Our gang of usual suspects went on our annual fall trip on the Shogun. This year it was a 7 day trip with limited load of 21 anglers on a VERY spacious boat. Widest stern in the fleet.
Captain Paul was driving and I heard a lot of good about him so I was excited to see him work.
Marty, Punzel, Dakota, Mark J, Loren, myself, "My Indian" Gary, my buddy Terry L from Prineville and friend Warren from Dallas, part of our PC friend group.
This was a Rice Bowl Charter again for the second year. Kevin and Sophia are chart masters and a blast to fish with. Sophia is a silent smiling assassin that quietly keeps killing fish with a smile on her face.
The local BFT and YFT had been popping and the boat wanted to make a trip to Guadalupe. So we decided to fish 2 days local and target the better grade BFT that had been available. Then 2 1/2 days at Guadalupe.
We woke up fist day to biting fish that stayed pretty consistent bite. We moved I think twice. The afternoon bite was chugging along with more YFT then BFT so Paul said lets try to find something better while we have time. Great move.
We set up on a great school of BFT that were coming over the rail at 50 lbs very steady
Me and Carl with a typical unit.
Warren with his first. I think he was excited. I think that was the biggest fish he had ever caught, but that wouldnt last.
The kite went up. Worked through a few BFT about the same grade as the guy in front of me on rotation was up a huge fish crashed on the frozen flyer and the whole crew was excited.
Ken had a beast to the boat before they opened the gate and let this cow on deck.
Ken is a phenominal fisherman and this was his personal best Blue fin. I think he said he had "a few cows" from last years trip. Some fly lining sardines on an HX raptor and 60# flouro. This dude is seriously talented.
About the time I clicked that pic Paul yelled "#8 you're up" "Its another big one" Hey! #8 is me.
He handed me down the rod and I started walking and winding my way to the bow where I would pretty much stay for the next hour and a half with deckhand Dave.
They put the kite back up and Marty was #9. He is bit and fighting his big BFT in the stern.
Apparently there was a wide open sundowner bite on BFT. Deck hands would run up to the bow and say "there's 6 hanging" Then come back and say "theres 9 hanging".
I was amazed how this fish just kept a steady pace for so long pulling 130# spectra off the reel until the wide spool 30 wide was down to about 1/4. It finally stopped and we started to long process of putting line back on the reel. As we started gaining line he took us around the boat one time then pretty much slugged it out to the end on the bow.
Marty was still on his fish when we went on our tour. But by the time mine came to gaff, it was dark and the weather had come up a bit. When they opened the gate to bring her in with 4 gaffs a foot of water flooded in ahead of her.
No way to stand them up they were sliding all over the deck as it was. The crew did their best to tape them. What they came up with using the 800 formula was 288 for Ken, 248 for me, and 230 for Marty. But conditions sucked. So we put those away and had dinner. Pretty epic first day. 97 fish caught. 32 BFT. 3 cows. And to cap it off Marty caught a 105# BFT on a flat fall just after dark.
Day two, same program, same area, similar results. No cows but decent quality 55 YFT and 48 BFT.
Everyone was pretty happy with the start to our trip but there is always excitement about Guadalupe. The reports on big yellowtail were good. There was rumors of a few bigger model YFT hanging around. We steamed the next day and got there late afternoon and caught 14 decent YT.
The crew and a few anglers collected a good tank of macks, mostly scads. We started fishing on anchor. Scratched up a few of each YFT and YT. Then went on the hunt.
Move, follow porpoise (the Guadalupe black ones) ping them on the sonar. Chum, boil, hook 2-3, repeat. These were bigger models. Many over 100 lbs. But skittish and once youd changed your slide bait it was pretty well over. We chased them most the day then anchored up on some good YT fishing. 18 YFT and 7 YT.
As we were setting up on a spot 4 guys dropped yoyo iron and all got bit at about the same time. Ryan, Connor (Crew) Marty, Ken.
Me and Sophia
Fred and Gary with the typical mix from the Lupe.
Terry with a 119 lb fly lined fish.
Warren with his largest fish of his life. 130 lb YFT kite fish.
My personal best Yellow Tail 42 lbs
Next day same drill but the tuna were harder to find so we spent a bit more time on YT. I caught my personal best 42 pounder. Dave hooked and handed Warren a beast of a 51 pounder on yoyo iron.
As we began our crossing back lots of guys said they had more tuna than they needed and would gladly give some to other passengers. I dont think anyone on board took any. We all had lots of fish.
Taxman claimed a couple YT. Saw him swim under the port corner. About 14' long GWS
286 fish total for 21 anglers. Pretty epic trip.
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Captain Paul was driving and I heard a lot of good about him so I was excited to see him work.
Marty, Punzel, Dakota, Mark J, Loren, myself, "My Indian" Gary, my buddy Terry L from Prineville and friend Warren from Dallas, part of our PC friend group.
This was a Rice Bowl Charter again for the second year. Kevin and Sophia are chart masters and a blast to fish with. Sophia is a silent smiling assassin that quietly keeps killing fish with a smile on her face.
The local BFT and YFT had been popping and the boat wanted to make a trip to Guadalupe. So we decided to fish 2 days local and target the better grade BFT that had been available. Then 2 1/2 days at Guadalupe.
We woke up fist day to biting fish that stayed pretty consistent bite. We moved I think twice. The afternoon bite was chugging along with more YFT then BFT so Paul said lets try to find something better while we have time. Great move.
We set up on a great school of BFT that were coming over the rail at 50 lbs very steady
Me and Carl with a typical unit.
Warren with his first. I think he was excited. I think that was the biggest fish he had ever caught, but that wouldnt last.
The kite went up. Worked through a few BFT about the same grade as the guy in front of me on rotation was up a huge fish crashed on the frozen flyer and the whole crew was excited.
Ken had a beast to the boat before they opened the gate and let this cow on deck.
Ken is a phenominal fisherman and this was his personal best Blue fin. I think he said he had "a few cows" from last years trip. Some fly lining sardines on an HX raptor and 60# flouro. This dude is seriously talented.
About the time I clicked that pic Paul yelled "#8 you're up" "Its another big one" Hey! #8 is me.
He handed me down the rod and I started walking and winding my way to the bow where I would pretty much stay for the next hour and a half with deckhand Dave.
They put the kite back up and Marty was #9. He is bit and fighting his big BFT in the stern.
Apparently there was a wide open sundowner bite on BFT. Deck hands would run up to the bow and say "there's 6 hanging" Then come back and say "theres 9 hanging".
I was amazed how this fish just kept a steady pace for so long pulling 130# spectra off the reel until the wide spool 30 wide was down to about 1/4. It finally stopped and we started to long process of putting line back on the reel. As we started gaining line he took us around the boat one time then pretty much slugged it out to the end on the bow.
Marty was still on his fish when we went on our tour. But by the time mine came to gaff, it was dark and the weather had come up a bit. When they opened the gate to bring her in with 4 gaffs a foot of water flooded in ahead of her.
No way to stand them up they were sliding all over the deck as it was. The crew did their best to tape them. What they came up with using the 800 formula was 288 for Ken, 248 for me, and 230 for Marty. But conditions sucked. So we put those away and had dinner. Pretty epic first day. 97 fish caught. 32 BFT. 3 cows. And to cap it off Marty caught a 105# BFT on a flat fall just after dark.
Day two, same program, same area, similar results. No cows but decent quality 55 YFT and 48 BFT.
Everyone was pretty happy with the start to our trip but there is always excitement about Guadalupe. The reports on big yellowtail were good. There was rumors of a few bigger model YFT hanging around. We steamed the next day and got there late afternoon and caught 14 decent YT.
The crew and a few anglers collected a good tank of macks, mostly scads. We started fishing on anchor. Scratched up a few of each YFT and YT. Then went on the hunt.
Move, follow porpoise (the Guadalupe black ones) ping them on the sonar. Chum, boil, hook 2-3, repeat. These were bigger models. Many over 100 lbs. But skittish and once youd changed your slide bait it was pretty well over. We chased them most the day then anchored up on some good YT fishing. 18 YFT and 7 YT.
As we were setting up on a spot 4 guys dropped yoyo iron and all got bit at about the same time. Ryan, Connor (Crew) Marty, Ken.
Me and Sophia
Fred and Gary with the typical mix from the Lupe.
Terry with a 119 lb fly lined fish.
Warren with his largest fish of his life. 130 lb YFT kite fish.
My personal best Yellow Tail 42 lbs
Next day same drill but the tuna were harder to find so we spent a bit more time on YT. I caught my personal best 42 pounder. Dave hooked and handed Warren a beast of a 51 pounder on yoyo iron.
As we began our crossing back lots of guys said they had more tuna than they needed and would gladly give some to other passengers. I dont think anyone on board took any. We all had lots of fish.
Taxman claimed a couple YT. Saw him swim under the port corner. About 14' long GWS
286 fish total for 21 anglers. Pretty epic trip.
More next page