# Blackfin on SweetP 3/8/14



## Retro (Jan 16, 2014)

Good morning, folks. Last Saturday 3/8 we left Palafox Pier with a load of ice, bait, and about 40 pinfish for SweetP's first rig trip. The forecast was 1-2 and falling winds. What a joke. Easily 2-3 all day and 15-17kt gusts out at the elbow producing plenty of 4+s. We motored out to the Avocet and checked a few spots around the edge for amberjack. A few marks, but no takers on pinfish, jigs, cut cigs, squid... nothing. Ran over to the yellow gravel and dropped pinfish and squid on chicken rigs to some rocks and ledges. It was impossible to hold position, nevermind the fact that we lost our sea anchor/army surplus para... thanks NOAA. One big hookup that we lost and one small snapper later, we decided to troll out to the elbow. We saw no bait and not a single taker on our spread for 3 hours. Turned west at 3:00 and got to petronius at sundown. Saw a few blackfin popping on the down current side and nothing great on the depth finder. After a dozen times trolling around her, we setup to drift (the winds were finally down under 10). Around 10:00 the blackfin came up and jigging was like stealing candy from a baby. They took it on the way down, on the way up, and off the top... didn't lose a single jig (shimano calcuttas w/ 80# braid and 10' 80# mono leader) though the glow paint shimano flutters took a beating. We filled one of the boxes with 20 by 1:00 and decided to start chunking for yellows. 40 lbs of cut cigs later, and no sign of yellows, we were tuckered out and started home. In hindsight, we could have stayed on the blackfin and filled the boat. Probably could have held 40 total... but who wouldn't want to try for a big yellowfin? The seared tuna and sushi was AWESOME.

A few questions:
We cut frozen cigs, is there something better?
How much are you chunking... I was throwing 5-7 chunks every 30 seconds or so. Is that enough?
We used 6/0 mustad circle hooks on 10' 60# floro leaders w/ senator 114s and live pinfish out on 50w's. Does this sound like an appropriate setup for when we do get a good yellowfin hit?


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## cobe killer (Apr 13, 2008)

Looks like tuna steaks on the grill!! Um um good!
Love the last 2 pics


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## eddiem84 (Nov 3, 2010)

Lots of people use the blackfins for chunking.


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## Kim (Aug 5, 2008)

We catch a bunch of Blackfin Ice them down and use them for chunking and what ever is left over we eat. the little girl on the dock with the Blackfin is the cutest fishing photo I've seen in a long time.


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## Realtor (Oct 1, 2007)

good report and pictures!


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

Nice report

Menhaden, bonito and blackfin have a much higher oil content and create a heavier scent trail which is why they are the preferred chunk bait. The idea of the chunk trail is to get them feeding and draw them to the boat. I only throw 2-3 very small chunks every 30 seconds or so, but if in a crowd of other boats may step it up a bit. I usually use 30 class reels for my chunking and live baiting setups although there is no set rule for such. I like something small to mid sized but powerful

You brought home tuna though and that's good enough!


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## panhandleslim (Jan 11, 2013)

Good report. Glad that you found some fish.


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## recess (Oct 8, 2007)

As far a chunking goes those blackfins are best - tunas love red meat just small pieces we tend to throw out a piece every 10 seconds and feed back 2 chunks with hooks in them at the same time often letting them go back 400-500' each time , turn and repeat again . But if you dont mark yellows down deep first off its time to move on down the oil field. I tend to let a live bait back with the chunks also - seems to help. As hooks are concerned i like the frenzy 7/0 for chunking.


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## Donnie24 (Jan 12, 2013)

That's a sick picture of the pelican, an nice work on the tunas!


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## Captain Woody Woods (Oct 2, 2007)

No need in wasting time trolling around the Elbow this time of year. Either go straight to the rigs north and west of petronius and troll divers for hooters, or head offshore to find warmer water for billfish.

Use the infinite supply of blackfin for bait, and dont get your hopes up fishing petronius all night for yellows. Move on to greener pastures. All the big yellows are west of there right now anyway


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## IrishBlessing (May 13, 2012)

I second on trolling. Wasting your time this far north. Go SW. How many sharks did you see at Petronious?


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## Retro (Jan 16, 2014)

IrishBlessing said:


> I second on trolling. Wasting your time this far north. Go SW. How many sharks did you see at Petronious?


Zero sharks. And zero yellows. Didn't lose a single fish. 
Thanks for a of the tips guys! Last question, when you are watching the finder for yellows, how tight do they school? I understood that they will often sit 100+ yds off the down current side. How deep could they be? I figure surface to about 200 ft? I am excited to get back out there!


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## sledpeddler (Feb 28, 2008)

Good first trip, from the other Swee' Pea!


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## Fielro (Jun 4, 2012)

Great picture of the cute little girl. Awesome


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## DISANTO (Oct 1, 2007)

Great trip! Congrats. Good to c y'all getting out there. Love the pics!


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## bluedawg1 (Mar 24, 2011)

*Bluedawg1*

Great post !! our last trip killed the blackfin and the sharks ate the only hook up on yellowfin at the boat estimated @ around 40lbs or so , we were at petronis also . and jigging. :thumbup:


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