Weather was great, seas were great but Mother Ocean did not want to give up her bounty yesterday.
Left Grand Isle about 4:30 AM to beat the crowd that was anticipated. We beat most of the traffic form the NE but there was not a lot of traffic all day. Total looked like about 50 boats on the lump. We had one good run that I would call a tuna but we will never know for sure as several minutes into the fight the line parted and it was gone. My crew did not want to bottom fish and with nothing but belly aching on the radio about how no one was catching fish we decided to run deep.
Arrived at the floaters but saw no surface action. There was bait eveywhere but nothing was there to bother it. We managed one undersized YF then decided to go bottom bumping.
Ended the day with grouper, AJ and an unknown. Tough day fishing but a good day on the water.
Prior to booking this trip, we had worked for weeks on the details of EXTREME TUNA FISHING. With the weather perfect we did not want to pass it up so we called the Cherece IV and they agreed to play taxi to my original crew.
They set anchor on the lump and the kayaks were deployed. Yes kayaks on the lump for EXTREME TUNA FISHING. Danny and C.T. worked on snapper and some small jacks to get the feel of how the kayaks would react then it was time to get serious.
C.T. was trolling a live bait behind him when the big boy hit. Now he was in for what probably amounted to about a 2mile ride as the fish pulled him around anchor ropes and other boats. Danny was able to catch up to him and with the added weight of pulling two kayaks, they were able to slow the fish and gain back some line. It was going good, they were gaining line and it looked like the maiden voyage was going to produce a big fish.
Then Murphy showed up and the handle parted from the reel. The Cherece (mother ship) quickly moved into position with plans of splicing the line onto another rod but as they were doing so, the fish made a run and the line parted.
THe kayaks will be back on the lump before the season is over. Our plan is to work out all the unknows and come spring we should be offering these trips. Imagine paddling weed lines, sight casting at dolphin then having him pull you around the open gulf until you tire him out. Sounds EXTREME and sounds like fun.
Launching from the mother ship
Danny getting used to the fact the Makos sometimes cruise the lump
A view of the lump from sea level