Coos Bay Tuna Report

Nofish · 08-06-2003, 06:50 PM

We invaded Coos Bay (2 boats) from Baja Oregon yesterday and today with the hopes of finding some tuna. Thanks to Tailchaser for the confirmation, the tuna are definately there.

On 8/5 we ran to the warm water on the last good Terrafin shot which ended up being about 15 nm southwest of the harbor. We continued trolling west until 43.18/124.41 (about 20 nm out) and found enough fish to keep us interested. We worked a slow pick until mid afternoon and finished with 14 between the two boats, but these fish were a very good grade, 20-30 pounds. We saw bait and occasional jumpers, but they just didn't want to play. Judging from the VHF, some folks were in a wide open bite. Not much into sharing numbers however.

Today (8/6) was much better, but we had to explore some to find the fish. We ran to yesterday's spot, and the water had cooled 3 degrees. We continued west and hit 61 degree water at 43.20/124.48 along with lots of tuna. We fished maybe three hours and ended up with 25 total. Lots of jumpers, several doubles. We actually slid into some jumpers and threw Fish Traps. Hooked up on some, now that's fun! We left them biting and were back in the harbor after a 45 minute ride (about 22 nm out).

The ocean was gorgeous both days and I only burned 38 gallons of gas for the two days (don't ask about the diesel for the round trip from Yreka). Lot's of folks chasing tuna out of Coos Bay, but we never saw another boat where we went. Get em while you can. Cheers...Bob

Mark Mc · 08-06-2003, 06:55 PM

Great report, Bob! Glad to hear you got into them after all the waiting & planning you've been doing. Tossing a fishtrap to jumpers is my absolute favorite! I like it even better than flylining live bait (I said that just for my friend Hamachi). Enjoy 'em.....Mark

Sea Jypzee · 08-06-2003, 07:10 PM

Great job Bob and good report. Glad that you got into them good.

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

Nofish · 08-06-2003, 07:13 PM

Mark,
We were in about a half mile wide body of fish. Judging from tuna puke on the deck, they were working very small (2 inch) sauries. They sure liked a green anchovie Fish Trap though.

Mark Mc · 08-06-2003, 07:40 PM

Bob, your singin' my tune with that color trap! Here's one of my very favorites:

Also like a few variations of this one. I "invested" in supplies from Lurecraft and have been making my own, experimenting with different color combos & blends. Eventually I'll be proud enough to post a picture of my versions. It sure has made me appreciate how clean Barry's Fishtraps are. He must have quite the factory automation to produce those beauties.

Nofish · 08-06-2003, 08:20 PM

Hey Mark,
I would never guess on that lime Fish Trap color -thanks for sharing though, I will have to give that color a try. How about the Channel Island Anchovy? (with the blue stripe), that one is really popular to the south of us. The boat that fished with us did pretty well just trolling that green striped Fish Trap. Now that my canning quota is filled, I look forward to doing more "sporting" stuff with Fish Traps. Cheers, Bob

Mark Mc · 08-06-2003, 08:45 PM

Yea, the channel chovie is pretty hard to beat if you could only pick one. Although there are a whole bunch of patterns, I kind of lump a lot of them into 3 categories (1) the blue chovie / mackeral patterns, (2) the green baits, and (3) the dark / purple combos. I find that if one of the group is getting bit good, the similar ones do well too. That black & purple is a real killer too in the low light, like when you fish the black & purple clones & zukes. Always fun though to discover that an odd one gets hot, like one time an ugly orange belly / brown bait just got munched every time over anything else, right in the prop wash. Go figure!

Mello-Yello · 08-06-2003, 09:22 PM

Argh!! I talked to you guys today at the fish cleaning station and didn't even realize!! You were carking tuna and flushing engines. I was the one drooling over the size and quality of your bullets. I noted a sticker or something on one of your rigs referring to Yreka...
I gotta quit being so shy.........

M-Y

Nofish · 08-07-2003, 04:34 AM

M-Y,
I think I remember chatting with you - we need an ifish secret handshake. Had you been salmon fishing? My partner was doing all of the carking while I did the boat mucking.

Charleston is a very nice place to run out of, but the cleaning station situation leaves plenty to be desired. Are there any other places to clean fish? Hope to meet you next time. Bob

Mello-Yello · 08-07-2003, 06:27 AM

No, hadn't been fishing :depressed: I was taking my lunch...It musta been your buddy I talked to...and an excellent carker I must add.

As for cleaning stations...I don't know of anything better. We always take our fish to Coquille (where I live) and use the station at the boat ramp. Always gets passer-bys excited, thinking we'd just pulled these fish out of the river.

Fishmstr · 08-07-2003, 07:20 AM

Hey, how do you fish fish-traps. Wind them in fast, slow, let them fall...hang???? I am dying to catch a tuna on one by casting into jumpers. I've heard of folks trolling these too, wouldn't they just skip on the surface???
thanks,
steve

Mark Mc · 08-07-2003, 07:30 AM

Hey Steve, I'll give you the fishtrap dog & pony show when we get together at building 12 (McMinammin's). Wanna set up a time?

willierower · 08-07-2003, 07:58 AM

mmmmmmmmmmmmm McMinammin's

[ 08-07-2003, 08:59 AM: Message edited by: willierower ]

Popeye · 08-07-2003, 08:20 AM

Mark....Building 12?

Fishmstr · 08-07-2003, 09:24 AM

Mark,

Hey, how about next thurs evening? Maybe get some other folks to join us? I just bought some handline fixins' I need to set up too! I'll bring some of those storm wild eyes I just got...they look tasty.
later,
steve
"Cortez"

tailchaser · 08-08-2003, 06:19 AM

Well we went out to the coords I gave you, my dad was out there on tuesday and nailed 30 to the wall in his boat, so thursday we headed back out. The water had roughed up a bit, but wasn't bad. We ended up with 11 in the boat, but lost at least that many to various strange occurrences. I think Lepper being on board had something to do with that. :grin: Maybe I'll let him tell you about when I was driving and looked back to see two asleep fishermen on the back deck while fish were tugging on the lines. OOOPS did I say that?? Anyhow, the warm water is starting to move more north from the last SST's, I may try and go again on sunday but we'll see.

tc

Lepper · 08-10-2003, 03:08 PM

2 asleep fishermen?? WHAT??!??!??? I don't have a clue what you are talking about.. But maybe if someone would have crimped the line a little better the fish would have still been a draggin......

but none the less it was gone.. I'll fully take responsibility for it. At least I wasn't on the cabin floor snoozin... :smile:
d

tailchaser · 08-10-2003, 06:15 PM

You need to post a picture of that dave. Show people what happens when you take three dramamine!!!! You'll sleep anywhere. Man, I tell ya I missed a good weekend of fishing, and oh yeah did I tell you that my friend boated a 55 lb nook off of the whistler!! It was officially weighed three times to make sure. What a hog.

tc