61 degrees, the rest of the story

Pilar · 07-23-2003, 08:06 AM

I visited my buddy 'Puffin' last night. He has a new chip for the lowrance x-15 in his boat. It overlays bottom contours on the offshore area charts.

An interesting thing happened when we zoomed in on '61 Degrees'.

The waypoints marking multiple TUNA! strikes, going back several years had an interesting and immediately obvious pattern.

They followed almost exactly the outline of the seamount that is just SW of the waypoint '61 Degrees'. The top of the seamount is about 800 feet and the surrounding bottom varies from 1200 to 1400 feet deep. The multiple hookups are all (without exception) on the drop off on all sides of that seamount. Most of the hits were on the NE edge near the '61 Degrees' waypoint but the hits followed the perimeter of the seamount. All the way round it.

What conclusions can we draw from this discovery???

[ 07-23-2003, 09:07 AM: Message edited by: Pilar ]

fish assassin · 07-23-2003, 08:09 AM

Pilar,

Would you be willing to share the numbers (lat/lon) for the 61 degree
spot? I may already have it marked, but you never know!

Thanks,
-assAssin-

Sea Jypzee · 07-23-2003, 08:11 AM

I too would be interested in them, either here or via email. :smile: While I don't generally make runs out that far (this year), I've been known to do so on occasion in the past. Who knows, I may already have it programmed in, just not knowing it by that name.

BUGLEMAN · 07-23-2003, 08:12 AM

Cutting edge - way to go tuna brother. Gotta love data collection. More comments later, at work right now. :smile:

Threemuch · 07-23-2003, 08:12 AM

Sea Mounts cause upwellings, not right on top, but all around the edges. These upwellings bring nutrients to the surface which causes the chain of life. Little things eat big things. That sort of stuff. Well known and documented by many many tuna anglers to our south.

Some seamounts do this better than others. Be happy you got to name a productive one! My favorite spot out of Northern CA is the 601 seamount, but we also fish the Pioneer, and even the Weenie!

KB

Pilar · 07-23-2003, 08:13 AM

N44 54.968' W124 39.342'

That is very near where I saw you that one day, bro. Your marks are among those that outline the Seamount.

Just think ... we may have figured out how to find tuna when there is no temperature break. The Sea mount attracts Krill and Squid and the TUNA! hang there to feed. That is my theory anyway.

assAssin, break out the chart and check it out. Also notice the Seamount to the north about 10 miles. The day I ran up to the Sea Jypzee she was working the edge of that one and just pounding the fish.

Kurt, I named it? Can I change the name to "Same old place"? :grin:

The 409 and IM hump in the keys are famous for blackfin and Dorado. It works there and I bet it works here. Study charts and learn things ... Hmmmm....

[ 07-23-2003, 09:17 AM: Message edited by: Pilar ]

Sea Jypzee · 07-23-2003, 08:26 AM

Interesting. Will have to check out my charts again and start doing some plotting.

Thanks John, for pointing this stuff out. Very helpful to know these things when the fishing is off, or when there's no 'good choice' of location to hit quickly.

seasquid · 07-23-2003, 08:28 AM

Hey Pilar,

Remember last year when we were catching bullets at that spot in like 56-57 degree water -- Big bullets? Everytime we drifted out of the area to find warmer water -- not much action.

I have been out twice to that spot this year and have been very successful -- the first day I fished it for an hour or so with intermittent action, so I moved out to warmer water (5 miles)with again intermittent action -- decided to go back to the "61 degree" mark and holy cow -- the bite was on and it was awesome.

thanks man.

See you this weekend.

ss

Popeye · 07-23-2003, 08:43 AM

Pilar....Why didn't you ask me what it looked like down there

I ran my 3D Bathy on it last year :grin:

Pilar · 07-23-2003, 08:47 AM

Captain, oh my captain. You are the one who clued me in on the Seamount. I was looking at it when we were there on Saturday. Maybe we should load the points into your system Popeye. I can send you a spreadsheet in excel ....

What I could do with the electronics you have on your boat, Popeye.

By the way did I mention that I would really, really, really, really love to be on a boat that caught a swordfish?

Popeye · 07-23-2003, 08:49 AM

John...You obviously haven't looked at my new signature line

Pilar · 07-23-2003, 08:51 AM

Bruce, what a coincidence!

A swordboat captain needs a sword boat deckhand. We might be onto to something here.

Just name the day and my mate and I will be there with bells on.

07-23-2003, 09:07 AM

There is more interesting structure that needs to be fished too.

OceanBlue · 07-23-2003, 09:11 AM

edsr · 07-23-2003, 09:32 AM

Pilar & Popeye - I think you guys are on to something with underwater topography. In the Atlantic off of N.J. there is a favorite spot where a similar formation exists called the "mudhole". Tuna over 500 lbs and all manner of other big fish congregate in the area becasue of an upwelling of nutrients. And there it is right out in the middle of nowhere. You may have seen the fishing tackle website called "Mudhole".

It makes a lot of sense when we look at weather and wind patterns, the C.R.Gorge is almost a system in itself.

edsr

fish assassin · 07-23-2003, 09:37 AM

Thanks Pilar. That's approximatly where my brother and I found our fish
last Friday. Something like 35 of the 46 fish we boated. Thanks again for the
info!!

I have another quick question. If I get a bathymetric chart will it
show these sea mounts out there 30-40-50 miles? Popeye??

Thanks,
-assAssin-

Popeye · 07-23-2003, 10:19 AM

FA...I'm running Nobeltec 7.0 on my computer. The 3D Bathy charts (which cost additional) on that software are derived from actual satellite soundings. From that info, they graphically depict what it looks like. If you have the optional area map & the optional 3D Bathy map of the area, yes you can "see" the bottom in 3D. I do have that coverage for N&S Oregon Coast if you would like to see it sometime

Miss B Haven · 07-23-2003, 10:25 AM

FA- you can see those mounts o na regular chart too unless they are beyond the edge. The one John is talking about should show cleraly (400 ft change in depth). I believe the N Coast chart goes out about 60 miles before you fall off he edge of the Earth. :shocked:

BUGLEMAN · 07-23-2003, 12:41 PM

What is the best chart to get for the area just north of the CR to Newport?

Miss B Haven · 07-23-2003, 12:45 PM

I believe it's 81520, but might have some numbers transposed. Any chart store will have "chart 1" which is the chart of charts/numbers (as well as al the definitions of the terms/abreviations used etc).

Edit - Ya "18520", like I said! [img]graemlins/stupid.gif[/img]

[ 07-23-2003, 01:49 PM: Message edited by: Miss B Haven ]

Pilar · 07-23-2003, 12:45 PM

#18520 does CR to Yaquina. It shows some detail but you must really see the area with the Nobeltec 7.0 like Popeye has.

The paper charts show contour lines at even fathom intervals. With a little practice you can spot ridges, seamounts and canyons. There are also some bottom types called out on the paper chart. This is useful for locating Halibut beds. They prefer gravel and shale and avoid sand.

WildHawg · 07-23-2003, 03:40 PM

Popeye,
As a Salty Dog I am interested in looking for seamounts for halibut, tuna, and other pelagic species we all love to eat.
From an archaeological standpoint, I would also love to compare your charts to NOAA and USGS charts in an effort to determine where nearshore outcroppings (which would have been headlands 13-17 thousand years) and canyons (likely ancient riverbeds), are located near the Oregon coast.
17,000 years ago the shore of the Oregon Coast was up to 17 miles west of todays sea levels (which stabilized aroung 3,000 years before present).
While it is nearly technologically impossible, somebodies gonna find a way to investigate these sites sometime in the future. Maybe we could help 'em locate good places to look.
If you've got an afternoon, I've got the beer!!!!

Robalo Bill · 07-23-2003, 03:57 PM

Popeye I'm interested in the software you are using Nobeltec 7.0. do you have any sample screen shots you can send me. I checked the internet ...they are asking $429.00 for the software, WOW got to really love this program for that money. Easy use? Tech support? Other programs required to run this?

Bill

fishwhenican · 07-23-2003, 05:22 PM

Doesn't the current run southward? I've noticed most of the fish I've caught have been to the north of quick depth changes.
Now if the current runs southward, why does the warm water move northward? The earths shift on it's axis? Not just the warming from the sun?

Metal Manipulator · 07-23-2003, 06:04 PM

Pilar - Puffin tell me more about this chip for your LX15. Is it for the MT and if so is it the navionics card or a different one. I have been looking and I woul realy like to have some sort of chart to read the bottom.

Robin IE/Wet Fly

Albacore Tuna Captain · 07-23-2003, 06:19 PM

Pilar, FYI Rob on the Misty and I have maintained our plotted position of Albacore for several years. Tuna are ALWAYS found in the same place within a few miles. I don't fish temperature except for definate hard breaks. As long as the temp is within a few degrees of the ideal, tuna will be there. Tuna seek the areas where the feed is located. AS you discovered about he seamounts, feed is located on the sides of the seamounts that create upwellings. Also look at undersea valleys and any place where there are sharp uprising of the sea floor. All these create upwellings. ANd like when you fish for salmon, look for the same water conditions for tuna. Slicks, rips and any collection of debris indicate conditions ideal for bait and therefore, tuna.

Captain Mike

8knots · 07-23-2003, 06:37 PM

Thanks for the great tip. This is really helpful stuff. I am looking forward to studying the chart outside the CR with more scrutiny. The first time I went out the commercial guy I asked told me to fish the edge of the munitions dump about 50 miles off CR. Makes me wonder if the dump structure is a known tuna attractor. I caught fish around the dump, but I also caught them at 24 miles on my way back in. I will be looking for some seamounts closer in.

Mark Mc · 07-23-2003, 09:50 PM

Hey fishwhenyacan (hi Mark)...there is more than one current at work. In spring & summer there is a surface current running from north to south, that is generated from the predominant NW wind. At the same time, there is a sub-surface current that runs from south to north (referred to as the California current, sometimes the Davidson current). This latter one is pushing the warm water to us, and has been very strong this year. Sometime in the fall, the surface current peters out as the NW winds weaken for weeks or months. This is the simplified version...there can actaully be more than one sub-surface current. NOAA has a lot of technical information on this stuff.

Popeye · 07-24-2003, 05:56 AM

Bill....If you're asking me if I think it's worth the money, the answer is YES! They now have Dongles so that you can load it on as many of your own computers as you want. That enables you to plan your trips at home etc. Here is a screen shot to give you some idea of the 3D visual topography you can see of the bottom structures. But do remember, that initial $400 only buys you the basic program...it CAN get spendy buying all the extra goodies (don't ask me how I know) :grin:

07-24-2003, 12:18 PM

Now I have to think in 3D :depressed:

Deepslayer · 07-24-2003, 12:32 PM

Wow I don't even have a boat and now I am dreaming about structure in 3D!!! What great looking pictures! :shocked:
,Ed

fishwhenican · 07-24-2003, 04:53 PM

Mark Mc... Thanks, I'll look on NOAA to see what else I can learn :smile:

Pilar · 07-24-2003, 11:16 PM

Bruce can you produce an image like above of the area around the 61 degrees seamount and the one north of it?

That might teach us a thing or two.

Popeye · 07-24-2003, 11:42 PM

John,
I'll have to do it from the boat next time I go over

Beer Waggin · 07-24-2003, 11:46 PM

Oh that is some cool software!
I think the next TA meeting needs to be held in Popeye's office so we can check this stuff out!

Mr. Fisherman · 07-24-2003, 11:58 PM

Don't do it. Once you see it in action your DF/FF just ain't gonna cut it no mo.
Don't ask me how I know this...

edsr · 07-25-2003, 09:16 AM

John, Thanks for the "61" number. I think that we were heading down that way last Saturday but got into fish before we got close.
It gets frustrating to hear people on radio saying,"opps got a triple, double on now", etc. and referring to 61 spot and there you are with nada and not knowing where 61 is.
BTW, I think that Baitoeggs,(our official navigator du'jour), would be happy to share the numbers that we generated. I don't know how useful they will be since we hit and missed through-out the day.
One of the exciting things that happened was a fish that came up to the center handline which is shorter than the others, blasted it and missed -- three times and finally took a gunnel cleated line. All while we were watching - what a rush. We really didn't have any peanuts, all larger fish and I bet a few were 25lbs+.

edsr