# Overnight Rig trip 12/13-12/14



## syrupdawg (Dec 4, 2013)

We got up Saturday morning about 4 45 and looked at the buoy data to make our final decision on the trip. It was showing 2.3 and we decided to go ahead as it was forecast to lay down. 

Put the boat in at daylight after a good breakfast and discovered I didn't have any power steering. I guess in the 2 month break in use of Keepin' Up it decided to go out. Its not a trip killer just makes it harder on me when not on autopilot. (Thank God for autopilot).

We cleared the pass and took off. Running about 38mph it was cool but we were all excited. It started picking up some so we slowed to about 30 still making good time with the following sea. (Again thank God for autopilot) 

Put out a wahoo/tuna spread at Petronis. Only picked up a small blackfin on the WWB bird/squid chain. Water looked great though. Pulled up to the rig to get some bait but it was a no go. Ran over to Marlin and made a few laps with spread out and no luck. Couldn't get any bait there either. Tried different sides on both rigs and deep down where I was marking some light stuff. We decided to go ahead to Horn MTN to try one last time for bait and some daytime chunking. 

No bait at Horn so we stated chunking but no luck. I stated marking some stuff but no hits even on jigs. Everybody got a nap in before it got dark and just before it got dark I pulled back up to the rig and jigged up a blackfin. It totally changed the moral on the boat. For the next few hours they pulled in blackfin jigging and top water. I grilled steaks on my new Magma grill and they were a lifesaver over a cold sandwich. We did have one hit on a diamond jig that I think may have been a yellowfin. It straightened the split ring on a diamond jig. Ill put a pic up of it later.

After everybody got tired of reeling in blackfin we pulled off the rig for some sleep. Overnight the seas kept building and building. By the time I got up about 4 30 to get us to the rig for the morning bite I made the decision to head on to the hill since we had a 4 hour ride even after we got the boat loaded back up. 

It was terribly rough. We could only run 15-18mph all the way from Horn MTN. (Again thank God for autopilot) I could have run faster but hate beating the boat and us like that. 
Over all it was a good trip. The 4 that had never been had a blast other than the rough weather. No one got sick and we got plenty of blackfin. Ill post pics and maybe some videos later.


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## Scruggspc (Mar 20, 2013)

At least you caught some fish and made it home safe. So did you fix the power steering before you left?


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## syrupdawg (Dec 4, 2013)

No going to work on that this week. Mercury wants $1000 for a pump so I'm thinking I may can take the motor off the pump and let a local electric motor place and see if they can repair it.


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## syrupdawg (Dec 4, 2013)

Here is the split ring on the diamond jig that I think we had a yellowfin on.


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## Ocean Master (May 20, 2008)

I had some Blackfin burgers made by a forum member and they are fantastic! He has the recipe listed.

If it gets over 2' I don't go...


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## Ocean Master (May 20, 2008)

syrupdawg said:


> Here is the split ring on the diamond jig that I think we had a yellowfin on.


 I had a YFT break a welded split ring. Now I use heavy duty split rings.


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## Scruggspc (Mar 20, 2013)

syrupdawg said:


> No going to work on that this week. Mercury wants $1000 for a pump so I'm thinking I may can take the motor off the pump and let a local electric motor place and see if they can repair it.


Yea that motor is the weak point in that new steering. I run some of their test boats and those wear out first.


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## syrupdawg (Dec 4, 2013)

Part of the catch









The end result for tonight


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## syrupdawg (Dec 4, 2013)

Scruggspc said:


> Yea that motor is the weak point in that new steering. I run some of their test boats and those wear out first.


Maybe it will work out. I was hoping to buy a set of Lebroc seats for it this winter instead of a power steering pump.


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## MSViking (Oct 11, 2007)

Yep the weatherman missed the forecast once again! Thanks for the report on the three rigs as we were torn on where to head on our trip. Looks like we made the better choice, but not by much.


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