# Another Rig Trip Report: 10/12-10/13



## JD7.62 (Feb 13, 2008)

With the good reports a buddy and I left Destin, just the two of us, to make the run. I personally have only been to the rigs once before and this was my first trips that far as "the experienced one" on the boat, uh-oh.

We left at around 0600 and blasted off in flat calm seas. At about the 131 we came up on a broke fad, nothing but a crab trap buoy and rope left. It was lifeless. Not the first jack, triple tail, heck even minnow on it. Considering it was flat calm allowing us to scan the water and easily spot anything floating (which we hadnt all day) I decided it was still worth fishing despite it seeming completely devoid of life. Alas it was holding fish and while dropping a live bait down about 150ft for a hooter I pulled up one of these. Once they were up got two more but jumped one off. Not what I was hoping for but I will take it! Way to start the trip!










Back on course. We spot some very very large yft busting just north of the elbow. Ran to about where they were and dropped live baits deep in the area hoping to get lucky. But open water tuna being open water tuna, they were gone as quickly as they came so we pointed the bow SW again.

First rig was uneventful. On the first half lap we did get a big splash on an isllander/ballyhoo in the long rigger but it never even popped the rigger, just a UFO. Made several more passes and didnt really mark much but did come across a floating step stool and for shits and grins pulled a couple of chickens off it and made a new friend in the process.










Second rig we could see tuna busting from a distance! Heck yeah! tons of bait, tons of tuna busting, including some very large fish. We knew we were in it. First we did a few laps around the rig in case a marlin or something was around.

After marking lots of fish down deep we pulled in the spread and I sent a live bait down deep just like I had learned from the infamous ChrisV. It wasnt long and we had our first yft in the boat. Just after we gaffed it, we look over and the isllander/bally that we just had dangling straight down off the rigger, just kissing the water, had a blue whacking at it! My buddy dropped it down, it came back and whacked it again as I grabbed another live bait and tossed it towards the direction the fish was swimming...on a spinning rod! lol Unfortunately he never came back for it...good thing as who knows what would have happened!

By now the tuna are going nuts so we are bump trolling live baits as well as throwing poppers. It didnt take us long to get our two man limit of yellowfin. All smaller fish in the 20-60ish pound range but fun none the less! Also several skipjack which I now believe fight way harder pound for pound than yellowfin! Got this guy on a popper and he about whooped me cause the rod I was using was Teramar XXH with the last couple inches of it broke off and re-tipped. Needless to say the rod is all ass and no tip...which meant it whooped my ass! After about 30 minutes we sunk the gaff into the last fish and called it a day. The frenzy popper was completely in the fishes gullet with only the head being seen! I have to do some surgery on the carcass to get it out...Id say he wanted it!










We moved about 25 miles to the east to set up some sword baits for the night. Got three lines deployed but by about 0000 it was getting sloppy, by 0200 unbearable so we pulled em in and started easing up the hill. At sun up and just past the elbow we made the run back in some sloppy conditions but no complaints. A great trip was had!

I want to thank Capt Adam Peeples of One Shot, Capt Mickey O'Reilly of Angry Bird and of course the world famous ChrisV for helping me out. I used tips and techniques Ive learned from these guys to help make my trip successful despite being relatively inexperienced out there! :thumbup:


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## Bodupp (Oct 3, 2007)

Well, Hell yeah.

Did you learn the dangling Ilander trick from Chris V.?


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## stc1993 (Nov 23, 2014)

That's a good trip for someone just learning or anyone else.

Your new friend needed a rest.


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## submariner (Oct 2, 2007)

very nice thks for sharing


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

Hell yeah brotha! Got it done and then some.


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## Ocean Master (May 20, 2008)

You've come a long way Jason..!!

My son had the boat out there last Friday and the Skipjack Tuna were everywhere. That's all the caught on the troll. 

We have caught a Sailfish from a dead boat while landing a fish. The Pink/White Islander/Ballyhoo we left out b/c it was out of the way. It was sitting dead in the water until it was scooped up by the Sailfish.


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## TN-Trout Head (Sep 23, 2014)

JD, 
That's about as good as it gets! Very nice job and report you did.


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## k-dog (May 15, 2013)

awesome read great trip


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## Kim (Aug 5, 2008)

Great post and pics Jason. You and Pat had a sweet trip and really put some fish in the box!


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## jcasey (Oct 12, 2007)

That was an awesome report! I've never done a rigs trip and can't wait until I do it one day.


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## bcahn (Jan 10, 2013)

Way to go guys, what an awesome run!


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## Hired Hand (Nov 25, 2008)

Very nice report. Felt like I was there without the boat ride in rough seas coming home. Now I really want to go.


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## Tim_G (Feb 22, 2008)

Great report. Thanks for sharing.


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## bshep12 (Aug 26, 2008)

Thanks for the great report. Is that a saltis ld50 2 speed. If it is do you like it?


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## JD7.62 (Feb 13, 2008)

bshep12 said:


> Thanks for the great report. Is that a saltis ld50 2 speed. If it is do you like it?


I like it ok. Its been knocked around on my kayak for a few years so dont get me wrong its well "seasoned" and its starting to show. Had an issue with the knob screw backing out on us. However a little loctite should fix that.

Other than that, the granny gear winched those tuna right up. I got one bigger fish on it and one on the combo mentioned in my original post. It took under 5 minutes on the LD50 and at least 30 on that spinning rod for comparable sized fish. 

I was running 50lb braid with a long 50lb mono top shot and long 40lb fluro leader so I really wasnt laying the wood to them either though.


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## bshep12 (Aug 26, 2008)

I havebeen looking at on. Haven't pull the trigger on getting it. I am looking for a jiggin reel for tuna and aj"s


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## NoCatch (Apr 27, 2008)

OUTSTANDING Report :thumbup:, beautiful write up and pics....tks:thumbsup:


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## 706Z (Mar 30, 2011)

Good trip.There has been a ton of yellow fin caught this past week!Glad yall got some.


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## KBGAub (Aug 19, 2012)

Congrats on a great trip


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## jack2 (Mar 19, 2010)

your read made me feel like i had the gaff in my hand looking for color. great report and congrates on an excellent tuna trip. this is the prime tuna time of the year.

jack


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