catch.  But Bruce continued to crank it in and when he finally pulled his catch up – lo and behold, Bruce’s two ounce weight was hooked into Bong’s fishing reel.  Bruce had not only caught Bong’s fishing pole but also the fish that was hooked by Bong’s fishing pole.  Bruce caught a 2 for 1 special.  Bong was so happy that his fishing gear was recovered that he bought a round of drinks for everyone.  Bruce who is a former NFL player, was happy to return Bong’s fishing pole along with the fish.  Bruce’s priority on this fishing trip was to make sure he got some proper exercise for his body and that’s what he got from this catch.

You do not want this to happen to you.

As Young was untangling his line, the line had accidentally wrapped around his middle finger.  Well of course, right when that happened, a fish decided to bite his bait and run.  The next thing we knew, the tip of Young’s finger was dangling off.  Since we were in the middle of the ocean, there was no hospital or doctors available.  But luckily the Mexican military camp at Clarion Island was able to help Young.  Young was taken to the camp by skiff boat and got 19 stitches.  His finger had to be wrapped in a lot of gauze.  He was very lucky to be able to get treated.  Fishing can be a dangerous sport; so we must always be vigilant throughout the trip not to get hurt.

Finally, I’d like to thank all the anglers on the Red Rooster III, some of which came to catch fish, others to relieve their stress or to relax.

Thank you to the deck hands who were so very helpful.  I never needed to ask for help, they were always there.  Thank you Fernando, Nick, Tom and Joe.

Thank you to Rick and Jaime for feeding and nurturing us to give us energy to fish.

And finally a big thank you to Captain Andy, who’ve I’ve had the pleasure of fishing with before.  For his tireless effort in making sure we have a good time and a great catch!

Sincerely,

Jin S. Chang

February 14, 2010

A Valentine Story: Rod Rack Returns

Intrepid Jackpot Winners

Intrepid docked at Pt. Loma Sportfishing February 14 (Valentine’s Day) after a 15-day trip with 16 anglers aboard. Kevin Osborne skippered the adventure and chartermaster Steve Volkers of the Rod Rack was also aboard.
“Some of the weather we hit was sloppy,” said Volkers. “We fished on The Ridge, up inside a little, and on the southern banks. We scratched a bit, for lots of 60 to 100-pounders and some from 100 to 200 pounds.”
There were two couples aboard: Bud and Marilyn Ruschhaupt of Fresno, and John Whitley and Valene Garrison, and they scored very well. Bud and John made it into the jackpot, and the gals each got more than one good tuna.
Valene had a story to go with her best tuna, one she hooked on 80-pound gear.
“It was harder than childbirth,” she remarked. “It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. I fought the fish for three hours. He took me around the boat five times. He weighed 180 pounds.
Marilyn’s fish was smaller, but her story was also compelling.
“My knee replacement fell apart,” she remembered. “I had to fight my fish on one leg.”

Bud Ruschhaupt of Fresno won first place for a 218-pound tuna. He fought it for 50 minutes, until it came up in the port corner. He said it bit on the kite on a squid. He used the boat’s kite rig: a 10/0 Mustad 7691 hook and a Mustad 16/0 circle hook, tied to 130-pound Line One Spectra on an Avet 50 reel and a Super Seeker 6463 XXXXH rod.
John Whitley of San Jose won second place for a 210.4-pound tuna that bit a sardine on a 6/0 ringed Super Mutu hook. He used 130-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon and 130-pound Izorline Spectra on an Avet 50 reel and a Super Seeker 2 x 4 rod, to beat th4e fish in a half-hour.
Art Green, Newport CPA, won third place for a 202.2-pound yellowfin he caught with the kite and “double trouble” sardines. He said he used 130-pound Izorline and 130-pound Izorline Spectra on a Tiagra 50 reel and a Super Seeker 6463 XXXXH rod.
“It was a pick bite,” noted skipper Osborne. We had 51 tuna on our best day and 43 the next.”

Perfect Fishing Conditions

Royal Polaris Yellowfin Tuna

“Our weather today was perfect,” said Frank LoPreste aboard his Royal Polaris February 13.
“We had a six to eight-knot breeze, sunshine and no swell. Fishing continues to consist of a nice scratch on the Yellowfin tuna. We caught 33 fish today from 90 to 165 pounds. Dick Emerson won a new Accurate reel with a 145 pound fish on the sardine and Dave Cavaness got his first ever kite fish at 165 pounds. We did lose a few fish to the sharks today. At times they have been pretty aggressive. We also continue to have a slow steady pick on the Wahoo. Enjoy the photos and we will report again tomorrow.

“P.S. The crew of the Royal Polaris wishes you all a Happy Valentine Day.”
Anywhere Insurance
Some years ago Accurate reels founder Jack Nilsen (who’s fishing now aboard the Royal Polaris) told me his wife had bought him an insurance plan that would cover him anywhere in the world. If he was injured, he said, the company would extract him by air from wherever he was hurt and get him to proper medical care.
I didn’t think much about it, since I assumed the cost would be far beyond anything most anglers could afford. After reading Don Causey’s account in the latest issue of the International Angler, the official news organ of the IGFA, I see I made a wrong assumption.
Causey didn’t have the insurance, and when he fell from a broken tree stand some 35 feet to the ground on an African safari, he broke his back, which he said left him unable then to stand or sit up. After some long painful days, he succeeded in getting medical air transportation out of Cameroon.
“In the end,” he wrote, “I had to come up with $124,000 to pay for this service.”
Causey also noted that if he had a policy from Global Rescue (at a cost of $119 a week or $329 a year) he could have bought a medical membership “…that would have performed the entire evacuation from forest floor to the home hospital of my choice at no additional cost.”
I know many anglers who might benefit in a big way from such an insurance plan. I’m not advocating for any particular company, but this one might well be worth looking into.
If you’d like to see the whole story Causey wrote, it’s in the January-February issue of International Angler.
Tag Trip Is Fishing

Royal Star Fishing Clarion

Royal Star is on a tagging trip to the Revillgigedos. Here’s a report from skipper Brian Sims about the first afternoon of fishing. None of the fish caught are brought home in the holds; everything’s released, with an appropriate tag, allowing for important data to be obtained later.
“We traveled down throughout the morning to our first fishing destination in breezy weather. The guys finished all of the rigging in preparation for our arrival after lunch. Upon arrival we tagged a few small tuna while getting things figured out. By mid afternoon we were enjoying good action on 40 to110-pound Yellowfin Tuna. Everything went very smoothly with two to four fish going for the remainder of the day.

“The first picture of the day shows three of our new Thai friends “bendo” on butterfly jigs. The second is of Greg De Selice with a 105# tuna.”

On Her Way Home

Royal Star Clarion Yellowfin

American Angler has finished her ongoing fishing trip and is heading for the barn. Here’s her latest report, posted by skipper Sam Patella February 13:
We ended up on the beach the last couple of days to finish up the trip and things aren’t what they used to be. Again we did the whole Lower Banks tour, each day we were there to only find some 50 to 60-pound Tuna for the effort. We are now on our way up the line in nice traveling weather and the forecast looks to be in our favor, and we like that. I’ll post the ETA in a couple of days for all the family folk; until then…”

Early Albacore

Albacore Fishing in Feb!!

The warm water conditions that have kept good fishing for giant yellowfin tuna going far longer than usual on the southern banks have been felt all the way up the Pacific coast. It could mean an early albacore season this spring. Encounters with longfin have been reported in January and February.
Heading south on a 16-day trip, second skipper Bruce Smith reported the catch of albacore on the boat’s second day of travel.
“We left yesterday on the annual January 16-day and par for the course on the second day out of San Diego (January 3) we came up with the first albacore of the year. Mr. Dave Hensley and the infamous “beer” Bob Dosek were the persistent anglers that had their trolling rigs in the water when we went by the willing tunas.”

Albacore coming to gaff

When Shogun returned to San Diego January 18, owner-skipper Norm Kagawa told dock reporter Bill Roecker that there were four albacore caught that day on the way south, all on the troll and all weighing 18 pounds.Now a second encounter has been reported on 976 TUNA. Skipper Terry Clayton of the Sea Adventure II was commercial fishing for blackgill cod when he saw jumping albies pass by alongside the boat just last week. He described them as 15-pound albacore.When a tuna jumped out of the water, Clayton said he could see its long pectoral fins, its “wings,” perfectly.

Such sightings and catches are unusual but not unheard of. Commercial skippers fishing west of San Clemente Island used to see albacore during the winter season. This latest sighting was said to be only 50 miles from San Diego. If the water remains warm and the fish stay near, albacore season could begin in April or May, as it has sometimes done in the past.

ALBACORE!!!!!!

Heading North To Fish
“It’s a long way to the 17th Parallel,” observed the report from skipper Sam Patella aboard American Angler February 10.
“We have made the Full Tour down here to the Southern Zone and now it’s time to gain some Latitude. The fishing has been fair with a few bigger ones and a mix of others and we are running up to spend the last part of our trip on the beach.
“The photo of the day is “Rain on the windows.” We have been in this Rain Cloud for over 200 miles for the last two days.
“As you can see, it is nice weather to travel in and we will be on the grounds day after tomorrow.”
American Angler is due back in San Diego February 16.
Travel Time’s Over

Royal Polaris Yellowfin Tuna

Frank LoPreste has his Royal Polaris fishing far to the south on a long winter Accurate trip, with chartermaster Jack Nilsen aboard.
“We arrived at our destination in the early morning,” he reported February 11.
“Weather was a bit breezy throughout the day, but laid down nicely about 16:00 hours.
“We managed to pick away at the Wahoo and Yellowfin tuna, mainly on the sardines. Our largest Yellowfin was about 160 pounds, caught by Jonathan Jeffers. Gail Lynch won a beautiful pair of Accurate pliers for landing the first fish in the morning over 100 pounds.”
Fishing Valentines
“Hi Bill,
Thanks for the nice write-up!  Would you be able to send me the full sized photo file of Floyd and me to my email?
Thanks,”
Jan Abbott
This shot was nice enough to put it up for Valentine’s day, so here it is.

Line One Trip Home

Steve George with his JP 238.6# Yellowfin

Skipper Roy Rose tied up Frank LoPreste’s Royal Polaris at Fisherman’s Landing on a rainy Saturday morning February 6. Chartermaster Jerry Brown and 16 other anglers were aboard for the annual 18-day trip, as were a brace of cows, tuna over 200 pounds.
Weather and sharks made fishing difficult at times, said Brown, making for an unusual trip.
Skipper Rose weighed the best fish on the dock, on Fisherman’s certified scales. Steve George of Ventura won first place, for a 238.6-pound yellowfin he caught on the kite. He said the fish was eligible because everyone had a full turn on the kite.
George said he used the “double trouble” sardine rig, with 7/0 ringed Super Mutu hooks on 130-pound Momoi line and 130-pound Line One fluorocarbon. He fished with a Penn 80 N reel modified by Baker and Sheets, and a Calstar BTG 6460 XXH rod.
“I got him in 45 minutes,” noted George. “He came up on the bow.”
Royal Polaris regular Joe Amagrande of Monrovia won second place for a 189.6-pound tuna. Art Yoshida of Las Vegas was right behind Joe with his third-place 189-pounder.
Conditions “Still Beautiful Down There”

Vince Otani with his 222# Yellowfin Tuna

Excel was next to dock at Fisherman’s Landing February 6. Justin Fleck brought the boat home with ten cows, caught by 23 anglers on the 15-day trip.
Asked about the conditions on the lower banks, Fleck observed, “It’s still beautiful down there. The water’s holding up at 74 degrees. The guys who put their time in at the rail did well.
“On the way home,” Fleck continued, “we had good yellowtail fishing on The Ridge. They were biting on yoyo jigs and the dropper loop with mackerel.
“One more thing that’s kind of new,” added Justin, “is that we had some good chunking down there on the banks.”
Vince Otani of Port Hueneme won first place with a sardine-caught tuna, and also got a 222-pound cow on a chunk.
Otani’s big fish weighed 243.4 pounds. He said it bit a sardine on an 8/0 Eagle Claw hook tied to 130-pound Yo-Zuri fluorocarbon, 100-pound Big Game line and 130-pound Line One Spectra on a Penn 50 reel and a Calstar 6460 XXH rod.
The fish behaved oddly, noted Vince. “He stayed on top the whole time. He never sounded. He came up in the starboard corner after an hour.”
“Big Al” Scow of Rancho Palos Verdes won second place for a 212.8-pound tuna. Al said it came on the kite, on a double sardine rig.

“Big Al” Scow with his 212.8# Yellowfin Tuna

“He pulled hard for an hour and 20 minutes,” remarked Al. “He was a daytime fish.”
Al used 130-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon, a Basil wind-on leader, and 130-pound Line One Spectra on a Penn 70 VSW reel and a Baja Boomer rod.
Bill Sands of Valley Center won third place for a 208-pound tuna, and also got a 203-pounder. He said he got his winner with a sardine on a ringed Super Mutu hook tied to 100-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon and 130-pound Line One Spectra. He fished with a Penn 50 W reel modified by Ken’s Custom Reels in Oceanside, and a Calstar Baby Boomer rod.
Bob “Bubbles” Maugh of Apple Valley took an hour and a half to land a feisty 232-pound tuna. It was non-eligible because he thought it was a shark and passed it off. He said he fished with a sardine on an 8/0 Eagle Claw hook. He used 100-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon on 130-poundSpectra, an Avet 50 reel and a Calstar GG 6455 XXH rod.
Curt Wiesenhutter of Cour d’ Alene, ID caught a 200.5-pounder. Curt remains the IGFA world record holder for yellowfin tuna, for his 388-pound giant caught back in 1977 at San Benedicto Island aboard Royal Polaris.
Wiesenhutter said he got this one on a sardine and an 8/0 Eagle Claw hook. He used 100-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon and 130-pound Line One Spectra on a Sheets-treated Penn 50 reel and a Calstar 655 XXH rod.
Al Merrick got a 205-pound yellowfin tuna. Augie Roberts had a 201-pounder.

Couple Scores Big: She’s “Torqued”

Floyd and Jan Abbott with matching 251# Yellowfin

Randy Toussaint docked his Royal Star at Fisherman’s Landing February 6, after the 15-day Braid trip with chartermaster Dennis Braid. Skipper Toussaint noted that Braid handed off some good fish, including one to young angler Brandon Zimmerman. That fish weighed in at 222 pounds on the deck. There were 15 cows aboard.
A pair of 251-pound yellowfin won first and second places for Floyd and Jan Abbott of Hobbs, NM, a couple who are regulars on the boat.
“I finally tied her!” said Floyd to dock reporter Bill Roecker. “We got identical fish,” remarked his wife Jan.
Floyd said his tuna bit on a sardine and a 9/0 Eagle Claw circle hook. He used 100-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon and 130-pound Spectra on a Penn 50 SW reel and a Calstar 760 H rod.
“It took 45 minutes,” added Floyd. “At first, he acted dead. But he was plenty tough, and he took me around the boat twice, before he came up on the port stern.”
Jan Abbott said she fished a sardine on a 9/0 Eagle Claw hook tied to 100-pound Izorline monofilament and 130-pound Izor Spectra. She used an Avet 50 reel modified by Cal Sheets and a Calstar 760 H rod.  “He was a very quirky fish,” remembered Jan. “I was torqued to a pretzel in the corner.” She also had a 205-pounder.
Marius Coetzee of Klerksdorp, South Africa won third place for a 232-pounder.  He said he fishes Braid products at home and this was his first cow. “I got him in 45 minutes,” he remarked. “My best fish before was a 190-pounder.”
Marius fished a sardine on an 8/0 Eagle Claw hook tied to 120-pound Ande fluorocarbon and 130-pound Power Pro Spectra. He said he used a Penn 70 VS reel and a Calstar 6455 XXXH rod.
Bruce Lozekar of Homer, AK got an ineligible 295-pounder and a 216-pound yellowfin. He got the big one on a sardine and a 9/0 Eagle Claw hook. He said he used 100-popund Izorline and 100-pound Power Pro Spectra on a Penn 50 S reel and a Calstar 7460 H rod.  “It took an hour,” said Bruce. “He came up tail wrapped in the starboard corner. These are my two best fish; my previous best was a 156-pounder, also on the Royal Star.”
Jerry Nguyen of Glendale had a brace that weighed 228 and 217 pounds. The big one came on a sardine, he said, on an 8/0 Eagle Claw hook. He fished with 130-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon and 130-pound Izor Spectra on a Sheets-treated Accurate 30 reel and a Calstar 7460 H rod wrapped by Bob Sands Tackle.
Brandon Zimmerman of Scotts Valley is 17, but he got two cows on the trip. One was a 222-pound tuna handed him by Dennis Braid. The other was a 212-pounder he bagged with a sardine on a 9/0 Eagle Claw hook, 100-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon and 130-pound Power Pro Spectra. He used a Penn 50 reel and a Calstar 655 XXH rod. “This is my first long trip,” he told Roecker on the dock. “I’ve been on a couple of five-days before, but my best fish was a 35-pound bluefin.”

Brandon goes to Costanoa High.

Chartermaster Dennis Braid of Palmdale brought in a 203-pound yellowfin on his own four and a half-foot tuna stick, after a 20-minute tussle. It bit a sardine on an 8/0 Eagle Claw hook, and Dennis said he used 130-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon and 130-pound Spectra on a Penn 50 VSX reel.
Greg Fox caught a 216-pound tuna. Jack West had three cows. They weighed 226, 207 and 205 pounds.

Net Update

January 31, 2010

Three 300-Pound Tuna For Charlie Iwashita: “Touch Fishing”

American Angler

Now 52 and a plumber at Kephart Plumbing, he also does work for Lorton-Mitchell Custom Homes. Charlie Iwashita was born, grew up and still lives in San Diego’s south Bay area. At Pt. Loma Sportfishing January 31, Charlie told dock reporter Bill Roecker some of his story about what happened on the 14 ½ day Avet-sponsored trip aboard the American Angler. The trip got 15 cows, including Charlie’s three supercows.
Charlie is the first angler in a very long time to hook three 300-pound tuna on the same trip, and maybe the first to hook and land two of them. The tuna weighed 322, 319 and 311 pounds on the boat. He passed the third one to Bobby Gott, the last man aboard not to have hooked a big tuna.
“You sure you want to hand me this fish?” asked Gott. “It’s real heavy.” “It’s okay,” Gott remembers Charlie saying. “Go ahead and

American Angler Super Cows

take it.” It was that attitude that struck American Angler skipper Brian Kiyohara as selfless and good karma to a degree he couldn’t remember seeing before.
The first supercow Charlie hooked was on the third day of fishing, he said.  “The other two came on the next to last day and the last day of fishing. My best tuna before was a 202-pounder. “I’ve been on this trip for the last three years. The big one came on a long soak. The bites weren’t fast; I call it ‘touch fishing.’ These big fish have been coming for years, and it shows what the fleet is all about. Be sure to credit Justin Fleck of the Excel for the assist.
“I was lucky to be born in South Bay,” continued Charlie. “My dad and cousin took the time to teach me to fish when I was a kid. I’ve been fishing all my life. I get good information from your website.”

Charlie Iwashita and one of his Supercows

Charlie’s 322-pounder won first place in the jackpot. His provided information said he got that one with a mackerel on a 7/0 Super Mutu hook, 130-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon and 130-pound Spectra on a Shimano 50 W reel modified by Cofe, or Larry Cofeen, and a Seeker 6455 XXH rod, a blank from Squidco.
Iwashita’s 319-pounder was caught on a sardine pinned to a 5/0 gorilla hook. He used 130-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon and 130-pound Line One Spectra on a narrow Avet 50 reel and a Super Seeker 2 x 4 rod built from a Squidco blank.
The third supercow weighed 311 pounds, the fish he handed to Bobby Gott. Charlie also got a 209-pounder on the same rig, the one that went into the water for the skiff chase that ensued with Shawn Steward as boatman in the skiff so generously provided by the Excel.
The bait was a sardine for the cow, and a mackerel for the supercow. The rig used a 5/0 Gorilla hook on 100-pound Izorline and 100-pound Spectra, with the exception of Yo-Zuri Hybrid line on the 209-pounder. The reel was a 30 TLD with a Tiburon kit by Cofe and a Super Seeker 6465 XXH rod.
The story of the skiff chase, previously posted, was embellished by Gott, who said, “Charlie’s fish went down swell, and mine went up. I got a 351-pounder in 1987 on the 105 with Doc Ski. Chartermaster Ben Frazier put on a good trip. I won a new HX Raptor at the first night’s raffle!”
The next-largest tuna, a 272-pounder, was ineligible, caught on a double sardine rig and a balloon by Ralph “The Long Ranger”

Tagged Wahoo

Mikkelsen of Northridge, who turns 79 this March and has likely been on more trips than anyone not a crewman.
Ralph said he got it with Mustad 3997 hooks, one in the nose and one in the meat of the tail. He used 130-pound Seaguar fluorocarbon and 130-pound Izorline Spectra on an Avet 50 W reel and a Seeker 6463 XXXH rod. Ralph said he didn’t use a harness or the rail, and brought that big boy to gaff in 30 minutes, around sundown.

He had a comment about the skiff chase: “We could have put six outfits on that fish and still wouldn’t have got it. Thanks, Justin!”
Robin LeMaster of Brawley got a 273-pounder to win second place. He thanked Ben Frazier, and said he fished sardine on a 5/0 ringed Super Mutu, with 130-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon, 100-pound Line One Spectra, an Avet 30 W reel and a Calstar 6465 XH rod. He also got a 209-pounder.
Tony Duprey of Santa Barbara found a 263-pound tuna with a mackerel on a 7/0 Gorilla ringed hook on 100-pound Jin Kai line and 130-pound Line One Spectra. He said he used an Accurate topless 50 reel modified by Cal Sheets and a Calstar 7565 XH rod to beat the fish in an hour.
“My best before was 211 pounds,” he told Roecker. “It was an immediate bite, close to the stern. I got him with some help from the crew.”
Patrick Gallagher of Ventura won third place for a 243-pound yellowfin. He bagged it with a sardine on an 8/0 Eagle Claw hook tied to 100-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon and 130-pound Line One Spectra. He used an Avet 30 W reel and a custom five-foot Calstar rod built by Eric’s Tackle.

Richard Clark and his tagged Wahoo

John VanDeventer of Canyon City bagged a 239-pounder after an hour-long fight. He said it bit on a sardine and an 8/0 Eagle Claw hook on 100-pound Momoi line and 130-pound Line One Spectra. He fished with an Avet 50 reel and a Calstar 765 XH rod.
Richard Clark of San Diego caught a 227-pound tuna with a sardine on a 7/0 Eagle Claw hook. He used 100-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon and 130-pound Power Pro Spectra on an Accurate 30 reel and a Calstar 770 H rod. He said the fight went on for an hour and a half. Clark caught a wahoo that had been tagged.
Galen Steward took a 224 and a 220-pound tuna with chunks. He fished with 8/0 ringed Super Mutu hook tied to 130-pound Momoi fluorocarbon and 130-pound Line One Spectra on a Sheets-treated Penn 50 S reel with a one to one gear ratio and a Calstar 760 XH rod. He credited the crew for his catch.
Kub Ito of Harbor City caught a 210-pounder with a sardine on a 6/0 ringed Super Mutu hook. He used 100-pound Izorline fluorocarbon and 130-pound Izor Spectra on an Avet 50 reel and a Calstar 6465 XXH rod.
Glenn Bummer of La Crescenta took an hour to boat his 205-pounder after it took a sardine on a 6/0 Mutu hook. He said he used 100-pound Blackwater fluorocarbon and 100-pound Line One Spectra on a Sheets-treated Penn 30 reel and a Calstar 760 XH rod.