9-23-05 South of N Canyon

[Skipjack/VA]

Friday 9-23

Launched Rudee, cleared jetties just before first light, lines in 30 fathoms due E of the inlet. Trolled towards 44 fathom wreck with intention to then work North towards south side of Canyon. Never made it North due to tremendous grass lines, and some action in our area.

Grass line 1 yielded very SMALL dolphin which only frustrated us by ruining our spread several times. Tried to stop, bail and chunk on a huge floater tree, but it was covered with those bar jacks which are agressive!

Then we move E again, trolling through about 8 miles of the scattered grass which was constant work to clean off, when we hooked a SCREAMER on the left short, daisy chain, pink ilander jr bait 220 feet. Fought this fish for a while only to have it slice the leader in front of the Ilander. Wahoo gone, appeared to be large. Oh well, sad faces in the pit. 11 am and only 2 peanut dolphin in the box!

Trolled more scattered grass, then a clear area of water is located and three lines go down.. one comes tight - small yellowfin about 25 lbs in the box. Work it for a bit, no cigar. Grass line 2 doesnt seem to produce any real concentration if mahi, so we move East again.

Shortly after, we are into scattered grass again and we are skip/hopping baits across the water to try clear grass off them. White Marlin attacks bait just inches behind the motors... briefly on, then off! Ugggh. Sorry Glenn.

We come out of this area, and now we are just about near the deepest range on my finder (500-1000ft) when the long rigger comes down hard. Brian drops back, and instantly the fish takes it. White marlin! "Select" ballyhoo on black hole - fish isnt really airing out, but it is shaking from left to right on top way back. I argue its a big dolphin. I am wrong, and its a nice white marlin, leadered by Glenn - super clean release jumping along boatside lit up like neon signs. No film in camera! Brians 1st white.

2:30 pm, We work in and out of the deep contour 10 miles south of Canyon, and we are arguing on where to go next when we find it in 400 feet! Grass line 3, a weedline so large it has formed its own island - smooths out the water down side of it. Troll by it, and four large gaffers hit the spread. We eventually went down to a four line spread. We would bail and troll, then when the school followed the boat it was easy pick-ins. Seemed like a hundred large dolphin were under the boat at times. CHAOS CHAOS CHAOS! Tackle was being destroyed, lines were wrapping in motors, fish were hurling out of the water at all times, flopping around the deck causing two injuries, aftco gaff into my right hand, and 7/0 hook into Josh leg with dolphin still attached- nasty. Tim got the 22 lber. Time to head in fellas, we are getting stupid and its late. [grin]

1 for 2 on White Marlin
1 for 3 on tuna
26 gaffer dolphin to 22 lbs were in the box.
1 Wahoo bite off.

77-78 degree break in this area. Hope this is helpful to anyone the goes out.


[smile]

[Tom Kidwell]

Great report! Ya gotta love it when there is mass confusion in the cockpit! Sorry about the injuries.... hope they heal soon and you can get back out!

[lmontagnaj]

Very Nice.... I'd take te white over all the other any day of the week...

Pretty Work!!!

Thanks for sharing the report.

[Tuna Taxi]

Wow, you guys hit it pretty good. I could imaging the CF with all those gaffers following the boat.

[Here We Go]

Nice going dude, I knew yall probably went yesterday. I though at first reading your post it was going to end a slow day but the weed island you found saved the day congrats. Pour some bud lite on injuries it'll fixem right up[grin]

[FINS]

Great report. Winds look bad for the weekend. I may be cobia fishing instead. Glad you got on em!!

[JUGGERNAUT II]

Awesome Chad....... it was great working with you guys on the radio. You were burning my brothers ears with the white sitings. ........

Kelly "JUGGERNAUT"

[jimmy k]

Pretty work...........[excited]

[Persistence2]

Chad,

Thanks again for the ride. My hands look like I put them into the meat grinder.

Yeah, an 8 line elaborate spread with large gaffers hitting most of them gets UGLY! So does a couple big ones flopping around the pit with others hooked up and debri flying! A fun time for sure.

Thanks for the ride and letting me run my bars...once again (to prove your point), nothing touched them all day. I'm not bringing them on your boat anymore [excited][excited]

Glenn

[juggernaut]

GREAT JOB ON FINDING THE FISH. I THINK GLENN HAS A MARLIN HORSE SHOE IN HIS BAG. 3 FOR 6 ON BILLS IN 2 TRIPS TUNA FISHING........NICE. CONGRATS CHAD & CREW. CALVIN