April 20th was our departure day for the SDLongrange.com / Accurate Reels Open aboard the Royal Polaris. We got an early start as Day At The Docks was getting ready to kick off. Around 8:00 am we are off and running on our way to the bait receiver. This is a 17-day ride down ride back with only 15 passengers. The fact that the boat will run short is something to keep in mind when planning your next long range adventure. After taking on a nice load of bait we are headed for Hurricane bank. No one has been there for a few weeks so hopes are high and visions of frisky Wahoo are in everyone’s minds.
We have some great give a ways for this trip along with some daily fishing derbies:
First 200-pound tuna wins an Accurate Boss 870 Reel
First 50-pound Wahoo wins a Accurate Boss 270 Reel
Any 300-pound tuna caught on an Accurate Reel wins an Accurate Reel of their choice (up to 50w) along with a Custom Calstar Rod courtesy of SDLongrange.com
Giveaways included:
Accurate Tee Shirts for all
SDLongrange.com Tee shirts for all
Blackwater Tee Shirts for all
Top shots by Basil
Sweatshirts from Balckwater
Sweatshirts from Royal Polaris Sport fishing
Tees from SenorTuna.com
We have 3 days of travel and will start fishing on the 24th.
We woke to clear skies and 10 -15 knots of wind and some of the best Wahoo fishing I have ever experienced, The 6x junior was the ticket for me but just about anything was working. We had no sign of tuna today. The following day would be more of the same with excellent Wahoo fishing and little or no sign of tuna. We did start to see some tuna by the 3rd day at the bank but the Wahoo fishing was the hot ticket, Just when you would think they are all poked up it seemed like a new batch of fish would move in and it was game on. After I think 4 days of this we are off to Clarion to fish the buffer zone in hopes of some Yellow fin Tuna. I usually keep a day-to-day journal but this trip I just enjoyed the great fishing and excellent company.
We arrived at Clarion around 9:00 with a check in at the camp around 10:00. We had a few humpbacks in the anchorage with us, which was quite a sight. Aaron jumped in and swam with them for a while which was really cool to watch.
Check in is done and we are off shore to look for tuna. Our first school produces some nice fish to 267 pounds and 2 others over 200 along with 3 for me from 140-190#’s
Got to sleep on the anchor which is always nice and the weather is getting better by the day. The rest of the trip would be very similar with a few handfuls of nice tuna being caught everyday. We still haven’t given the reels away yet but had a few contenders.
We did come across a nice log holding some pilot fish and enough Wahoo to finish us off on what we needed. Along with a nice 55-pound Wahoo for Chico earning him a new Accurate Boss 270 reel. Last minute trip add-on David would get the fish of a lifetime on the next to last day weighing in at 334. What a beautiful catch. All though a 300-pound Yellow fin Tuna would be considered trophy enough, this fish would earn David a new Accurate Boss 870 Reel. We fished until noon the next day and headed for home, we left some gear together as we would make a drive by of the Rosa Bank looking for Albacore or Blue fin. We did meter some fish and bagged a Bonito on the troll but nothing we were looking for. We called it a trip from this point and everyone started tearing down his or her gear. The last few travel days were spent talking about the trip, the ones that got away and trip plans for next year. This was a great group to fish with and look forward to fishing with each and every one of them next year.
Taking it easy on the way down
Looking to pick one off on the long rod
Roy grinding the iron with the Ulua and Accurate 12
Skin on the Raider
Cool shot
A couple ones for team Accurate
Oops bit again!
doh! there he is!
maybe I can get away from them on the bow....NOT!
Eddie with a nice one
Chico with a beautiful Tuna
We had some Humpbacks in the bay with us at check-in
Frigat
Grabbing some lunch
Got it
Craig on a good fish
Ken taking a walk
Mac lands a beauty
David keeping his gear in top form...is that an Accurate?
John with his personel best!
Craigs on again1
Nice Tuna only to be lost to a cheap swivel
A biggin through the gate
Jack gets not 1 but his first 3 200 pounders for the trip!
You know how far it is from the gate to the water!
Craig with another
The crowded deck of the Royal Polaris
Roger with one of his 10 big tuna
That looks 300!
Ken fighting his personel best
Chico wins an Accurate 270 for the first 50 pound wahoo
David knows its a big one!
Big enough to win an Accurate 870
334!
one more just because!
Once again I would like to thank all that were on the trip for coming along,the Royal Polaris for running short and our sponsors for making this a trip to remember!
Accurate Reels
SDLongrange.com
Blackwater International
BHP Tackle
Royal Polaris Sport fishing
SenorTuna.com
What worked:
Blackwater Fluorocarbon 100# and 130# this stuff is strong!
Accurate 665NN (narrow narrow) This reel is a wahoo killer, casts great, nice and narrow for easy line lay on the fast retrieve, a 5:1 high gear that is fast enough to trigger strikes yet very easy to reel even with the bigger jigs. And low gear if you just want to grind them to the boat.
Salas 6x jr: The wahoo just seemed to love it this trip, very few bite offs even with the smaller size and very easy to wind fast. tar baby and purple swirl were the colors if that matters to you.
This trip will be the same length next year (17 Day ride down ride back) so hope you can make it. Call the Royal Polaris office for details: 619-226-8030
Go get some!
Brandon
SDLongrange.com
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