Yellowfin's ?

[PanamaJack]

Hi Steve

Tremendous account, and some wonderful photographs. I can see you enjoyed yourself! But it seems those Indian Ocean 'Permit' can be as elusive and frustrating as their Atlantic cousins. What …….. a surprize?

 

Back to those YFT though. They are something else! But those Stellas are superb reels. A German friend of mine successfully uses the bigger models on short jigging rods in Ascension for the Yellowfin. I guess in terms of effective length, and the 'law of levers' they’re going to have an advantage over your popping rod in terms of fighting them.

 

There some images of some real extreme fishing for Yellowfin on this web page from our Club’s site – with fly rods! Something to try next time? We chum them up with chunks and then just 'dead drift' a fly in the trail. You can see the strain starting to show on the angler’s face in that last shot – 2 hours into the battle! With the fish circling just 5' down the crewman tried a speculative gaff shot in the tail. It pricked the fish and it powered down again at which point Andy decided it was time to point the rod and pop the 20lb tippet. The thought of potentially another 2 hours wasn’t something he was prepared to contemplate.

Best wishes

Dave

[Norrie]

Steve, What a tale ....absolutely magic ..I enjoyed every word of it, and the pics are fantastic too...WELL DONE .... Would be good to get one .....

 

Panama, Thanks for the info....I've "only" seen Yellowtails of mibbes 30-50 lbs, there were one or two guys on the boat that were having a great time, and obviously knew what they were doing,as they had about half a dozen of them.,...once we got back into San Diego....the fish were loaded into "dustbin", onto a pickup, and went winging up Highway 5.....to LA I think the guy said ..Not our LA, I hasten to add...the WARM LA....

 

Malky, I wont be taking the reel....to heavy mate....seemingly the gear is supplied. and, I think I might need the space for coming home with one or two items ...

[steve pitts]

Steve, What a tale ....absolutely magic ..I enjoyed every word of it, and the pics are fantastic too...WELL DONE .... Would be good to get one .....

 

Thanks for the compliments gents - there is a reason why I wrote such a detailed report.

 

When we returned from the trip, I had four days to kill before my return flight, so thought that a visit to Praslin and La Digue would be a good way to spend some time.

 

During my stay on Praslin, I decided to tidy up the pictures on the camera and delete some of the naff or duplicated shots - bad mistake!

 

I inadvertently pressed the delete button twice, which activates the 'Delete All' function and the card was wiped clean of over 120 pictures. I couldn't believe that I could be so stupid!

 

These pictures would see that I remembered the trip in detail, but now they were gone forever, so I then set about writing up as much as I could remember - hence the report.

 

As it happens, Dave Box of Veals Mail Order had some software which can access deleted files from data capture cards (don't ask me how it does that) so I was able to retrieve the photos in the end - much to my relief.

 

Combined, I think that they will ensure that I have something to refer to when I'm in the old folks home and I can bore the other inmates rigid 'Did I ever tell you about the time I fished the Seychelles?'

 

Glad you enjoyed the read, I might see if one or two of the mags would be interested in an edited version.

 

Cheers

Steve

Edited December 2, 2006 by steve pitts

[Norrie]

Steve, Bet you were sick as a pig mate.. ..but, technology is a wonderful thing, just wish I could work my mobile phone, never mind what Dave of Veals did for you !!!!!

 

I hope when I get my trip in, I can manage a report 1/10th as good as yours....

 

Edited ??, why edited ??, get the lot in to them !!!! Let us know what one takes it, their sales will certainly improve...tell them that as well !!!!!

[Norm B]

Thanks for the compliments gents - there is a reason why I wrote such a detailed report.

 

When we returned from the trip, I had four days to kill before my return flight, so thought that a visit to Praslin and La Digue would be a good way to spend some time.

 

During my stay on Praslin, I decided to tidy up the pictures on the camera and delete some of the naff or duplicated shots - bad mistake!

 

I inadvertently pressed the delete button twice, which activates the 'Delete All' function and the card was wiped clean of over 120 pictures. I couldn't believe that I could be so stupid!

 

These pictures would see that I remembered the trip in detail, but now they were gone forever, so I then set about writing up as much as I could remember - hence the report.

 

As it happens, Dave Box of Veals Mail Order had some software which can access deleted files from data capture cards (don't ask me how it does that) so I was able to retrieve the photos in the end - much to my relief.

 

Combined, I think that they will ensure that I have something to refer to when I'm in the old folks home and I can bore the other inmates rigid 'Did I ever tell you about the time I fished the Seychelles?'

 

Glad you enjoyed the read, I might see if one or two of the mags would be interested in an edited version.

 

Cheers

Steve

I'd be more than happy to give your trip a wider audience. Just the thing to get the anglers excited when it's blowing a gale and freezing cold.

 

Steve, Bet you were sick as a pig mate.. ..but, technology is a wonderful thing, just wish I could work my mobile phone, never mind what Dave of Veals did for you !!!!!

 

I hope when I get my trip in, I can manage a report 1/10th as good as yours....

 

Edited ??, why edited ??, get the lot in to them !!!! Let us know what one takes it, their sales will certainly improve...tell them that as well !!!!!

I'm sure I'll find room for your humble tale Norrie.

[Norrie]

Norm, I will guarantee you the exclusive mate.....its all yours....honest !!!! Please God, let me catch something......

 

Here, Couldnt you mibbes make it over at all??...... You might have to buy a drink or two tho'....

[Norm B]

Norm, I will guarantee you the exclusive mate.....its all yours....honest !!!! Please God, let me catch something......

 

Here, Couldnt you mibbes make it over at all??...... You might have to buy a drink or two tho'....

Make what over where? Have you had a bevvy mate, or have I missed a post?

[ol man o the sea]

Steve, What a tale ....absolutely magic ..I enjoyed every word of it, and the pics are fantastic too...WELL DONE .... Would be good to get one .....

 

Panama, Thanks for the info....I've "only" seen Yellowtails of mibbes 30-50 lbs, there were one or two guys on the boat that were having a great time, and obviously knew what they were doing,as they had about half a dozen of them.,...once we got back into San Diego....the fish were loaded into "dustbin", onto a pickup, and went winging up Highway 5.....to LA I think the guy said ..Not our LA, I hasten to add...the WARM LA....

 

Malky, I wont be taking the reel....to heavy mate....seemingly the gear is supplied. and, I think I might need the space for coming home with one or two items ...

 

You will have to try it in the Irish sea then for the pelargics that are there stan says; should be good supping area too I guess

[ol man o the sea]

Hi Norrie

As several others that have responded Yellowfin, and all tunas for that matter, are incredible strong and certainly on that first explosive run very fast and unstoppable. They shut their mouth and gill covers down making them particularly 'aqua'dynamic (?). But, in that they're not breathing they run out of oxygen….eventually.

 

Bearing that in mind, that's the time, after that first run finishes, that you can really pressurise them – providing you’re using appropriate tackle. As a technique push the drag up to strike, or even slightly above, and pump. You’ll have their head facing towards you and it’s important that you keep them moving before they fully recover. I prefer using short pumps, never moving the tip more than 18"s - but keep moving them.

 

During this phase, as they start to recover, you'll find them constantly 'bumping' to try to get their head round for another power dive. (I've found them fairly predictable. Unlike Marlin or say Makos they're not going to accelerate towards you and then turn.) So, providing the tackle is adequate and the fish not too big, you can get them to the boat reasonably quickly.

 

Big ones though - 200lb plus fish - are something different. Using 130lb class tackle, bent butts and lots of drag you’ll very quickly discover what the chair's arm rests are there for - self preservation and to prevent the early bath!

 

If, when the fish surfaces, the crewman grabs the leader quickly just wind the swivel up to the tip ring and ease back the drag. Should it be slightly out of reach though keep the pressure on and the fish, if it doesn't dive, is likely to circle. Of course, as it comes round the 'inner' part of its circle, that’s the time to recover line.

Dave

 

Hi ol man o the sea

The commercials, particularly the French and Spanish seine netters, are continuing to rape the extensive populations of Yellowfin and BigEye throughout the Gulf of Guinea unabated. One particularly effective technique they're now using are unanchored FADs (Fish Aggregation Devices) that shoals of juveniles - those that haven't breed - collect around. (Even though the shoals will range fairly long distances from the FAD they seem to return. And the FADs are tracked by satellite.)

 

Whilst most of the BIG Yellowfin all see to come from the eastern Pacific, the Gulf of Guinea still contains some monsters - 300lb plus fish.

Dave

 

Hi Dave pity due to health I don't do that much sea fishing any more, sorry to hear that the commercials are slowly demolishing the prospective new stocks of Atlantic tuna; they will learn when its too late as usual, money rules Eh.

 

I sure miss the thrill of trolling along just off the drop-offs, with 4 or 5 rods, 2 on outriggers.

Deep cobalt blue water one side and aqua blue water the other side of the boat; looking for the bait pod or that bit of flotsum that hold the fish around it.

When just as your about to say to yourself the bar is calling, theres a zing scream and smoke pouring out of one or more reels drag --------- panic stations -------- which rod do I pick up? --------- whats my B mate doing? ---------- Help ------------- O sxd it that ones off --------next rod -------Ah thats definitely well on, wheres the chair? ------- need water more water - to drink you B fool ------------ and eventually get the leader this time (after how much time?) gotcha Oh what a beauty, thats enough for the pot for a long time me thinks let the rest get bigger so I and others can have the thrill.

Thats cutting it short as I used to fish solo in a Shetland personell carrier fully foame ( unsinkable ) with radio, depth sounder graph, compass and neaqrly always in vague sight of land, another radio with direction finder helped when out of sight of land, did not have the now essential GPS then.

Good Luck and tight line to all who go for the Tuna where ever though