Fishing Day Four and Five
Day 4 was a repeat of Day 3 except the fishing began just after breakfast. However, the boat was left on anchor because the school of yellowtail we fished the day before were just milling around the boat waiting to eat our flies. The bite was every bit as good as Day 3 and for a time it was even a little hotter! Lots of yellowtail and yellow fin were caught throughout the morning and up until 12:30 PM when the action slowed. The fish were still there, but they could now easily tell the difference between our flies and the live sardines.
Around 1:00 PM Captain Norm pulled the anchor, fired up the engines, and pointed the Shogun due West and then South once we were several miles off the bank. For the next two days the fishing took on a different flavor.
We traveled south trolling tuna feathers and Marlin teasers along the way. The decision to run south was made because 13 Fathoms Bank is near the top of the 'ridge', water temperatures were far only 69 F this far north and we really needed low to mid 70's for better fishing, and lastly most of the passengers were getting off the boat in three days in Cabo San Lucas, more than 200 miles south of our current location. During our time heading south, Captain Norm concentrated his efforts on finding the school tuna that travel along with the big roaming pods of spinner and bottlenose dolphin. While this type of fishing is fun because it adds the hunting element back into the equation, for us it proved to be slow because the tuna once found wouldn't say with the boat. Because the bite was very brief at every stop, stern anglers proved to be the most productive. So if it wasn't your turn in the stern rotation when tuna came to the stern it was very difficult catch one. Up to 15 school size (15 to 28 pounds) tuna were caught each days 4 and 5 by hitting the dolphin schools.
While on the troll the crew was always on the lookout for floating debris and shark buoys which frequently hold dorado. When floating debris was located, the boat would motor around the object (wood, dead sea lions, dead dolphin, weeds) then sardines would be tossed overboard in attempt to bring the dorado to within casting range. During our time offshore we stopped to fish several floating objects, but we only saw two dorado and didn't hook either fish.
Due to the deep depth of the water west of the 'ridge' (+50 fathoms), the Shogun was would drift after dark while passengers slept. The crew took turns in the wheelhouse during the drift to keep the boat out of harms way. The weather offshore was fantastic, little wind with seas less than 1 foot. Sleeping on the drift with this kind weather was beyond relaxing.
Fishing Day Six
A mixed bag of fishing was the order of the day, with a lot of trolling looking for dolphin schools on the way to the Morgan and Finger Banks where we fish schools of larger tuna. Finger Bank is around 30 miles from Cabo San Lucas. Only a few fish were taken from the dolphin schools and Morgan Bank held no significant life. However, within 2 miles of the Finger Bank we began to see more life including more schools of dolphin (black dolphin) that were holding a better grade of tuna (between 75 and 150 pound). Using binoculars I could see schools of large tuna foaming of bait balls all over the bank. Everything looked good get one of the Shogun anglers hooked up on a 100+ pound yellow fin tuna. We couldn't get close to the foaming fish without putting them down. So tuna were located under the pods dolphin with the side scanning sonar and then copious amounts of live sardines would be tossed over the side in an attempt to bring them to the stern. Several times during the day the tuna started to boil on the sardines in the chum line, but for some unexplained reason, they wouldn't come within casting range. The crew even fished live sardines at one point during the day and couldn't get them to bite. This seemed like additional evidence that they just weren't in the mood. No large tuna were caught but it was still a great day just seeing those big yellow fin tuna boiling on bait and foaming all over the bank.
The remainder of the day was spent trolling off Finger Bank and areas to the south on our way to Cabo San Lucas. The night was spent on anchor in the cove in front of Cabo San Lucas.
Fishing Day Seven
The next morning we were treated to small 1 to 3 lb black skipjack feeding next to the boat. They were eating a tiny (1/2") bait that had been attracted to the boat lights. These fish were tough to catch because of the small bait. It took me more that 30 minutes to get any of them to take my offered fly. In order to get hooked up I ended up changing flies at least three times before raiding my Atlantic Bonito box that I brought to find a tiny all white #2 bonito fly which did the trick.
Only a few people tried fishing for them because most everyone had packed their equipment the night before on the way down to Cabo. By 10 AM most of the passengers had departed the boat to water taxis where they were dropped off in the harbor. Most everyone went straight to the Cabo San Lucas Airport and home.
I had originally planned to ride the boat back to San Diego because I wanted the full experience, but looking at Cabo from the water made me yearn for family and home. Coincidently, just before the boat departed for San Diego Captain Norm came to me and indicated that I probably wouldn't make it back to San Diego in time make my flight in 3 days. That was all I needed! I decided to get off the boat with the Mexican immigration officials and get to Cabo San Lucas Airport. I bought a one way ticket to San Diego where I then took the 'red eye' home to New England. It cost me a lot more money (of which I really didn't have) to get home from Cabo, but it allowed me to get home three days early rather than one to day late. My decision was validated by the excitement shown by my 5 year old son and wife when I arrived home.
Reflecting of my trip, I had departed 10 days earlier on what I thought would be fishing trip of a life time. What I got was two excellent fishing days in one of the most beautiful places on earth and because I got there and back safely I accomplished everything that I intended to. This was without question the biggest and best adventure of my lifetime.
I certainly yearn to catch more and even bigger yellowtail, yellow fin tuna, and some of other bluewater fish and I certainly can't wait to do again, and yes, the fire still burns, but maybe not as deep now.
If you have interest in Long Range Bluewater Fly Fishing call the folks at the Shogun (619)226-8030 or go to www.shogunsportfishing.com
Tight lines!