# Last few trips report (tuna, mahi, marlin)



## Captain Woody Woods

Just now finding a few minutes to search through my phone and dig up some pictures from the last few days. Been running most of these freelance trips on guys who contact me looking to learn a little more about how to put tuna and marlin in the boat, maybe learn some new techniques; and I am happy to jump on and offer some insight and instruction so that they can more consistently fill the box and/or riggers at end of the day with some laundry. Nearly all of these trips have been run out of Pensacola or Orange Beach, and exclusively fished Deep Seas and Globetrotter, with some Horn Mountain thrown in, as there has been no shortage of bait nor predators there. Remember that your bottom machine is your best friend, and even if you are trolling, you should always keep an eye on bottom machine. Even when targeting blue marlin, we see almost every fish before she actually hits. I like mine on 200 khz frequency and down to about 200' or so, even on weedlines. All these fish you are marking (for those of you watching your sounder) around 160-200' on weedlines are almost always monster yellowfin, as we have been able to dive with several schools lately. They just seem to be doing their own thing that deep though, not super actively feeding. Wahoo are usually the marks from 50-90' feet down, and you will almost always see the dolphin on top.

Seems like on the last few tuna trips, on the last drift of the day, we have doubled up, and have either tagged these tunas or donated them to the nearby supply boats or drillships themselves. No doubt much appreciated, as a few even donated back fresh baked cookies and other treats! Nice to have when our own coolers are running low. Ended up tagging 19 yellows in the last 10 days from 40-over 100 pounds. When you have enough for the table, no need to kill anymore. Save em for another day.

Gotten my ass kicked on the swords as of lately, losing 3 in the last few trips that we had on for quite some time, jumped within 30 yards of the boat, and would have scored well north of the 300# mark. Lot of billwrapped fish-sloppy eaters. 

For the guys that have exclusively devoted a day to blue marlin fishing, all have been rewarded, many with the first blue for their boat. Got some great video I am combing through and hope to have a good one back out in a few weeks.

Dolphin have been super late this year, and did not boat my first one big enough for a gaff until last week, about a month later than when we typically start seeing them with any consistency.


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## J0nesi

whats the fish in the sixth pic?


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## aquatic argobull

J0nesi said:


> whats the fish in the sixth pic?


Rainbow Runner


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## Mike Moore

Enjoyable read Captain. Looks like your clients learned a few things! And thanks for the info.


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## Captain Woody Woods

aquatic argobull said:


> Rainbow Runner


That was the largest runner I had ever seen. Tons of em lately. Looked like a yellowtail (pacific)


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## stauty trout

Captain Woody Woods said:


> That was the largest runner I had ever seen. Tons of em lately. Looked like a yellowtail (pacific)



That's a fat one...I haven't caught one in a few years now... seemed like every time we used to go out to the pertronus/apache or any of the close floaters we'd always pick up a couple..

Headed out to horn mountain next weekend for the rodeo... can't believe it's been almost a whole year since I've been out tuna fishing... :thumbdown:


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## lowprofile

whats that tuna being hauled up onto? is that part of the rig or a support ship?


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## Captain Woody Woods

lowprofile said:


> whats that tuna being hauled up onto? is that part of the rig or a support ship?


In one picture (with the two fish) it is being hauled up onto a Hornbeck ship. The other one is being lifted onto a supply boat, who then gave it to the drillship. Give a man a fish, feed him for a day. Give a rig a tuna, and receive free, realtime intel for life!


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## purple haze

Some nice pictures and a good read. Another thing about the rainbow runner and a skip jack. Two of the hardest fighters in the sea for their size.


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## WhyMe

Nice pic. I love that patch of weeds.

WhyMe 
Mako My Dayo


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## Kailua Boy

Nice job Capt! What a haul!!


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## IslanderDiveCompany

Nice Still fishing???


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## onoahi

Orange Beach


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## JoeyWelch

PM Splittine. I think he fishes with him.


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## Downtime2

jlw1972 said:


> PM Splittine. I think he fishes with him.


Didn't they tag one from the same couch??


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## Splittine

Downtime2 said:


> Didn't they tag one from the same couch??


Yeah I forget her name though.


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## Downtime2

Lol


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## MrFish

jlw1972 said:


> PM Splittine. I think he fishes with him.


He's Splittine's personal Uber driver.


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## duckhunter10

Captain Woody Woods said:


> Just now finding a few minutes to search through my phone and dig up some pictures from the last few days. Been running most of these freelance trips on guys who contact me looking to learn a little more about how to put tuna and marlin in the boat, maybe learn some new techniques; and I am happy to jump on and offer some insight and instruction so that they can more consistently fill the box and/or riggers at end of the day with some laundry. Nearly all of these trips have been run out of Pensacola or Orange Beach, and exclusively fished Deep Seas and Globetrotter, with some Horn Mountain thrown in, as there has been no shortage of bait nor predators there. Remember that your bottom machine is your best friend, and even if you are trolling, you should always keep an eye on bottom machine. Even when targeting blue marlin, we see almost every fish before she actually hits. I like mine on 200 khz frequency and down to about 200' or so, even on weedlines. All these fish you are marking (for those of you watching your sounder) around 160-200' on weedlines are almost always monster yellowfin, as we have been able to dive with several schools lately. They just seem to be doing their own thing that deep though, not super actively feeding. Wahoo are usually the marks from 50-90' feet down, and you will almost always see the dolphin on top.
> 
> Seems like on the last few tuna trips, on the last drift of the day, we have doubled up, and have either tagged these tunas or donated them to the nearby supply boats or drillships themselves. No doubt much appreciated, as a few even donated back fresh baked cookies and other treats! Nice to have when our own coolers are running low. Ended up tagging 19 yellows in the last 10 days from 40-over 100 pounds. When you have enough for the table, no need to kill anymore. Save em for another day.
> 
> Gotten my ass kicked on the swords as of lately, losing 3 in the last few trips that we had on for quite some time, jumped within 30 yards of the boat, and would have scored well north of the 300# mark. Lot of billwrapped fish-sloppy eaters.
> 
> For the guys that have exclusively devoted a day to blue marlin fishing, all have been rewarded, many with the first blue for their boat. Got some great video I am combing through and hope to have a good one back out in a few weeks.
> 
> Dolphin have been super late this year, and did not boat my first one big enough for a gaff until last week, about a month later than when we typically start seeing them with any consistency.


 any time in august you could go with my crew?


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## Splittine

duckhunter10 said:


> any time in august you could go with my crew?


Hahahaha


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## hjorgan

*like a bad dream.....*

Can't believe you dug that up.


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## Water Spout II

woods gurantees blue marlin from his couch and set records in the gulf for tagging them!


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## H2OMARK

IslanderDiveCompany said:


> Nice Still fishing???



No, you didn't really do this did you? Sheeze, you did. Should be good for about 3 pages if you can get people off the couch ......


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## MrFish

H2OMARK said:


> No, you didn't really do this did you? Sheeze, you did. Should be good for about 3 pages if you can get people off the couch ......


You said "couch" on a WW thread! Instigator....


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