Flyfishing for Tuna - Be afraid!

skein · 08-22-2006, 10:05 AM

My life has changed. I am not the same person who shot the slot at Depoe Tuesday morning. My mind, which was admittedly warped before, has now become a vortex - with a flyline attached to the part that was once my center of reasoning. I am lost.

WARNING: Do Not Try This. There is no known antidote.

I'll let the pics speak for themselves, then I'll come back and talk about the particulars. Trust me, it was FUN!

And of course we couldn't have landed a fish without Mattie the Tuna Dog!

My name is Jim and I'm a Tunaholic.

Skein

Threemuch · 08-22-2006, 10:11 AM

Awesome. I just saw a show on Outdoor channel last night where they fished out of Moss Landing and trolled fly gear for peanuts, for like 5 fish, none bigger than 10 pounds, and these guys were getting their asses kicked. Did you get these casting or trolling the gear? What weight fly rods?

Chromaflage · 08-22-2006, 10:13 AM

Nicely done!!

One question, though. Does Mattie "hold it" for the entire trip?

I've always wodered about taking dogs on long ocean excursions. Not sure my girl would make it without needing to take care of business some time during the day.

CrF

sandman · 08-22-2006, 10:17 AM

Great pics skein!

Mr. Fisherman · 08-22-2006, 10:20 AM

Woohoo! Way to get~r~done

Salty Walty · 08-22-2006, 10:24 AM

Nice job Jim and crew I heard the report yesterday while listening to the VHF. Are those Horse Hair Streamers?

CATCH AND EAT · 08-22-2006, 10:44 AM

Wow Jim, Very impressive brother. I love to see it when people try different things like that. Okay, now spill the beans. Looks almost like a grandslam bucktail but what do I know about fly fishing? 0. What weight flyrods? Oh just tell us all about it will ya?

tailchaser · 08-22-2006, 10:46 AM

Sweeeeeeet jimbo. Notch another thing done on the list with a flyrod!!!

tc

corrirod · 08-22-2006, 10:53 AM

Show off!

Nice work guys! Wish I could've been there!

blubeast · 08-22-2006, 10:54 AM

Congrats!!!!

greenbuttskunk · 08-22-2006, 11:14 AM

from a flyguy myself, COOL!!!!!!

TillamookChinook · 08-22-2006, 12:17 PM

Way to go, Skein. That's got to be the ultimate. I had serious fantasies about tuna on the fly, then I went out with Popeye three weeks ago and learned what tuna are really like. It's gonna take a stronger flyrod/reel than I have (yet). Someday. Handlines are for tuna for the freezer. The flyrod is for the soul. Good job. You da Man!

TC

retaliate · 08-22-2006, 12:44 PM

Awesome! You did it Congratulations.

Billfisher · 08-22-2006, 01:05 PM

You should'a heard how giddy he sounded on the radio after the first fish on fly. It was cool to hear! Good goin' Jim!

Seelicious · 08-22-2006, 01:11 PM

Congrats! That is awesome!

How'd you do it?

Bait O' Eggs · 08-22-2006, 01:13 PM

Loved the pics, looking forward to the story

Nice looking boat,

even better looking wife

I will have to try that one of these days.

Did you use a strike indicator

CATCH AND EAT · 08-22-2006, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Loved the pics, looking forward to the story

....even better looking wife

I will have to try that one of these days.

A.....Roy.....Ah......hummmm.... Jim, you better break the news to him.

Bait O' Eggs · 08-22-2006, 02:08 PM

Bernie, Bernie, Bernie,

I was talking about trying some fly fishing

ANDYCOHO · 08-22-2006, 02:30 PM

Very nice Jim

Yep, pretty addictive isn't it?

crabbait · 08-22-2006, 02:55 PM

Quote:

Bernie, Bernie, Bernie,

I was talking about trying some fly fishing

We knew you already tried the boat...

...had to be the fly fishing. Knowing Roy, he'll have to make his own tuna fly. Probly look like somebody applied a cedar plug to a rooster.

J-Luke · 08-22-2006, 03:10 PM

I was out with Jim (Skein) fly fishing yesterday. (the bucktoothed yo yo in the yellow bibs is me) In answer to queries about how, what equipment and what fly, I'll do my best. When Jim first mentioned he wanted to fly fish for tuna, I immediately perked up my ears since I am a fresh water fly fisher and tie all my own flies. I had no idea what a tuna fly looked like, but tried to imagine what a bait fish might look like. (herring, etc) I came up with a streamer tied on a #1 steelhead hook using blue, purple and black yak hair, green, white and/or chartreuse wooly bugger hackle (whole, but with the fuzz trimmed off) and some crystal flash of varying colors. I tied several different combinations of these materials and it didn't look quite right, so I took a Sharpie (permanent marker) and added black stripes across the hackle feathers. I also tied some with yellow dumbell eyes and some with white glue on eyes. Well guess what! They all worked! It didn't seem to matter what color eyes or what color combinations of the green, blue and black. Those tuna hit them all. Often when one of us had one on, the other would be reeling in and get bit on the way in. We had 3 doulbles. We were using 12 wt rods with 20 lb leaders (about 12 to 15 feet of leader). We just let the fly drag along the surface in the farthest part of the wake of the boat (maybe 80-100 feet) and jigged it out of the water every so often. That was a day I will never forget. There are people who fly half way around the world and pay thousands of dollars for that kind of fishing. Thanks to Jim and the Irish Wake I got to do it! I will take a close up picture of some of the fly combinations we used and post them as soon as I can. Happy fishing.

Onokai · 08-22-2006, 03:18 PM

You must be in Nervana land now Jim. The photos are great. Mark

Hammer Down · 08-22-2006, 03:54 PM

Having seen Jim at the Depoe Bay ramp on his way out, let me share this.

A 5-year old on Christmas morning waking up to a brand new bike under the tree couldn't smile as big as Mr. Crotts yesterday afternoon.

Happy is not the word. More like: pleased, satisfied, content with just a small after thought of....when can I do it again?

Great job Jim. We don't know until we try, and we don't try until we ask: what if?

FASTWATER · 08-22-2006, 04:17 PM

So skein when you are ready to step up to the high end gear let me know I got just the rod maker for you, Congrat's!!!PEACE

Reel Creel · 08-22-2006, 04:37 PM

Great Pics Jim.

Metal Manipulator · 08-22-2006, 05:10 PM

Congradulations Jim!!!!!
I was very excited to hear the whoopin and hollerin on the Radio. We were searching on the 125 line and wishing we were there. We showed up 30 min later to join the rest of the pack in the melay.

My hat is off to you Jim

J-Luke · 08-22-2006, 05:35 PM

Here's those tuna flies I promised. The hairy stuff is called saltwater yak hair. You can see the "painted on" stripes on the top fly.

HiTekRdNek · 08-22-2006, 05:47 PM

WTG guys that is very cool!

fortywinks · 08-22-2006, 07:44 PM

That is way awesome, Jim!!

Irish Wake!

garyk · 08-22-2006, 08:31 PM

Nice ties J-Luke...nice technique with the marker pen too - looks great!

How did you all feel about the 12 weight gear, too heavy, light or about right?

Wotta day, long fins on the long rods. Can't wait for a turn at that.

skein · 08-22-2006, 08:41 PM

Gary,

I don't think I would try anything less than the 12's, but I'm sure gonna need some practice throwing with that heavy a rod. I'm having a real hard time loading it up enough to send the line out very far. I think there's a technique to the heavy rods that I don't have yet.

I can also assure you there is no "gimme" when you're using the long rod - as you probably guessed. I've got burn marks on my hand where I tried to palm a green fish that spotted the boat. Zoweeee!

What a kick!

Skein

Fast Water · 08-22-2006, 08:59 PM

Now that looks like WAY TO MUCH FUN !!

mandinga · 08-22-2006, 10:21 PM

Skein, you've been TUNA fishin how long?

and you just figured this out? NO WAY! youve been holding out on us old friend.

Sturgeon Tom · 08-23-2006, 11:37 AM

We were all listing to the fun being had. I think that is something I am going to have to try. Terrific job and what grate looking fly's.

Ryan Pultz · 08-28-2006, 10:26 AM

that is awesome! nice flies J-luke rp

Sublime · 08-28-2006, 10:30 AM

SWEEEEEEET, JIM! great job! I knew you'd finally get out there and do it!

ron m · 08-28-2006, 05:29 PM

Yeah, I was out there that Monday, you could hear them without the radio!!

I'm glad all 3 of you had such a fun time and got that great experience! gonna be hard to top that, but you can try.

see ya out there
ron m