Tuna on the Miss B

Gus Orviston · 07-27-2003, 01:21 PM

What an awesome time we had with Mel on the Miss B Haven.

We arrived at the dock shortly after 5:00AM and hopped into a warmed up boat and quickly set sail for Tuna Town. On board of course the wizard behind the curtain, Mel, Bernie aka C&E, Carl his dad, me and my bro.

I was one of those days when the bar seemed to extend into the ocean quite a bit further than it is suppose to, not bad, but the wind wave kept our speed to a 10 or so knots. Mmmm, me thinks, this will be a long ride to the tuna grounds. :depressed: Soon the radio crackles and the report is smooth sailing near the 12 mile mark. AWESOME. Soon our captain puts us in smoother waters and now I only need 2 new fillings instead a mouth full.

At 15 miles or so the water temp comes up a bit, but we still are in blue water...time to fish. Our running mate the Minaki concurs so we throw lines and rods and wait. In 15 minutes or so we hear the Minaki has 2,,, the anticipation grows because it can happen any time now. :smile:

Carl gets the job of pulling in a hand line snagged in kelp....or is it!? By golly first tuna hits the boat, then all heck breaks lose with a quadruple hook up. 2 hand lines, 2 poles, time for a rookie fire drill. After losing 2 of these fish, we retie and fix our tangled lines... Now we go back to rods/reel only, frankly this is way more fun than yarding in hand lines.

As the fishing continues we see Tuna jumping in schools, way cool, they were working the bait balls and frothing the water. Passing into these areas you can just about predict when the reels will start singing.

Then my bro hooks up a fish, and then we hook another, but has my brother's fish comes to the boat something is not right....COHO, fin clipped Coho. Picked him up on a rainbow cedar plug at 7-8 knots, wow, it should have knocked his scales off. :shocked:

Along the way we saw 8-10 sharks, one pretty good sized for my taste to have a swimming partners, so for the time being I kept my colorful commentary to a minimum. Then out in front we see big fins on the water...big. Wow, what was that, they vanished, then back behind us 150 yards there they are again...5 sword shaped fins, moving slowly, then I spot blow hole spray. ORCA!

When both coolers were nearly full, 2 spots for rockets left, we set course for CR...we lost our last fish and didn't get to top off the second cooler.

We arrived at CR, and dropped lines to cap off a great fishing trip with a few more Coho...and that we did, 3 clipped fish to the boat, a couple big fish lost.

What more could you ask for great people, great fishing, great weather conditions, and then I get to steer the Miss B,,,no not on autopilot,,but for real!

Thanks for a great time Mel.

corrirod · 07-27-2003, 01:30 PM

[img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

WP · 07-27-2003, 02:18 PM

Great report! I hope to have some similar reports soon from the seas around Depoe Bay...it has been too long a dry spell!
WP

Gus Orviston · 07-27-2003, 02:23 PM

Funny thing too, there was commercial guy that came from out of sight over the horizon and moved right in between us and the Manaki, it settled in and worked the water as long as we were there. I can only assume he liked our report on the radio and decided to come see for himself.

Just got done marinating my tuna steaks for tonight and vaccum packing the rest.
:grin: nummy

gus

Robalo Bill · 07-27-2003, 02:27 PM

Gus

Do you have an area or coordinates where you fish off CR. I'm fishing out of Garibaldi and south, a friend fishes out of PC and north. Started to map these points on a chart to establish a pattern, particularly around sea mounds. Our most consistent producing area is 35 west out of port.

Bill

ANDYCOHO · 07-27-2003, 02:56 PM

Way to go guys!! [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

So what was your total tally?

Gus Orviston · 07-27-2003, 03:09 PM

Final numbers are we ended up with 12 Tuna, 4 Coho,,,From my rookie point of view having stopped using handlines after the first two fish the efficiency of landing goes way down it seems. Although we couldn't have taken on more than 2, or so fish, and continue to keep them all well iced down. I was thankful the number wasn't higher since we are also rookies at carking them.

Bill, ping Miss B for details, but I am not sure what info he kept. Ultimately we were out around 25 miles though, and the fishing slowed when we left the upswelling areas.

gus

CATCH AND EAT · 07-27-2003, 04:02 PM

Yep, an awesome day on Miss B. Great and patient skipper is Mel. For a bunch of rookies I think we all did pretty well. The quad fish drill was a bit intense and we all just kind of stood there shaking our heads thinking this is the most awesome thing since sliced bread.

I think Gus has covered things pretty darn well. A great day on the water. I now have a nice new sporting raccoon look due to a lack of suntan lotion left at the cabin (thanks pop). On an interesting note I learned to not use the head after a bumpy ride out. Got me green real quick and provided some interesting dry heaves over the side of Miss B. Cleared up real quick and was fine the rest of the day. Can't believe Dennis did not comment on this episode.

Dennis, it was good to finally meet you and enjoyed meeting your brother Bill too. You guys are great to fish with.

Mel, what can I say. It was great to finally meet the legend of the columbia. Great skipper and host.

Thanks for letting me take the helm of Miss B. Not often you get to touch another mans lady. She's an awesome boat.

Thanks so much for taking dad along too. He very much enjoyed his day on Miss B. too. Anytime you need a deckhand for tuna let me know. Just a call away.

To Mel and Miss B Haven...

Birdnest · 07-27-2003, 04:50 PM

Sounds like a blast. Great post.

8knots · 07-27-2003, 06:28 PM

Congratulations and thanks for the CR report.You guys snuck out on the only really decent day in a while and now the winds are up again and forcasted to be pretty strong through the week. If things change I may be going out of CR later in the week.

By the way, I confirmed that there are live chovies at Ilwaco. Used some that I bought still wiggling for coho on Saturday. $4 per pound.......I think it looked like about 18 baits. Also tried the coyote spoon for the first
time and got a silver on it...it has a great action in the water.

CrazyFish · 07-27-2003, 08:03 PM

[img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img] Way to go

Nice to here that they are up north to. :grin:

REEL HANDEL · 07-27-2003, 08:17 PM

Hey Dennis it sounds like you and Bill had a real trip. E mail me when you can.

07-27-2003, 08:17 PM

Gus,
Sorry we had to leave early, I wanted to meet you. Next time

PeterMac · 07-27-2003, 08:45 PM

Great job, Mel

Sounds like you showed those guys a trip in the typical Miss-B format!!!!! :grin: I have loved all of mine. Breakfast anyone

!

PeterMac

CATCH AND EAT · 07-28-2003, 06:59 AM

Some of those tuna loins came out perfect in our first carking ever. And then there were the ones that Gus did.

Just kidding Gus, I managed to salvage them and they still tasted great. I think we did pretty well for a bunch of tuna carking rookies. It will be much easier next time. Right Gus. Sturgeon Pauls???? :grin: Nahhhh, to much fun doing it yourself. Glad to see Mel actually learn how to do it to. I'll send ya the Number to Sturgeon Pauls to Mel. :tongue:

Hey Keta, good to see ya, sorry we did not have time to talk.
Thanks again for the invite and trip.

[ 07-28-2003, 08:14 AM: Message edited by: CATCH AND EAT ]

Pilar · 07-28-2003, 07:25 AM

Good job. :grin: The 'train wreck' 4 at once thing is usually the clincher. Anyone that gets to do that can think of little else but TUNA! fishing until they get to go again.

Mel, give up some GPS coordinates.

Gus Orviston · 07-28-2003, 08:58 AM

Bernie, I wasn't going to say anything about your chumming so much, if you didn't tell about my carking

At least I didn't purposely cut my finger to get out of the fish cleaning part like others did :tongue:

Yeah Keta,,bummer we missed you, would have liked to put a face with the name.

Mmm,, what happened to Mel, must still be cleaning his boat? Don't think we shut the cabin door every time we slit the Tuna gills...oh what a mess :shocked:

Shiro Maguro are an amazing fish. After vaccum packing I marinated several steaks in Italian dressing and cooked some at 1 min/side up to 2 1/2 min/side. I liked it all, but I am sure my wife will like at the 2 1/2 minutes, maybe a bit more. She hasn't eaten much sashimi, and tuna is my favorite type.

MMMMmmmmMMMMmmmmm good.

gus

[ 07-28-2003, 09:59 AM: Message edited by: Gus Orviston ]

CATCH AND EAT · 07-28-2003, 09:03 AM

My hands still have a little tuna odor left on them. Mmmmmm tuna!!!!!

Yeah, what about that person that cut his finger and opted out? shezzzzzzz.. Oh well, they sacrificed the fish and gave it to the rest of us.

Gus, a whole bunch of chumming???????? :whazzup: NOT. A quick non chunky spew and it was over.

Man the stories people tell. :grin:

DB_Cooper · 07-28-2003, 09:07 AM

Can someone post Mel's contact info. Thx

[ 07-28-2003, 02:43 PM: Message edited by: DB_Cooper ]

Gus Orviston · 07-28-2003, 09:25 AM

Bernie, all I know is right after you were talking to "ralph" about "buiks" that first school of tuna surfaced and I didn't see any bait fish anywhere near us :whazzup:

Now I have two addictions that will cross paths...rod building and tuna. Mmmmm, now what RS blank would make a sweet tuna rod....Roy,,,oh roy can you ....

double "high ball" on the way!

OceanBlue · 07-28-2003, 09:30 AM

[img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

Tuna Addicts Unite!

[img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

CATCH AND EAT · 07-28-2003, 04:32 PM

I think Mel is still sleeping off Saturdays events. No response from the man, the legend.

Either that or we really sucked as a crew and he wants nothing more to do with us. :shocked: :grin:

What's for breakfast Mel? :grin:

Gus Orviston · 07-28-2003, 05:02 PM

he is out there somewhere, he answered his cell but we were promptly cut off.

gus

DB_Cooper · 07-28-2003, 05:23 PM

I'll be in the area from Wed - Sat and would like to do a charter or 2 for Tuna, etc. I'll check back here for info or someone can email me a contact number for the Miss B.

Any seats open for those days from Ilwaco to Newport I would really be interested in also. thx

Miss B Haven · 07-28-2003, 06:24 PM

Hi guys- I'm home (not lost in the fog like the all the guys on Sunday) and just finished vac'ing the TUNA! I was in the dead zone on the pass when you called Gus- 5 seconds and ZAP.

Had to replace my Macerator on the fish box yesterday ( I can't belive I left that thing running...yes I can

:blush: :blush: ) so had to spend most of today picking up the boat. Oh...had to visit Englunds and pick out some new Goodies too!

OK- So some numbers, sorry - don't have them with me but more important I will describe the area on the chart where we've been getting them last year and then heading right back this year. The fish are scattered all over out there, small schools here and there, singles for the most part.
Follow the south side of the Astoria Canyon out from the mouth (we ran 254 deg magnetic from #1. Starting point about 25 miles west of the CR bouy. The Canyon turns a big lazy corner to the South. Check out the cliff going from 300-400 fathoms to 700 fathoms in a couple miles or less. The structure is everywhere out there. I'm just beggining to explore it. How fun!

Gus - I don't know what those things we saw were, but I'm dang sure now that they weren't Orca's. Talked to several folks at the dock and nobody had a definate opinion (right or wrong). Gotta do some research. I won't forget the size/shape/color of those Dorsals or the lazy way they were swimming. We shoulda done the "Marlin... Marlin..." thing like Cabo and just hammered the boat and followed them to get a better look. Oh well...something to look for next trip.

Gotta go put some fresh Albi on the Barbi and see if I can avoid overcooking it this time! If not...I'm eating it all raw from now on. :grin:

07-28-2003, 07:44 PM

Pilot whales?

corrirod · 07-28-2003, 09:00 PM

I'm with Keta. Sounds like Pilots to me too.

Miss B Haven · 07-28-2003, 09:03 PM

How do you cook a pilot whale anyway?

:grin:

07-28-2003, 09:07 PM

Slowly :grin:

Miss B Haven · 07-29-2003, 06:55 AM

Couldn't find a picture of a pilot last night (too tired to do much searching) but one site had a descrition, they are black on the back. Whatever we saw had a milk choc to tan dorsal and back (what little we saw on the back).
Lighter color than the brown porp's. I'll keep looking till I figure it out, hard to not recognise that fin if I see it again.
Anybody know a site that has nice color plates of large pelagic fishes and/or whales?