# EXTREME TUNA FISHING



## Reel Screamers (Jan 5, 2008)

Weather was great, seas were great but Mother Ocean did not want to give up her bounty yesterday. 

Left Grand Isle about 4:30 AM to beat the crowd that was anticipated. We beat most of the traffic form the NE but there was not a lot of traffic all day. Total looked like about 50 boats on the lump. We had one good run that I would call a tuna but we will never know for sure as several minutes into the fight the line parted and it was gone. My crew did not want to bottom fish and with nothing but belly aching on the radio about how no one was catching fish we decided to run deep. 

Arrived at the floaters but saw no surface action. There was bait eveywhere but nothing was there to bother it. We managed one undersized YF then decided to go bottom bumping. 

Ended the day with grouper, AJ and an unknown. Tough day fishing but a good day on the water. 

Prior to booking this trip, we had worked for weeks on the details of EXTREME TUNA FISHING. With the weather perfect we did not want to pass it up so we called the Cherece IV and they agreed to play taxi to my original crew. 

They set anchor on the lump and the kayaks were deployed. Yes kayaks on the lump for EXTREME TUNA FISHING. Danny and C.T. worked on snapper and some small jacks to get the feel of how the kayaks would react then it was time to get serious. 

C.T. was trolling a live bait behind him when the big boy hit. Now he was in for what probably amounted to about a 2mile ride as the fish pulled him around anchor ropes and other boats. Danny was able to catch up to him and with the added weight of pulling two kayaks, they were able to slow the fish and gain back some line. It was going good, they were gaining line and it looked like the maiden voyage was going to produce a big fish. 

Then Murphy showed up and the handle parted from the reel. The Cherece (mother ship) quickly moved into position with plans of splicing the line onto another rod but as they were doing so, the fish made a run and the line parted. 

THe kayaks will be back on the lump before the season is over. Our plan is to work out all the unknows and come spring we should be offering these trips. Imagine paddling weed lines, sight casting at dolphin then having him pull you around the open gulf until you tire him out. Sounds EXTREME and sounds like fun. 











Launching from the mother ship










Danny getting used to the fact the Makos sometimes cruise the lump










A view of the lump from sea level


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## specslayer (Oct 9, 2007)

that looks like so much fun i would LOVE to go blue water fishing in my yak some day


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## true-king (Oct 2, 2007)

> *specslayer (2/3/2008)*that looks like so much fun i would LOVE to go blue water fishing in my yak some day


I'm there with you. That would be XTREME!


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## Private Pilot (Oct 3, 2007)

Very cool!!


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## Bill Me (Oct 5, 2007)

How far out is the Lump?


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## Lickety-Split (Oct 3, 2007)

I've thought of running mother ship for some yaks to Chandeleur Island, LA in my boat. Fishing for specs and Reds from a yak at Chandeleur Island would be awsome but dont know if anyone would be willing to foot the bill for it? Could prob fit 4 yaks aboard and and I'd cover food to be cooked for the crew to try and make up for the cost. Man, I think that would be awsome!!! Just dont know if it would be too popular with the cost???


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## Captain Woody Woods (Oct 2, 2007)

REEL-have you ever been hooked up to a YFT from a 'yak before? Not for the faint of heart. Best case scenario, when he strikes, it is "in line" with your 'yak as opposed to pulling perpendicular. In that case, I surely hope you have your rod snapped to you or your boat, some how. As for illustrating some kind of parallel, imagine being hooked up to the back of a truck and having your buddy stomp on the gas....hope you're ready and have a good, trustworthy crew that can be alongside of you with a quickness.


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## bonita dan (Oct 3, 2007)

So let me get this straight,you head out to the lumps in a perfectly sound vessel towing some canoe lookin things,get to the grounds and abandon ship into the canoe lookin things to get into a tugOwar with a volkswagon. In the words of Johnny Cochran,THAT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE! They could put a nice caption on your tombstone,"Well,He Was Extreme"


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## Reel Screamers (Jan 5, 2008)

WHOO ........ that was one of our concerns as we thought this thing out. As we hassed it out true LA. style (over several beers), we elected to go with spinning tackle. A softer rod, better rod management from a seated position, etc. The other thing was that we went with a baitrunner, thus we could control the strike. In other words when the fish hit and began peeling line, you have time to position your yak so that you are in line with the fish as you start to apply drag. from that point on the yak is very easy to steer by adjusting the angle of the rod tip.

It worked fine Saturday,the hook up and the chase, I would call a success and we were making ground in the battle.

I believe that the only reason this maiden voyage was not a 100% success story was because CT insisted on using his rod, equipped with a P O S okuma.

Plan B???? each of the guys in the yaks were equipped with multiple blades so they could cut loose if they felt uncomfortable at any time. They reported the opposite, a very stable platform and a rewarding experiance.


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## Caspr21 (Oct 4, 2007)

man you are insane!!!!!!!!!!!! great report, but you definatley have bigger balls than I:clap:bowdown


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## dpewitt (Oct 26, 2007)

I'm with Woody. Crazy currents this time of year, Mako's, cold water, etc, etc. Not to mention that even with a 50W and good rod you still may be bowed up in a battle for close to an hour or more for a larger fish. If he starts pulling you across the gulf, with 50 boats and anchor lines everywhere on the lump it REALLY sounds more dangerous than extreme. Not sure how that boat would make it's way to you in those conditions if you were in trouble. 

If you want extreme, fish butt naked in February with a Pogey in your cheeks or something, but don't get out of the boat!:letsdrink


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## Reel Screamers (Jan 5, 2008)

Planned for that also. What you have to understand is that this trip had a lot of considerations attached to it. We waited for a calm day and we got one. There would be no deployment if the current or the seas were too dangerous. There would be no deployment if anyone felt uncomfortable about any of the conditions. We had wet suits, Danny choose to wear one, CT choose not to.

We are not going to be able to do this, this time of the year every time we try to. The ultimate goal is to bring everyone back to the dock safelyat the end of the day.

But I understand it is not for everyone. As far as I'm concerned the idiots are the ones that dive the lump, at least we are staying on top the water.


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## captbuckhall (Oct 18, 2007)

Would I do it...hell no. But, people all over the world are mothershipping our to blues, blacks and other sportfish. I hope it never happens, but man, to a big mako or white shart, those things have to look like dinner. That'll keep me out for sure. 

Best of luck and it sounds like you guys are keeping safety as prominent as you can in a yak. Look forward to the report...stay safe.

buck


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## Captain Woody Woods (Oct 2, 2007)

> *Reel Screamers (2/5/2008)* We had wet suits, Danny choose to wear one, CT choose not to.
> 
> As far as I'm concerned the idiots are the ones that dive the lump, at least we are staying on top the water.


LOL wetsuits are the LEAST of my worries. Pardon the ignorance, but what is wrong with diving the lump? So long as one exercises caution, uses dive flag, buddy system, etc. etc.?


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## need2fish (Oct 2, 2007)

Wow - that IS Extreme.


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## Reel Screamers (Jan 5, 2008)

Hoo ............ it is not that there is necessarily anything wrong with diving the lump, I am illustrating the point thatthis may not be for everyone. Putting on a wet suit, jumping into the water and swimming around in cold water filled with thousands of pounds of chum is not for me. People do it but it is not for all. In my book, you would find both of these sports in the Extreme chapter and it would seem that they share a lot of the same concerns.


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