[DaleR]

Hi,

I am a newbie to these trips and got a couple of questions regarding booking these. Are fishing spot assigned? If I book a spot at the stern, am I allow to go to the bow once we are at the rig to cast Halcos for YFT? Also, what is the cancellation policy in an event of an emergency that I could not make the trip. Looking to book for myself and for a buddy or two.

Fishing spots are asigned for the bottom fishing. Once tuna fishing starts where you fish is based on method. Casting off the bow and some off the starboard side. Jiggers are on the port side.
Per their website the 30 hr trips can be refunded up to one week before sailing. After that ylu have to get someone to buy your ticket, rarely is this hard to do there's almost always someone needing a ticket.

 

[DaleR]

Woo hoo!!!!! Ready to go!!!!!

I read somewhere there's no Amberjack this spring. Anybody else heard that?

 

[DaleR]

$5 increase

 

[DaleR]

We booked our 2023 red snapper trips this morning.

Waiting patiently for the Spring Tuna trips to go on sale!!!!!!!!!

 

[DaleR]

Was waiting on go at 5:30 am!!!!!!!

I got spots on the May 1 and the May 29 trips. Hoping amberjack season will be open, but I don't think so.

Will be me, my son, and Spikedog.

Anyone else on those days?

 

[DaleR]

Come on folks let's go tuna fishing!!!!

We're signed up for the Jan 5/6 and it looks kinda on the light side. Not sure if it's even enough to make yet🤔

Capt. Matt what's the min# to sail? Seems like I remember you saying 30? But not for sure.

 

[DaleR]

See ya Thursday morning!!!!!

 

[DaleR]

I will try to take some pics for you guys.

No promises I might be too busy fighting a huge yellowfin!!!!!!

 

[DaleR]

Awesome trip!!!!!!! Capt. Matt and Crew are the best!!!

We started at 61st trying to catch bait. No luck there we caught one smallish piggie.

As Matt said bottom fishing was rough. I don't think I even had a bite. No big deal though this was a tuna trip. Bottom fishing is just a side bonus on these trips right.

Tuna fishing started kinda tough for me. Inspite of big tuna being caught left and right I couldn't buy a bite.

Throw the same Halco, same color, same distance, same retrieve and the guy next me hooks up. Happened over and over. Shoot I was standing right next to the guy when the big one hit.

Then it turned on for me but I couldn't keep these big bad boys pinned on.

On Halcos I lost one that ran under the boat and cut the braid. Lost one after a 15 minute fight. Following the fish we got in a tangle with a small fish already showing color. A liitle slack in my line and when we tighten up my fish is gone. Oh well back at it.....

I pulled hooks on two more and then hit another slump.

After seeing several hit frenzys a fellow fishermen convinced me to change over.

First cast with a pink Frenzy and fish on!!!!!!!!

I saw this fish come full body out of the water a slam on top of my Frenzy. Couldn't have been 25- 30 yards from the boat, we saw it all!!!!

Ater a tense battle we got this one over the side.

I tied on another frenzy and first cast BOOM!!!!!! Fish on!!!!!!!

Another right at the boat full out of water tuna beat down on that Frenzy!!!!!

Two casts two fish hooked up!!

I couldn't stop this fish. I had 65 lb braid with 100 lb. bite leader and 25 lbs of measured drag. The line popped😥😥.

I'm not having trouble with breaking fish off. Out of six on one rubbed the boat amd one flat broke off. My trouble is keeping them hooked till gaff time.

 

[DaleR]

I guess the word got out on that location being hot!!!!! Glad we got to hit it on the 1/5-6 trip.

 

[DaleR]

Just saw that the vermilion snapper record has been updated.

Congratulations to Mr Fan, the New Buccaneer and Crew!!!

 

[DaleR]

Sounds like a good trip!!!!!

 

[DaleR]

Yeah I bet it would be a bit on the tough side out there the next few days.

In can do warm and raining, but chilly and raining is rough.

 

[DaleR]

Praying for a speedy recovery for our fellow tuna fisherman.

 

[DaleR]

Looks like a great trip!!!!

My first tuna trip was a fish box full of jumbo blackfin on the La Pesca out of Port A. We caught em behind shrimp boats.

 

[DaleR]

Any of the food that comes off the hot grill on the New Bucc is pretty good and the prices are very fair. The fries come out of a microwave (or air fryer, I'm not sure) and I'd avoid them. My first few trips I brought a bunch of food with me onboard, then stopped after I realized that the galley is all you really need. Now I just bring water and energy drinks, maybe a pack of oreos or something like that but I plan to buy my meals from the galley.

I quit taking anything other than some waters, nuts, and a candy bar or two. Other than that I eat and drink from the galley.

The Cook usually makes something for supper too.......Last trip he even had some steaks..........

 

[DaleR]

There was a trip scheduled for today. Looking at the weather I'm guessing it cancelled. Been a few weeks with no reports.

I feel for those that have been getting cancelled. We have been very fortunate this season so far , we booked 4 'trips this season. We have made it out on the first 2, both were great trips. We have 2 to go!!!!!

 

[DaleR]

It can only get better from here folks!!!!! Looking forward to our next trip 4/17.

 

[DaleR]

The bluefin spawn in the Gulf and, unless something has changed, it is illegal to target them. By-catch is OK. They are governed by the rules and quotas in the Atlantic.

One per vessel per year.

Atlantic Bluefin Tuna Recreational Bag Limits

Current retention limits and minimum sizes for Atlantic bluefin tuna recreational fisheries.

www.fisheries.noaa.gov