Apollo Fly Rod Tuna

Hamachi · Sep-27-2005, 08:03 PM

This report is a week late but what the hell. Fished a 2 day trip on the Apollo on Fri./Sat. 9/16 & 17. Every year we do this trip and target the fish with both fly rods and conventional bait outfits. We call it a fly-rod-priority trip and have been doing it annually since 1994. We started with JJ when he had the Tracer and moved over to the Apollo when he bought it. We now take 16 anglers and this year we had 7 fly fishers and 9 bait fishers. The weather proved to be a little rough but the fish turned out to be very cooperative once we found them. The first day found us 120 miles south of SD. The rest of the fleet were scratching out west and Capt. JJ decided we needed to run somewhere else. The long range boats had reported better water conditions to the South. So we looked and trolled and stopped at kelps when we found them. By noon, we had 2 nice Dorado (on bait) and 2 baby yellowtail (on flies....and released). 3:30pm found us at another kelp paddy that looked like all the rest. But this one had fish at home. We immediately got some bait fish hooked up so this one was looking better. I tossed out a small green bait patterned fly (a Sea Habit). Two strips on the fly and a tight line was had. I was on a 10 weight and quickly realized I was slightly screwed. These were not football yellowfin tuna of 8-15# that we'd been catching on the fly the past few years. These were their bigger brothers and sisters in the 20-30# range, and 12 weight outfits were more appropriate. On that first batch of fish, all 7 flyrodders hooked and landed a few. Then it stopped. Then it picked up again. Then it stopped. Then it started. I ended up dumping 3 fish before I finally landed one on the fly. All told, the boat landed 102 tuna in 3.5 hours and on at least two occasions, all the flyrods were bent at the same time. I only threw out 2 baits and caught 2 fish that way. I spent the rest of the time with the fly and landed only 1 out of 5 hookups. I got a lot of pulling in, even though they didn't all make it to the boat. I think we lost a lot of the fly fish since it was very windy and the boat's rapid drift put a lot of pressure on the small fly hooks. Anyway, everyone of the flyfishers landed at least one quality tuna and pulled on 4 or 5 others. I think 2 of the fly guys each landed 3 fish and the biggest fly-caught fish jackpot ended up being a tuna that weighted around 27 or 28#. The bait guys were very cooperative and we might bring them back next year

, plus they gave us some extra fish to take home. What a great afternoon of fishing!!

For those information-ally inclined, by the end of the trip, there was no consensus on which flies worked. Small to large, green to blue (and black/red!), flashy to subdued. All caught fish at some point. And the second day of fishing amounted to one long distance release of a marlin (bait) and one yellowtail (same guy). After the first day fishing, no one minded a slow day two......plus the weather had turned flat calm.

So, how did the rest of the San Diego fleet do in comparison. The Shogun was the only other boat fishing in our area on Friday and they had 40 or 50 fish. The rest of the fleet headed out West and didn't do too well. JJ always seems to come thru and make the right decision and is downright just fun to to fish with. Can't wait to do this trip every year. Only 51 weeks until we do it again.

Jim

Drydocked · Sep-28-2005, 01:07 AM

Hey Jim,

Glad to hear you guys got into them! Those are the days you really remember. This is the same trip Michael Schweit was on, right?

Hamachi · Sep-28-2005, 05:21 AM

Hi John,
Yes, this was Michael Schweit's trip. Much fun!

Jim

Jim Day · Sep-28-2005, 08:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hamachi

.... The first day found us 120 miles south of SD. The rest of the fleet were scratching out west and Capt. JJ decided we needed to run somewhere else. The long range boats had reported better water conditions to the South. So we looked and trolled and stopped at kelps when we found them. By noon, we had 2 nice Dorado (on bait) and 2 baby yellowtail (on flies....and released). 3:30pm found us at another kelp paddy that looked like all the rest. But this one had fish at home. We immediately got some bait fish hooked up so this one was looking better. I tossed out a small green bait patterned fly (a Sea Habit). Two strips on the fly and a tight line was had. I was on a 10 weight and quickly realized I was slightly screwed. ......

Jim

JJ is a God....good to hear he's still busting his ass for his customers.

Jim

Reel Trouble · Sep-28-2005, 12:27 PM

WTG Yellow Fin Tuna on the fly, gotta love it

TheShark · Sep-28-2005, 09:00 PM

What a bitchen way to fish!

you were cracking me up here "Two strips on the fly and a tight line was had. I was on a 10 weight and quickly realized I was slightly screwed. These were not football yellowfin tuna of 8-15# that we'd been catching on the fly the past few years. These were their bigger brothers and sisters in the 20-30# range, and 12 weight outfits were more appropriate. "

What a blast -
someday I will graduate to the big blue and the fly

Hamachi · Sep-30-2005, 05:19 PM

[QUOTE=TheShark]What a bitchen way to fish!

Catching tuna on the fly is just too much fun. When the tuna grabs the fly and you have to clear all that running line, watch out. If you put too much pressure on the running line it jumps all over the place due to the speed of the tuna. It wants to tangle your rod, your guides, your arm, the person standing next to you. On one of my fish, the darn line jumped up over my head. I had 1 hand on the rod, the other on the line trying to get it off the coller of my jacket, JJ was trying to help and we were all laughing our asses off. Needless to say that one broke off but I landed the next one. You've got to try it out sometime.

Here's a pic of the happy flyfishers after the dust settled:
http://www.allcoastsportfishing.com/...Schweit_V2.jpg

THis is John Stevenson with the biggest flyrod yellowfin, about 27 or 28 pounds:
http://www.allcoastsportfishing.com/...at_results.jpg

Here are a variety of the flies that worked for us:
http://www.allcoastsportfishing.com/...o_Flies_V2.jpg

Jim

TheShark · Sep-30-2005, 06:14 PM

I need to get better...

What a classic story!
I am afraid to see what kind of tangles I would cause on the boat

When is your next trip like this?

Hamachi · Sep-30-2005, 07:36 PM

Next flyrod tuna trip is probably going to wait until next summer. I think I'll have to leave the flyrod home on my Thanksgiving trip to Hurricane Bank. I think those fish are a little too big!!

Jim

TheShark · Sep-30-2005, 09:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hamachi

Next flyrod tuna trip is probably going to wait until next summer. I think I'll have to leave the flyrod home on my Thanksgiving trip to Hurricane Bank. I think those fish are a little too big!!

Jim

Jim-

you can do it

I will be your photographer

crtr · Oct-30-2005, 03:27 PM

Sounds like too much fun to me! Wish I had been there!. In fact, would love to go on a future trip with you guys. Never been on the Apollo but have fished the Shogun at Mag Bay for strictly fly fishing charter.

Always looking for another angler on my boat too. I fish a 26' Glacier Bay here locally.

talk to you later, Chris