Hi Folks,It's on all right ! The bluefin tuna bite that is ! Yesterday there was show of busting 150 pound tuna fish on the surface that was unbelievable ! Many of the more experienced boats had multiple fish hookups. My last tuna charter was the day before and the bite was great at the slack but tapered off into the next tide. We had a decent fish on and fought it well up to the boat, but at the most critical time in the battle of having the fish next to the boat, the angler lost his footing and the fish broke off. We were consigned to having lost our "chance" but kept fishing the area till the boats trolling every frigging wrong way possible made it become absurd. We then tacked out of the fleet and to the east, to where I had heard a radio report of a couple boats hooked up. I hate fishing in a fleet and whenever possible I'll tack out of it. Well it paid off for us with a nice 68 inch bluefin tuna that smacked a black rig on the long outrigger. Our redemption fish was sweet !
I have been bass fishing since then and the report on yesterday's tuna fishing was as I heard it in conversations with captains I know on the radio while drifting the rips at Bearse's Rips. We caught lots of bass there on both of the morning and afternoon 5 hour trips I took there yesterday. The fish are smaller than the previous week at a nice 32 to 34 inch average. Its seems the latest hot trick is to jig some mackerel just south of the "C" buoy and fish them live in the rips for consistent hookups every pass. I have been using squid and cut mackerel for the same results. There was also a report (again on the radio) of a school of about 200 big stripers on the surface just northeast of the Chatham cut, about 3 miles out. It will be foggy so look for the birds in your radar. Bass are being caught on the tuna rigs about 10-12 miles out too. There is amazing amounts of bait out there and I suspect that where the bait is is where you are going to find any of the fish that we are targeting.
I have today off to install a new liferaft on the boat. The last one was about 15 years old and although still serviceable and usable it requires a $1100 repack service every 5 years on top of the usual $500 repack annually. Ive opted for the new one. If you know anyone in need of a 6 man Revere raft (canister model) they can have it for short money. ($500) You'll need the repack service done. Bookings are brisk and there are not a lot of open dates. If you want to go out fishing with me call ahead. For some reason folks are waiting till the last minute this year. I currently have August 12, 13, 15 and 16 open for limited charters. August 17, 18 and 19 would be ideal tuna trips to reserve, after the full moon has gone by. Other good tuna dates are August 23, 24, 25, 26 29.
Considering that they are not that far from shore, makes it a real good time to go.
Good fishing to you all,
Bruce & Marilyn S
