after multiple cancelled trips due to weather we (myself, my GF jodi, judge ron ware, doug and becky) finally got our break. we headed down to venice friday to stay at the bluefin lodge. this place is cheaper and much nicer than venice marina. only a few miles from venice marina. i will be staying here from now on. after a few cocktails(7 &7's) we finally got to bed around 0230. waking up at 0445 still buzzed we headed to the marina to meet up with capt eddie. we loaded the 36ft palmetto with our gear. the day started out nice with the weather and calm seas. we went to oceanic amarante spar and immediatley starting catching bait with sabikis. while catching bait i jigged up a bonito that got ate up by the cudas. always fun to watch! shortly after we set out the little hartails on the 50 wides. not long to we get a hook up. first up was ron. he was always wanted to catch a yellow fin tuna and finally it came to reality. i told him about the awesome power of these fish before but i dont think you can actually understand the power until its on the other side of your line. he got a taste of it for sure. after about 7 minutes into the fight his line started screaming off the reel, again. the look on his face was priceless. a mans will almost gone. lol. he finally got his 1st tuna in the boat. judge ware's 1st YFT set out more baits and started the drift, capt eddie throws a wombat popper and immediately hooks up with a dink yellow. i throw next, after 2 pops i hook up with a small yellow. next up to battle was jodi. her fish acted like it didnt even know it was hooked up and came in rather quick. jodi likes to think it was her angling skills. she never did get to feel the pain. jodis 1st YFT. nice job! doug hooks up next and his fish made up for the lack of fight the previous had. he's on there a while. during that time another rod goes off and becky hooks up. a double! while they are fighting those fish the ocean erupts with boiling tuna. i got excited watching. next thing you know there is a school busting in casting range. i fire off a CS130 and immediatley hook up. it turned out to be a fat bonito. becky finally gives up and hands the rod off to ron. a team effort! it started storming during this time. ron and becky with her 1st YFT. doug is still fighting his fish and the tuna keep busting the top(feeding frenzy!) i cast again and hook up to another small tuna. doug finally gets his fish in. also his 1st YFT. not to feel left out, i grab a 50w and land a nice yellow. we along with 10 other boats get close to the rig to get out of the rain. it was only 1230 and decided to leave the tuna biting to target some bottom dwellers. hit a few rigs with live hartails. dropped them down. doug with his 1st AJ becky gets her 1st aj also. i tried jigging and only got a small almaco. and lost a nice on when spit the hook. i think the water color (green) had a little to do with the non existant jig bite. jodi hooks up and land a nice almaco. here is the final picture. i got too buzzed up and forgot to charge my camera so these few pics were taken. the camera would turn itself off after a few seconds. but we did get some videos. i do apologize for not having the amount of pics that i wouldve liked to. great trip, great people, and great capt and crew. i was happy to get some friends out and catch some fish. these are the biggest fish any of them had ever caught also. many firsts too!
It was a great trip! Kidflex's report did it justice. However, I still say it was my angling skills (since I caught the biggest tuna of everyone). That's my story...and I'm sticking to it!
do you mean the jig bite for tuna or AJs. we beat the shit out of AJS in brown water on jigs. i was told the stained water was only on top. Anyway, im jealous as ive been to venice three time and still no YFT for me. Im always to busy jigging to pick up a 30/30w. I want my first one to be on a popper. im heading in a few weeks. how far from the mouth did u run? I love Eddies boat!!!
35 miles! jig bite for ajs. i didnt jig that much for tuna. the drift was too quick and the line would just get too outta control.
It was a great trip! Kidflex's report did it justice. However, I still say it was my angling skills (since I caught the biggest tuna of everyone). That's my story...and I'm sticking to it! Welcome to the site. Know you will know why Brian is always trying to go fishing. d-a
Dambit B- nice job! Oh by the way good report and pics too Way to go Bro! Nice to see momma out fishing with you, wish I could get mine to go! Hope to see you in H-town next week.
Great report guys! Dam I miss it down there! I might drag a 282 mako this febuary I keep you posted as I'll need some crew
Sounds like a lot of fun. First yellowfins are an eye opening experienceand looks like Eddie knew where they were. Now...get you gear together and start charging your camera today. We're gonna wear Puerta Vallarta out. Fred
Great Job on the trip! I see you laying back with the carlsberg beer there.... nice it was actually bud light lime. lol. good beer to beat the heat.