JUST finished fishing for tuna in LA, Mexico

[Ken07AOVette]

This is going to be quick, I just got back to the hotel after a 24 hour big boat excursion on the New Loanna out of San Diego harbor.
We got there at 8pm last night to sail at 9PM, into Mexican waters. We left the harbor in the pitch black, no running lights even on which is truly a strange experience. We were told to find a bunk, there were 32 available, stacked 3 high from the floor to the ceiling.
We sailed through the night, buddy and I were the last to turn in, knowing there was very little chance of sleep, for a multitude of reasons.
Just to paint a picture, a group of 'excited' heavily lubricated men walked off another boat and onto this one, cracking beer at both the exit from one and the entrance to the next dock. This never stopped for 24 hours. These guys were literally oozing beer and grease, we sure didn't want to sleep anywhere near them. When I went in to get my bunk ready, sure enough there is pizztank #1 stripped down to his skidmarked tighty whities, slobbering drunk trying to crawl into his bunk, great.
05:30 we were awakened by the Captain on the PA; 'tuna off the starboard bow!
We were not at all prepared for the dance that was about to unfold, but as we got to the rail and I cast my sniper I am not even sure if it hit the water before I had a very nice yellowfin tuna on. It was instant, explosive and furious. This continued for several minutes, 30, 40, 50 tuna hit the decks and we were not there 5 minutes.
It slowed down a little, and the Captain on the PA again, this time he said the boil is over, but we are still marking fish. Switch away from heavy gear, down to lighter and a 2-0 hook, they are going to be more finicky.
We continued drifting the location until the bite settled, and moved on.
Over the next 10 hours we did the same thing 3 times, and ended up with over 170 tuna on the floor. The deckhands even got in on the action.
The staff were just awesome, they were baiting hooks, casting reels, gaffing fish, doing everything possible to get meat on the deck.
By the time we were done the boat looked like a series of grizzly murders occurred, there was blood everywhere, and we filled the fishboxes.
I knocked 4 more species off the bucket list; calico bass, yellowtail tuna, yellowfin tuna, albacore, skipjack.
More tomorrow or the next day, the real bed in the hotel apparently has an electromagnet in it, I am being drawn to it.
Pics soon.

[58thecat]

So basically just you and your buddy got into the action as the pizz tanks slept it off,,,bonus!
Looking forward to the pics, 170 tuma makes a lot of sandwiches...better than balogny.

[RavYak]

When I saw your original post I was wondering if you were going out on one of those cattle liners.

Not something I have much interest in doing but at least you guys got into the fish.

[maximusII]

Did you take pictures? Please post!

[Ken07AOVette]

Originally Posted by RavYak

When I saw your original post I was wondering if you were going out on one of those cattle liners.

Not something I have much interest in doing but at least you guys got into the fish.

We had been going out in buddy's boat but not having great luck. We figured rather than changing it a couple more days we would do am overnighter. It paid off immensely. It really is combat fishing, well organized chaos. If you are alert and work well with others it is the way to go. I will do it again first chance I get.

[Fishwhere]

That sounds super cool!!! I cant wait for the pics, seems up my alley! Do you mind me asking how much a person?

[RavYak]

Originally Posted by Fishwhere

That sounds super cool!!! I cant wait for the pics, seems up my alley! Do you mind me asking how much a person?

They are pretty cheap/reasonable since you just join a big boat full of people. There are really cheap part day trips that stick close to the city and there are a bit more expensive ones if you want to do full day trips out to better waters farther off shore or down in Mexico. Just search up San Diego fishing charters and you will find numerous examples, the "Open Party" trips as they call them are very common down there.

There used to be a site where you could see what some of the main charter boats were catching. Can't remember what it was called but probably could still find it. Some boats do much better then others and from what I saw when looking into it you definitely want to do the longer range trips, the close really cheap ones don't catch much.

[Ken07AOVette]

Originally Posted by Fishwhere

That sounds super cool!!! I cant wait for the pics, seems up my alley! Do you mind me asking how much a person?

It was only $210 per. But nothing else was included other than a bed and a head.
And I can't wait to go again.
Think we can get 30 AO guys rounded up?
Flight was $440 return. It was a cheap trip.

[Barnes19]

Ken
DO you get to keep the meat? If so do they help you package?

[Ken07AOVette]

Originally Posted by Barnes19

Ken
DO you get to keep the meat? If so do they help you package?

On the boat you are assigned a number, 1-30. Everything up to personal limit with your number is yours. If you catch more, they take the smaller ones and give them to guys that did not limit out, IF the boat limit is caught.
We were in Mexico, limit was 5 each. On the way back we caught more in Cali water, total 170 including crew members limit. Each person got 6. They filet them and put them in ziplock bags, then in a blue bag with your number on it.

You are allowed 10 per day there, only 5 from Mexico there. If I had caught 5 and 5 I would not be happy, but it worked out well.

[Ken07AOVette]

pics are here

http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showt...=1#post3622733