nighttime albacore

sarmstrong · 01-04-2008, 07:10 PM

just purchased small portable generator for drifting at night with lightsfor tuna. iam planning on fishing the last of july first of august out of Newport. Iwas wondering if any of the Dogs have any tips or experience.Like to chum or not to chum ,drift sock etc . Thanks in advance.Samstrong boat name Daddies Doat. My 3 yearold named the boat.

tracker · 01-04-2008, 07:17 PM

Not sure you would get albacore but the big boys are ofthen caught at night. It is black as coal out there at night. Pick your weather carefully!

Zodiac-Fisherman · 01-04-2008, 07:44 PM

Ditto with what tracker said..Its darker than coal at sea when the sun goes down.Anyone who has underwater lights should be able to catch fish at night. Jig or chunk is what I would do.

Onokai · 01-04-2008, 08:07 PM

Its not albacore at night you want its other species.Zodiac and others said it right. Mark

Wolf EEL · 01-04-2008, 08:10 PM

Having spent many years commerical fishing for salmon, tuna, crabbing, etc, spent many a night drifting far off shore. You are in the shipping lanes, ships out there either dont see u on radar or dont care. You are just a small peace of wood they wouldnt hardly feel you. Must keep a watch and have radar alarm set so you have another time to make evasive manuvers. As far as catching tuna at night they have some of the biggest eyes per size of fish I have ever seen. I image if one had glow baits u could ctch some not sure, but waking up out on the tuna grounds is awsome. You will be stuffed and heading home when others will be heading out to fish. Every night out there was magical. Enjoy and be safe.

Chum Bucket · 01-04-2008, 08:26 PM

It iS oN My LiSt Of ThInGs To dO iN 2008, just once.

Now I know what to tell my wife when the subject comes up again. I now have a legitimate reason (cuz it's cute didn't fly) I needed to keep the $1000, 2000 watt Honda when I bought the $1200, 8000 watt generator this year. If the forecast is good, I've gotta try it. Throw a big AC light on the radar arch, make a pot of coffee, catch fish, let someone else drive the boat back to port in the early afternoon whilst I snooze!

fish Addict80 · 01-04-2008, 08:49 PM

I was just discussing this with a buddy. I just read an arcticle in a fishing mag about chunk and chuming on the drift at night in Hawaii. They were after sharks mostly but catch really large albacore fairly often. They showed one that was 60 pounds in the article.

And they always use heavy gear and wire leaders but still catch tuna and billfish along with the sharks. Also, I have been reading alot about tuna on the net lately and I remember last season guys were doing fairly well with dead bait when live was not available.

So, I think you could do well at night for albalcore. If you can time it right and be out there on a clear night and a full moon and flat seas it would be great. I have been out in the middle of the night with a full moon and it provides alot of light but you would definitely want lights on the boat and in the water.

But like others have said you will have a decent chance at other species of tuna and sharks. Both of which may be very large so heavy enough gear would be nice.

I also have been thinking about planning a night fishing trip if all lines up right. I would definitely like other boats in the are though.

Luke

Tuna Buster · 01-04-2008, 09:29 PM

I have fished several times at night for Tuna and have had some great luck with it, mostly in southern California. We did try a few times a couple of years ago out of Crescent City and Newport. Half the time we did good on Albacore and smaller BlueFin and the other half we couldn't get through the Humbolt Squit. One thing I learned down south and it works the same up north is that the fish tend to gather under a quite boat at night just like it was any other structor floating on the ocean, especally BlueFin. When the gray light hits, you will usually find the fish stacked up right under you and willing to bite. I also went of a four day trip on the Searcher out of Fisherman's Landing several years ago. We were on our way in after a fairly good trip. It was pitch black out, but we still had four trolling rods out while everyone was cleaning up their gear. All the sudden, all hell broke loose will all four rods going off. We ended up having the best Albacore bite of the trip for the next 3 hours and left them biting. I would have never guessed they could have seen a jig after dark on the troll. If you are going to give it a try, I would purchase a good Radar Reflector as the ships running up and down the coast wouldn't even feel you if they hit you.

Reel Obsession · 01-04-2008, 10:59 PM

Sounds like the makings for a great outing. would be nice to have a couple other boats within radio contact on an all nighter. Sarmstrong, ping me when you want to give this a try. My buddy Treb has been making noises about this for a while, we may buddy boat with you if the conditions line up just right,,,

Coastalfisherman · 01-04-2008, 10:59 PM

I like the idea of trolling jigs, maybe make up some glow in the dark jigs and slow the troll down a bit.

CrazyFish · 01-05-2008, 06:28 AM

We plan on overnight trips in Flying Fish. We have lots of lights but I need a generator maybe one of the one's I already have will work. Garibaldi is our home port but this year we will be up & down the Oregon coast with the Classic.

Bendman · 01-05-2008, 07:12 AM

A little night time reading...These two posts should stir the pot.

http://www.ifish.net/board/showthread.php?p=760094

http://www.ifish.net/board/showthrea...overnight+tuna

colbachlaw · 01-05-2008, 08:07 AM

I am definitely up for an overnight trip out of Ilwaco.

I am real interested to see what shows up for breakfast 80 miles out.

I need to get some lights installed in the off season- anyone have any suggestions on wattage/type/brand?

Thanks,

Mike C

Ploughman · 01-05-2008, 08:27 AM

Wolf EEl has it right. I've also spent many nights drifting on the tuna grounds fishing tuna commercially. The mornings are awe inspiring. You really need decent lights, radar reflector and a good radar setup with an alarm. The commercial fleet is a little floating city at night with boats every couple miles. Lots of lights and really no excuse for a ship to plow through the middle of. For catch, I mostly worked on squid during the night, but you do catch other tuna's pretty regularly. Before you start up for the day, droping a bait over board is a pretty sure bet if anything snuggled up during the night. If I was going to do an overnight in a smaller sportboat, I would definately buddy up with others, run lights and post a watch. Then in the morning, let the games begin :grin:

Shameless · 01-05-2008, 08:59 AM

I too have spent many nights at sea on a commercial boat. It is an experience you will never forget. On our boat the rule was load the water with jigs the second you see wheel wash. It somehow activates a feeding frenzy. I remember one morning 50 miles off Haystack the first fish hit the instant the first jig the water and before the bite was over we had over 5 tons of fish on deck. That was 40 years ago and I can still feel the burning in my hands.

If you go you will never forget the experience!