# Lack of Reports for the 2015 Season



## JD7.62 (Feb 13, 2008)

So, new to this whole blue water thing, I spend what some would call a borderline psychotic amount of time reading what I can on the subject of all things big game.

Part of my strategy is combing through pages and pages of reports right here on PFF. :notworthy:

I noticed that in 2015 there are only about 6 pages in the "Bluewater Reports" section. In 2014 there are more than twice as many at about 13 pages. What gives? Im guessing it was the fact that the water was nasty a good chunk of the season last year? Or maybe less people are giving reports?

Is bluewater fishing very cyclical, meaning you have x number of good years in a row followed by y number of bad years? If so, are we on a down swing into some slower years?

Any input from you bluewater pros would be greatly appreciated! 

Oh and is my boat big enough to go offshore? How far? Where? What bait? What line? What knot? :whistling: :thumbup:


----------



## Lady J (Jul 14, 2013)

I believe it's a combination of having an off year and the availability of blue water. I know that my fishing was concentrated to nearshore as you had to head out too far to find productive blue water. I would also suggest that the water temperature was higher than previous years keeping most of the pelagics out further as well. The people that were finding fish were probably not as willing to share their location/reports as in past years. Just my 2 cents.


----------



## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

I'll say that clean water was hard to come by but I a lot of folks were fishing and just not reporting. The tuna bite was garbage inside of 90 miles most of the season but I did well on wahoo and dolphin most trips.


----------



## Realtor (Oct 1, 2007)

My observations are that people simply aren't taking the time to type reports as much on the "Fishing Forums".... but..... I have seen more activity on "Social Media" (Facebook) than I have on the fishing sites.....over the past couple years.... just my 2 cents.


----------



## JD7.62 (Feb 13, 2008)

Realtor said:


> My observations are that people simply aren't taking the time to type reports as much on the "Fishing Forums".... but..... I have seen more activity on "Social Media" (Facebook) than I have on the fishing sites.....over the past couple years.... just my 2 cents.


I agree completely and have noticed that too. 

Man I need to go fishing! Maybe in another 4-6 weeks I will start pointing the bow south again.


----------



## marksnet (Aug 22, 2014)

I did see that.

It's easy to think people are being tight lipped about the Bluewater but, I laid that to rest the first time I asked about trolling and reported a catch we did in November

Everybody chimed in and gave tips for the trolling thread

Everybody also rallied around a nice BFT and YFT trip we made out to the Horn around T-giving.

This year isn't shaping up very well either.T
The Mississippi is gonna be trashing us with the brown with the amount of water coming down the pipe imho..

Anytime I go I'll dang sure hook you up and I don't know crap yet but, I'll give ya'll what I got!!

Hoping for a great year and to catch my first HOO eva!!


----------



## JD7.62 (Feb 13, 2008)

I only got out about 10 times last year. Total was 1 wahoo, 7 yellowfin though none over 70lbs, 8736589 dolphin but only a handful over 20lbs and none over 30lbs, a sword and a couple of sails. (sails where from the yak but I'm still counting them!) I REALLY wanted that 3rd billfish species but couldn't make it happen rather it was a white or a blue. I'm not complaining, I think I/we had a stellar year but there is indeed room for improvement.

This season I'd like to step up the wahoo game as well as the billfish game. I have yet to land a marlin and I can't wait to put that notch on the ole belt!


----------



## Tim_G (Feb 22, 2008)

JD7.62 said:


> I only got out about 10 times last year. Total was 1 wahoo, 7 yellowfin though none over 70lbs, 8736589 dolphin but only a handful over 20lbs and none over 30lbs, a sword and a couple of sails. (sails where from the yak but I'm still counting them!) I REALLY wanted that 3rd billfish species but couldn't make it happen rather it was a white or a blue. I'm not complaining, I think I/we had a stellar year but there is indeed room for improvement.
> 
> This season I'd like to step up the wahoo game as well as the billfish game. I have yet to land a marlin and I can't wait to put that notch on the ole belt!


 Sounds like you had a good year. From what I experienced, the conditions were about average and we did well. I think Realtor got it right; people just aren't posting reports anymore.


----------



## Tim_G (Feb 22, 2008)

JD7.62 said:


> Is bluewater fishing very cyclical, meaning you have x number of good years in a row followed by y number of bad years? If so, are we on a down swing into some slower years?


 Good question. I don't have the answer, but I suggest spending some of that "psychotic amount of time" researching and following the loop current. That's where a lot of our "bluewater" fish come from. I think I read there's some sort of 18 month cycle involved. If you figure it out let me know.


----------



## JD7.62 (Feb 13, 2008)

I have looked into the currents and how they change but I can't find anything consistent. Maybe in the next 5-10 years and a log, that admittedly don't keep right now, I will get it pinned out.

Where I'm at now: I can do some basic rigging of lures. I feel like last year I found out where in the spread certain baits like to swim. I was presented with certain situations where my first choice didn't work and made a change that produced some results. I have a basic understanding of reading the.different.charts/satellite imagery as well as the.bottom contours. 

What I also need to work on are those days when there is no defined rip or obvious signs of life and what to do then. THAT, in my opinion, is the hard part, especially on a smaller boat with limited range. 

I've learned to rig ballyhoo in various ways but I'd like to spend more time trying to live bait. Twice we came up on a blue busting bait, one tossing chicken dolphin in the air like rag dolls and the other small tuna. The one eating the dolphin we dragged lures around the bubbles he left during his rampage but never got him up. The one on the tuna we kind of ignored as there were some bigger tuna around eating our poppers. IF we had a live bait set up ready we could have easily hooked up a live skippie we were catching in between yft and maybe got him to eat, that's a mistake I'm never making again!


----------



## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

I logged heavily for about 12yrs and although I'm spotty with my logging now, I can look at my old logs and reports and have a good idea of what I need to do, where I need to go, etc, etc.

As to rigging ballyhoo, live baiting and such. Perfect it all. Don't abandon one thing for another or vice versa. The situation dictates what to use and you'll want to be good at both. One thing is for certain, it's never wise to go out without any live bait.

One thing I see a lot of guys do is leave fish to find fish or leave a fishy area and troll miles and miles of open water instead of doubling back where they just hooked a fish or trolling over bait balls and other signs because they don't watch their depth finder. Watch the finder, mark bites and hookups and pay attention to the slightest of variances. The northern gulf changes so much that I pretty much plan my day on trolling bottom contours and watching my electronics for temp breaks and bait. Some days it only takes a half degree of temp change to hold a fish. If I find that rip, weed line or debris than that's awesome, but it's the tough days with zero signs that prove your skills.


----------

