# Fat Jax 10/17-18/14 RIG report



## Realtor (Oct 1, 2007)

Holy MOLY, Seas were completely FLAT on the way out to the rigs, Horrible pounding quarter seas on the first 60 miles on the way home, I'm feeling it now....Report.Blue, Blue water, brought back 22 Black Fin Tuna,We had numerous 100-150 LB class Yellow Fins CRASHING our poppers, they just could not fin the hook.Most Yellow Fin action I have ever seen and zero hookups on them.Had a nice 8-9 Ft Mako Shark visit the boat, but after Tuna fishing for so long neither my Brother (Hired Hand - caught the smallest BFT I have ever seen.....) or I had the fight in us to even think about taking that thing on, so we left it alone.Beautiful fish she was.Saw a HUGE Sperm Whale, super cool sight, that was a first for me.Enjoy the pictures, until next time....

Now I have a question, these YFT's were so aggressive, several times they hit these poppers and sent the popper 8-10 feet in the air (extremely impressive sight) and the Tuna were in mid air right after them, Other tines, it was like they were just striking short, We were using 4-5 foot leaders..... Here is a pic of the poppers we were using. Do you "Tuna folks" replace the factory hooks with something else? I find it hard to believe the ZERO hook-up rate.... what gives? any ideas?


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## Realtor (Oct 1, 2007)

Popper Pic


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## recess (Oct 8, 2007)

I prefer trebles Jim . Most popper fish we land our foul hooked around the face but hardly ever in the mouth.


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## CCC (Sep 3, 2008)

WOW ! Incredible report, the whale was cool ! Yea my back is killing me today after going out yesterday, but it makes for good stories.


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## Realtor (Oct 1, 2007)

Thanks Recess I was thinking that as well, gonna get some and swap them out. was a blast though, that would have been one heck of a fight.


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## Hired Hand (Nov 25, 2008)

Had so much fun my cheeks are sore from grinning. What a nice trip and weather except on the return ride. Learned to set there hang on and shut up. The whale encounter was awesome. Really makes you and your world seem small and insignificant. Never heard Jim say "did you see that" so many times in my life. Couldn't have had a better trip with a better person. Thanks brother, when are we going again?


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## Kim (Aug 5, 2008)

Great report and you guys had a blast no question about it!


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## Realtor (Oct 1, 2007)

Hired Hand said:


> Had so much fun my cheeks are sore from grinning. What a nice trip and weather except on the return ride. Learned to set there hang on and shut up. The whale encounter was awesome. Really makes you and your world seem small and insignificant. Never heard Jim say "did you see that" so many times in my life. Couldn't have had a better trip with a better person. Thanks brother, when are we going again?


 mark, we will look at going again after I get my guys get relocated from where they are now, to where they are supposed to be... Had a BLAST regardless of the crappy ride home. Great times in the BIG water! Heck, if the water was right, I'd leave tomorrow.... Ready yet?


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## panhandleslim (Jan 11, 2013)

Really nice report. You put a huge 'smackdown' on the Blackfins. Sorry to hear about the YFT luck. It's amazing that they can jump out of the water and catch a flying fish but have trouble with a popper. I'm with Recess, we use trebles. Live bait also makes things easier. 
That is a 'once in a lifetime' encounter with the Sperm Whale. I've been in parts of the world where they are common and never seen one. I would say 'rare' in the Gulf but it's the second report we have had on here this year. 

How long was the whale down when it dove. I've heard that the stay down a good while over an hour.

Anyway, can't believe an old 'shark hand' like you wouldn't take on a Mako like that. They are beautiful though. 

Amazing trip.


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## Realtor (Oct 1, 2007)

panhandleslim said:


> Really nice report. You put a huge 'smackdown' on the Blackfins. Sorry to hear about the YFT luck. It's amazing that they can jump out of the water and catch a flying fish but have trouble with a popper. I'm with Recess, we use trebles. Live bait also makes things easier.
> That is a 'once in a lifetime' encounter with the Sperm Whale. I've been in parts of the world where they are common and never seen one. I would say 'rare' in the Gulf but it's the second report we have had on here this year.
> 
> How long was the whale down when it dove. I've heard that the stay down a good while over an hour.
> ...


 Not sure how long it stayed down, we milled about a bit, but never saw it again, so we moved on to the fishing. Was a real blessing to whiteness something like that. Was a true pleasure trip, those yellows if we ever find them again, better look out.....


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## Reel Estate (Nov 28, 2007)

Saw you guys at the drill ship. The ride back was a bit sporty for most of the way. Great report.


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## fishsticker (Jan 11, 2009)

Nice report. Throwing poppers for tuna is definitely exciting but can be tough catching. Where were the yft?


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## jjam (Dec 9, 2007)

Awesome report and pics Jim, 

Great job you two, that's a lot of work for 2 anglers in the deep but you guys put the smack down on them and brought home a load of sushi!:notworthy:

Jimmy


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## 192 (Oct 1, 2007)

Great report Jim..enjoyed shooting the shit with you this morning and comparing battle wounds.


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## Realtor (Oct 1, 2007)

grouper22 said:


> Great report Jim..enjoyed shooting the shit with you this morning and comparing battle wounds.


 I liked that as well. good times! I'll b stiff and sore for a day or 2, but ready to again!!!


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## purple haze (Sep 2, 2013)

Jim and Mark looks and sounds like a good trip. You guys needs to start coring you tuna to save on ice.  No reason to get in a fight with a mako so far from home :no:


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## sail7seas (Oct 2, 2007)

Great report and pics. Looks like a great trip. Have to get back out there and get those yellowfin next time.


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## bcahn (Jan 10, 2013)

Epic day for you guys, great report!


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## Deeplines (Sep 28, 2007)

Awesome report Jim. You guys had a heck of a day. 

Was it just the two of you?

Mark, you sure you can hold that tuna up with two fingers? Great pixs.


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## Bluewater Report (Jul 14, 2014)

Nice trip.

On the popper, those hooks need to be turned around. With both hooks pointing up, it's easy to see how a fish striking from below would avoid the pointy end of the hook all together.


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## fishmagician (Jun 4, 2014)

From experience, I found that the fast moving fish on the strikes like that are pushing so much water they just push the hook up or down - out of the way, hence no hook up. If those hooks were solid, you would had the YFT hooked up. I've watched that happen on a number of occasions.


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## Realtor (Oct 1, 2007)

Bluewater Report said:


> Nice trip.
> 
> On the popper, those hooks need to be turned around. With both hooks pointing up, it's easy to see how a fish striking from below would avoid the pointy end of the hook all together.


 the hooks are attached to heavy swivels via a split ring. they rotate in a full circle with no problem.


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## Bluewater Report (Jul 14, 2014)

Gotcha, couldn't see the swivels in the picture. No doubt, it's amazing that such efficient predators miss the target so often when we're trying our damnedest make it easy on em. Just make sure that your hooks are always exposed on these and all lures (as others have suggested, using trebles accomplishes this).


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## Hired Hand (Nov 25, 2008)

Deeplines said:


> Awesome report Jim. You guys had a heck of a day.
> 
> Was it just the two of you?
> 
> Mark, you sure you can hold that tuna up with two fingers? Great pixs.


I have the grip of a pair of vise grips. Just hard to hold that much weight at arms length. When are we going fishing Rodney?


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