Skip jack comment.

id. painter · 11-16-2005, 08:56 AM

Last summer while fishing off vancouver island in Aug, the SST charts showed warm water about 22 miles due west out from the mouth of the quatsino sound.
I had no running mate but the water was flat so I and the boys ventured out beyond the normal Halibut grounds at 8 miles searching for a possible tuna.
We ran to about 15 miles and I decided I had better wait for another day , I did not leave a flot plan that included a 25 mile run west .
So, without a wing boat and noone knowing where we were I turned back in 58 degree water.

The water was flat and just for kicks we dropped Hali gear and started fishing ,, no other hoats in sight and in 500 feet. We fished for a short time when a boat came running right up to us.
One of the guys called out as they got close "you finding any?" I had hali gear out and was jiging , I was suprised at his boldness and just shruged and shook my head as a no.
Then he hollered out "I caught a SkipJack so they must be around. "
They turned west and drove off.

I was trying to sort thru my mental images and find the skipjack but couldnt place it .

I figured it was obvious that we were bottom fishing .

What does a skipjack have to do with finding Halibut.?
what the heck is a skip jack?

Replaying that scene in my mind ,,, Is it possible that this boat was hunting tuna????
id. p.

corrirod · 11-16-2005, 09:07 AM

Sounds like they were tuna fishing to me.

He could have been talking about a jack mackerel?

TrinhTD · 11-16-2005, 09:16 AM

Here you go http://library.thinkquest.org/22403/...askipjack.html
We caught quite a few of these while on a charter boat in Hawaii. The crew used these skipjacks as bait for bill fish.

kamloops · 11-16-2005, 09:30 AM

HERE IS ONE

id. painter · 11-16-2005, 09:36 AM

Thanks . Remember Im just learning and playing stupid comes naturally.
The link isnt working for me.
id. p.

TrinhTD · 11-16-2005, 09:38 AM

Corrected. Give it a try ID Painter.

id. painter · 11-16-2005, 09:43 AM

They look like mini tuna,,,, Oh man .
Missed that chance ,,I could have buddied up right then and done it.
This summer ,,,We will do it..
id. p.

goodkarma · 11-16-2005, 10:06 AM

are these the same as Banito?

11-16-2005, 10:08 AM

No

Bonito

5 Salt · 11-16-2005, 10:28 AM

Dont they use Skipjack as live bait for big tuners?

11-16-2005, 10:30 AM

Biggest bait we used was 3-5lb Mackerel. Skippies would make good grouper/giant black seabass bait.

Hanapa'a Time · 11-16-2005, 10:31 AM

Yup, Aku. Good bait for biiiiig feeeesh

Zodiac-Fisherman · 11-16-2005, 12:28 PM

AKU,

VERY VERY good bait for Marlino, and BLUTO!

backlash442 · 11-16-2005, 01:29 PM

What do you consider warm water? Could be wrong but didn't think skippies were caught in water in the low 60's. They are usually caught when yellowfin tuna are around and that happens late summer in So. Cal. and the water temp. is in the high 60's or low 70's.

Anthony1013 · 11-16-2005, 01:33 PM

We caught them with the YFT off Hawaii.... not bad eating either. They had a little stronger flavor than the YFT to me...

id. painter · 11-16-2005, 01:36 PM

I obviously missed the hint, that day.

Dang...... id. p.

tracker · 11-16-2005, 01:40 PM

We caught albie's in 57 degree water this year.

backlash442 · 11-16-2005, 02:57 PM

Albies are not yellowfin tuna. I've caught albies in waters in the high 50's too off Central Ca. but not yellowfin tuna or skippies. We did catch some a couple years ago (skippies) in clean blue water but the temp was in the mid 60's I believe.

Mark Mc · 11-16-2005, 03:07 PM

Chris, the title of the post is "Skipjack comment."

So I have a Skipjack comment for you:

v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v
v

"catfood"

tracker · 11-16-2005, 03:11 PM

Pretty much what Mark said!

KillerBeee · 11-16-2005, 04:17 PM

As a teenager in So. Cal. I caught loads of these skippies. I tried many ways to cook and enjoy them. They were oily and strong. They probably taste best when you turn them into a Blue Fin Tuna, or some other larger game fish, using them as bait.
We used to fish them with live bait on 8lb bass style gear in Santa Monica bay and get our butts whipped when the bite was wide open. They are a blast on light gear. Otherwise they are an annoyance when you catch one on trolling gear 'cause you think you have hooked up on a real fish.
Many fun memories thanks to these critters.
Beeeeeee

Crashin' Bait · 11-16-2005, 05:42 PM

Skippies, BLECH! We tried smoking them with the tuna bellies, once. They had a texture and taste similar to strong liver (and people say duck is bad).

backlash442 · 11-16-2005, 05:46 PM

You need to know how to prepare them. Japanese will eat pretty much anything that swims. My wife has cooked some using sugar, vinegar, ginger and soy sauce and came out very good. Even my non fish eating friend liked it. Also works well with bonita. Lot of people don't think sailfish or marlin tastes good either. I've tried both and thought they were pretty good. So really it comes down to a matter of taste.

Onokai · 11-16-2005, 06:14 PM

Skipjack and tuna share the same water . The thing that is out of place is Halibut have nothing to do with either. Here is a Skipjack caught last season 70 miles northwest of Eureka Ca in October. They make good bait for bluefin. Mark

wthr4d · 11-16-2005, 06:57 PM

They are very oily and have a strong fishy flavor...I avoid eating them but if prepared properly they can make GREAT bait for halibut and other ground fish. I bet they would draw dungies in like a free buffet!!

Paul

Booja 1 · 11-16-2005, 08:07 PM

Backlash,,,,,,,,SOME Japanese eat just about anything that swims.... :smile: It all taste great with hot rice but Bonita and Skippies huh?? Well okay...........

Les

backlash442 · 11-16-2005, 10:16 PM

Haven't met a Japanese in Japan that didn't eat anything on the sushi plate yet. :grin:

Have to make sure you bleed the fish out. Otherwise forget it.

I've caught albacore in water less than 250ft. deep off of Morro Bay. Bigs uns too. Matter of fact I was inside the rockfish party boats. So halibut wouldn't have been the odd fish out.

id. painter · 11-18-2005, 09:14 AM

Im learning.
This summer Ill make a serious stab at getting into the tuna up there.Now that I know what a skipjack is.

Father says that there were 4 or 5 commercial tuna boats working the water .
Tuna are there ,,, Ill sniff em out yet....id. p.

Mr. Fisherman · 11-18-2005, 12:04 PM

Next year should work Chris

Lip Rip'r · 11-18-2005, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Im learning.
This summer Ill make a serious stab at getting into the tuna up there.Now that I know what a skipjack is.

Father says that there were 4 or 5 commercial tuna boats working the water .
Tuna are there ,,, Ill sniff em out yet....id. p.

So, when do I need to meet you? Is that at Bob's or Cole Harbor? :grin:

LR_

Miss B Haven · 11-18-2005, 01:35 PM

Not Catfood...Marlin food as stated above. These are THE prefered bait for the big blues around Cabo.

Ducks4jimm · 11-21-2005, 08:02 PM

Sorry I'm on this thread late. Bonito are OK to eat, skipjack are great table fare for cats and chickens. They do make great fixings for Panama baits and chunk bait.

id. painter · 11-22-2005, 06:59 AM

Rhett ... West side , coal Harbor boat launch (new and inproved version) . 25 mile sheltered Run to Winter Harbor and out .
The word is that each summer the blu water line gets from 15-25 miles out . It was 22 miles out last summer Aug 1st.

Looking forward to having you visit Ray.
id. p.

Lip Rip'r · 11-23-2005, 01:12 PM

Quote:

Rhett ... West side , coal Harbor boat launch (new and inproved version) . 25 mile sheltered Run to Winter Harbor and out .
The word is that each summer the blu water line gets from 15-25 miles out . It was 22 miles out last summer Aug 1st.

Looking forward to having you visit Ray.
id. p.

Chris, sounds good, but you forgot to metion dropping the crab and shrimp pots on the way out :grin:.

Would be cool to get up around Bob's again, it has been a while. Now, not only am I short on time off, but have spent (or am spending) too much on TUNA! gear so it may be difficult.

Keep me posted though ANYTIME the Nimpkish is headed for TUNA! and in need of a mate.

LR_