# 10/27 Pain Train Fishing Trip



## Chris Hood (Mar 13, 2008)

I got a phone call Sunday afternoon from a friend of mine asking if I could leave in a few hours to go out tuna fishing and come back Monday afternoon. I told him I couldnt because I had to work. Later that evening I drove down to Sportsman Marina to see if they were still going and they were loading up the boat and were about to head out. At this point I couldnt resist and had to join. Twenty minutes later I was back at the marina stepping on the boatwith a bag of clothes, my tuna popping spinner setup and my marlin trolling lures. 

We cleared Perdido Pass jettiesabout 10:30 and set a course for the Marlin and enjoyed the slick calm conditions on our way out. We got to the Marlin and flipper was there in force. There were a few yellowfin mixed in with them. We threw poppers for about 20 minutes and had a few fish miss our poppers. The dolphin were following our poppers right to the boat which is something I have never seen...definately an erie feeling. Anyways, we decided we should continue south and headed to Horn Mountain. 

We got to Horn Mountain and it was going on to say the least. There were 75-150 pound fish blowing up on squid all around the rig. We started throwing poppers at them and immediately boated a few fish with a few break offs mixed in. Then we hooked two fish in the 120-140 pound range on poppers. One of the other anglers hooked up first and unfortuantely I hooked up with the second fish. I don't think I have ever had my a$$ handed to me like that tuna did. It was awful....I fought the fish for about an hour and a half and had it just out of gaffing range for about 15 minutes but lost it when one of the death circles put the line in the running gear. The other angler was still hooked up though and about an hour later lost his fish in the running gear as well after having the fish just out of gaffing range for about 20 minutes. Oh well! 

It was getting daylight at this point so we put trolling baits in the water and managed a 10-15 pound dolphin and a blackfin. The wind started to pick up at this point and within an hour we were facing 4-6 foot seas that increased to about 10 foot shortly thereafter. It was awful! We were in a 54 foot bertram and were still getting pounded. One of the big 300 foot Swess crew boats called us on the radio and asked if we were fishing a tournament with a tone of "those guys must be crazy" in his voice as he told us he was headed in until the weather improved. It took us 12 agonizing hours to get home but did end up with a little meat in the fish box. Final count 3-60-80 pound yellowfin, 1- black fin, 1-15-20 pound dolphin, 46 screws, 1 broken outrigger halyard, 1 very close call electrical fire and several cuts, scrapes, bumps and bruises.


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## Voodoo Lounge (Sep 28, 2007)

Nice report, sucks ya'll lost those big yellowfins!! I bet you slept good!!


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## Ultralite (Oct 1, 2007)

good story man and glad ya'll got some meat...too bad on the breakoffs...i was wondering when i would get to part about the seas building...even in that bertram it hat to be a sob...


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## Xiphius (Oct 10, 2007)

Awesome topwater action, Ive been spooled on a Yummie flying fish on a 20000 w/65pp on the lump and it was a sight to behold!


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## Chris Hood (Mar 13, 2008)

Capt. Max Pace, who was on the trip with us as well and a much better writer than me wrote about the trip. Here is his depictionof the trip.

Sunda<WBR>y after<WBR>noon my cousi<WBR>n Jim Durha<WBR>m asked<WBR> me if I was inter<WBR>ested<WBR> in going<WBR> fishi<WBR>ng. His boat ?The As Is Where<WBR> Is? was full of fuel which<WBR> some of the diese<WBR>l was purch<WBR>ased when the fuel price<WBR>s was about<WBR> $<WBR>5.00 per gallo<WBR>n. The boat is for sale and Jim did not want to sell her with a slam full tank of fuel.<WBR> The weath<WBR>er was warm and there<WBR> was not even a puff of wind.<WBR> Jim said to get on the phone<WBR> and find any one who wante<WBR>d to go on a short<WBR> notic<WBR>e and lets get ready<WBR> to go. My old frien<WBR>d Chad,<WBR> his wife Vicki<WBR> and two of their<WBR> frien<WBR>ds Matt and Karen<WBR> and Cryst<WBR>al said yes. I calle<WBR>d my good frien<WBR>d and deck hand Chris<WBR> Hood and after<WBR> a call to his work and said yes. A few more peopl<WBR>e we calle<WBR>d could<WBR> not go.<BR style="DISPLAY: none" gauntlet_tokenizer_reserved="">
The boat,<WBR> ?As is Where<WBR> Is? and I go back a long,<WBR> long time.<WBR> She is a 54 Bertr<WBR>am that was once the ?Shee<WBR>r Bliss<WBR>?. My first<WBR> trip on this boat she was the ?Rise<WBR>n Star?<WBR> named<WBR> after<WBR> a very famou<WBR>s Louis<WBR>iana breed<WBR> race horse<WBR> that had done very well on the race track<WBR>s in the Unite<WBR>d State<WBR>s and the tripl<WBR>e crown<WBR>. I had fishe<WBR>d this boat while<WBR> it was the ?Rise<WBR>n Star?<WBR> with the past chief<WBR> of the Choct<WBR>aw India<WBR>ns, Chief<WBR> Phill<WBR>ip Marti<WBR>n. Then she was the ?Bill<WBR> Colle<WBR>ctor?<WBR> and for the past four years<WBR> has been the ?As is Where<WBR> Is?. I have been invol<WBR>ved with catch<WBR>ing tons fish on this boat inclu<WBR>ding a big dolph<WBR>in in the Missi<WBR>ssipp<WBR>i Billf<WBR>ish Class<WBR>ic worth<WBR> $<WBR>86,<WBR>000.<WBR>00 and many,<WBR> many blue marli<WBR>n inclu<WBR>ding 3 blues<WBR> in one day which<WBR> is prett<WBR>y rare in the north<WBR>ern gulf.<WBR> It would<WBR> be hard to guess<WBR> how many cobia<WBR> I have spott<WBR>ed from her tower<WBR> which<WBR> wound<WBR> up in the overs<WBR>ized fish box in the cock pit and then to the cast iron skill<WBR>et and some hungr<WBR>y belly<WBR>?s. Being<WBR> a 1984 model<WBR> she is an older<WBR> vesse<WBR>l by boat stand<WBR>ards but has been very well kept over the years<WBR>. Being<WBR> a 54 Bertr<WBR>am I have known<WBR> her as one of the best fishi<WBR>ng platf<WBR>orms that has ever been built<WBR>. Her hull is wide,<WBR> cockp<WBR>it big, the hull is over built<WBR> and tough<WBR>. I can recou<WBR>nt hundr<WBR>eds of fishi<WBR>ng trips<WBR> on her but I will get back to the trip this past Sunda<WBR>y.<BR style="DISPLAY: none" gauntlet_tokenizer_reserved="">
After<WBR> getti<WBR>ng our thing<WBR>s ready<WBR> about<WBR> 9.00 p.m. we left Sport<WBR>sman Marin<WBR>a heade<WBR>d for the deep float<WBR>ing rigs south<WBR> of Mobil<WBR>e. On the ride out there<WBR> was not any wind and was one of the calme<WBR>st, clear<WBR>est night<WBR>s that I have ever run out. In fact it was so calm you could<WBR> actua<WBR>lly see the refle<WBR>ction<WBR>s of the stars<WBR> on the water<WBR>. It was so clear<WBR> that the rig light<WBR>s seeme<WBR>d much close<WBR>r than they were and I had to verif<WBR>y this on the radar<WBR> sever<WBR>al times<WBR>. Chugg<WBR>ing out at 15 knots<WBR> for 100 miles<WBR> we got to Horn Mount<WBR>ain at about<WBR> 2.<WBR>30. As I appro<WBR>ached<WBR> the rig there<WBR> was no doubt<WBR> what we were in for. The flyin<WBR>g fish were there<WBR> and as a flyin<WBR>g fish would<WBR> get air born,<WBR> a big tuna would<WBR> crash<WBR> it when it hit the water<WBR>. The flyin<WBR>g fish were there<WBR> and the nice tunas<WBR> were too. Catch<WBR>ing a nice tuna on a poppe<WBR>r (top water<WBR> chugg<WBR>er) and a spinn<WBR>ing rod and reel is about<WBR> as much fun as any battl<WBR>e on a rod and reel.<WBR> The tackl<WBR>e is usual<WBR>ly over match<WBR>ed by the tunas<WBR> you are catch<WBR>ing. Until<WBR> recen<WBR>tly with custo<WBR>m desig<WBR>ned rods and braid<WBR>ed line you would<WBR> not even try to catch<WBR> 75- 150# tunas<WBR> on a spinn<WBR>ing rod and reel.<WBR> Once you catch<WBR> a nice tuna on a poppe<WBR>r and spinn<WBR>ing tackl<WBR>e (or see it caugh<WBR>t) you would<WBR> agree<WBR> that that it is about<WBR> as much light<WBR> tackl<WBR>e sport<WBR> as about<WBR> any fishi<WBR>ng. I?m sure that for my deck hand Chris<WBR>, poppe<WBR>r fishi<WBR>ng is one of his favor<WBR>ites.<WBR> To any one who have seen very aggre<WBR>ssive<WBR> yello<WBR>wfin chasi<WBR>ng and eatin<WBR>g flyin<WBR>g fish and squid<WBR> sends<WBR> the heart<WBR> rate to a new level<WBR>. With poppi<WBR>ng rods in hand Chris<WBR>, Chad and Matt casti<WBR>ng the poppi<WBR>ng lures<WBR> and I knew it would<WBR> not be long befor<WBR>e someo<WBR>ne was hooke<WBR>d up. Chris<WBR> hooke<WBR>d up and caugh<WBR>t 2 and Chad caugh<WBR>t one. Then Chris<WBR> and Matt threw<WBR> prett<WBR>y close<WBR> to each other<WBR> where<WBR> they had seen big splas<WBR>hes and both of them hooke<WBR>d up to big tunas<WBR>. With two fish hooke<WBR>d up on light<WBR> tackl<WBR>e handl<WBR>ing the boat can get trick<WBR>y. To me the rule is handl<WBR>e the boat and help the angle<WBR>r that needs<WBR> the most help.<WBR> Trust<WBR> me there<WBR> is usual<WBR>ly a angle<WBR>r that needs<WBR> more help that the other<WBR> angle<WBR>r and then it may shift<WBR> to the other<WBR> angle<WBR>r. Somet<WBR>imes you back and spin the boat,<WBR> somet<WBR>imes you can do nothi<WBR>ng but watch<WBR> the angle<WBR>rs battl<WBR>e their<WBR> tunas<WBR>. After<WBR> close<WBR> to an hour fight<WBR> Chris<WBR> had his tuna close<WBR> to the boat to where<WBR> we could<WBR> see color<WBR> in the under<WBR>water<WBR> light<WBR>s. My first<WBR> view of the fish I notic<WBR>ed the long Allis<WBR>on fins that I know to be on the older<WBR>, more matur<WBR>e yello<WBR>wfin.<WBR> We did every<WBR>thing<WBR> we could<WBR> to get Chris<WBR>?s fish to gaff but could<WBR> not get it done befor<WBR>e the fish broke<WBR> off. Then Matt fough<WBR>t his for close<WBR> to a hour longe<WBR>r befor<WBR>e it broke<WBR> off too. Two hours<WBR> and we did not catch<WBR> eithe<WBR>r of those<WBR> fish but they had done a great<WBR> job battl<WBR>ing very large<WBR> yello<WBR>wfin that we entir<WBR>ely too big to be deali<WBR>ng with on this spinn<WBR>ing tackl<WBR>e. By then it was start<WBR>ing to get dayli<WBR>ght and we put out the troll<WBR>ing gear and the bally<WBR>hoo. We caugh<WBR>t a fair mahi and then a small<WBR>er tuna that Karen<WBR> caugh<WBR>t. Then had a nice bite that got off that we never<WBR> ident<WBR>ified<WBR>. The whole<WBR> we had been at the rig it had been slick<WBR> calm.<WBR> Then a littl<WBR>e after<WBR> dayli<WBR>ght I felt a sligh<WBR>t breez<WBR>e from the north<WBR>. I calle<WBR>d Jim to the bridg<WBR>e and menti<WBR>oned that that littl<WBR>e wind was not good.<WBR> We had three<WBR> very nice yello<WBR>wfin and some dolph<WBR>in and small<WBR>er tunas<WBR> in the box and we shoul<WBR>d be think<WBR>ing about<WBR> headi<WBR>ng north<WBR>. The wind was getti<WBR>ng stron<WBR>ger the waves<WBR> were build<WBR>ing and getti<WBR>ng rough<WBR>er by the minut<WBR>e. Headi<WBR>ng from the Horn Mount<WBR>ain rig north<WBR> the Marli<WBR>n rig is about<WBR> 20 miles<WBR>. Almos<WBR>t to the Marli<WBR>n rig Jim and Chris<WBR> talke<WBR>d to my old frien<WBR>d Manua<WBR>l May who is capta<WBR>in on the Ediso<WBR>n Choue<WBR>st offsh<WBR>ore work boat the ?Amy Chous<WBR>et?. Manua<WBR>l check<WBR>ed his weath<WBR>er and said the seas were going<WBR> to conti<WBR>nue to build<WBR> to 14 feet.<WBR> We then had to make a decis<WBR>ion. It was about<WBR> 80 miles<WBR> to Orang<WBR>e Beach<WBR> and about<WBR> 50 miles<WBR> to the mouth<WBR> of the Missi<WBR>ssipp<WBR>i River<WBR> and South<WBR> Pass.<WBR> The seas were conti<WBR>nuing<WBR> to build<WBR> from the north<WBR> wind.<WBR> The mouth<WBR> of the river<WBR> would<WBR> be a bette<WBR>r compa<WBR>ss headi<WBR>ng but headi<WBR>ng dead into the wind and waves<WBR> would<WBR> only add 30 miles<WBR> to the trip.<WBR> If we chugg<WBR>ed to south<WBR> pass then we still<WBR> had a very long trip to get the boat home.<WBR> Manua<WBR>l was headi<WBR>ng the ?Amy Choue<WBR>st? to south<WBR> pass and said he had somet<WBR>hing rolli<WBR>ng aroun<WBR>d on the back deck of the big work boat.<WBR> After<WBR> think<WBR>ing it out we conti<WBR>nued north<WBR> to Orang<WBR>e Beach<WBR>.<BR style="DISPLAY: none" gauntlet_tokenizer_reserved="">
I have been on and aroun<WBR>d this 54 Bertr<WBR>am for so many trips<WBR>. Once about<WBR> 6 years<WBR> ago in the Isle of Capri<WBR> Billf<WBR>ish Class<WBR>ic we were caugh<WBR>t out in a super<WBR> bad squal<WBR>l with 65 knot winds<WBR>. In that squal<WBR>l I was able to turn the big Bertr<WBR>am down sea until<WBR> the rain and winds<WBR> died down.<WBR> But this day was diffe<WBR>rent and we were going<WBR> to have to take the waves<WBR> on the nose of the Bertr<WBR>am for a long,<WBR> slow ride.<WBR> With the waves<WBR> getti<WBR>ng bigge<WBR>r and stack<WBR>ed close<WBR>r toget<WBR>her and the wind blowi<WBR>ng harde<WBR>r we were calli<WBR>ng on the 54 Bertr<WBR>am to do what she had done so many times<WBR> befor<WBR>e and the most impor<WBR>tant task of any boat.<WBR> GET US HOME SAFE.<BR style="DISPLAY: none" gauntlet_tokenizer_reserved="">
I have been is some rough<WBR> condi<WBR>tions<WBR> on diffe<WBR>rent boats<WBR> in my life.<WBR> ?Stuf<WBR>fing the Bow? is what happe<WBR>ns when you turn a big boat into big waves<WBR> and usual<WBR>ly high winds<WBR> under<WBR> power<WBR> which<WBR> makes<WBR> the bow of the boat go throu<WBR>gh a big wave.<WBR> It is somet<WBR>hing that you do not want to do but somet<WBR>imes if it too rough<WBR> you can not help it. I have had to nose into big waves<WBR> on a 65 Hatte<WBR>ras (in the gulf)<WBR> and a 78 Garli<WBR>ngton<WBR> somew<WBR>here betwe<WBR>en Isla Mexic<WBR>o and San Andre<WBR>s Colum<WBR>bia. Both times<WBR> it was very rough<WBR> and we had no choic<WBR>e but conti<WBR>nue he journ<WBR>ey. Somet<WBR>imes you can alter<WBR> your headi<WBR>ng and get the waves<WBR> more on the side of the boat which<WBR> makes<WBR> a bette<WBR>r ride.<WBR> The other<WBR> thing<WBR> you can do is get the speed<WBR> of the boat the best foe the waves<WBR>. Somet<WBR>imes speed<WBR>ing up just a littl<WBR>e will keep the boats<WBR> hull passi<WBR>ng on top of the waves<WBR> rathe<WBR>r than throu<WBR>gh them.<WBR> In all of my fishi<WBR>ng time on the ?As is Where<WBR> Is? I had never<WBR> seen her big bow stuff<WBR>ed. On this day she and we were facin<WBR>g 10-<WBR>12 foot seas,<WBR> headi<WBR>ng dead into the wind and seas and she was going<WBR> to have to do this for close<WBR> to 80 miles<WBR>. After<WBR> we got that perfe<WBR>ct slow speed<WBR> into the waves<WBR> the boat was doing<WBR> good.<WBR> Not to say that it was good condi<WBR>tions<WBR> but the boat was perfo<WBR>rming<WBR> very good in these<WBR> bad condi<WBR>tions<WBR>. This was some kind of diffe<WBR>rent north<WBR>ern cold front<WBR>. No rain just brigh<WBR>t sunny<WBR> skies<WBR>, with one heck of a north<WBR> wind and the tempe<WBR>ratur<WBR>e was dropp<WBR>ing fast.<WBR> With Jim at the helm for most of the day the wind just did not let up. It took us about<WBR> 8 hours<WBR> to go about<WBR> 80 miles<WBR> and was rough<WBR> almos<WBR>t all the way to the beach<WBR>. After<WBR> getti<WBR>ng to the dock the tempe<WBR>ratur<WBR>e had dropp<WBR>ed about<WBR> 25 degre<WBR>es and it was still<WBR> blowi<WBR>ng hard out of the north<WBR>. After<WBR> going<WBR> throu<WBR>gh what was the rough<WBR>est condi<WBR>tions<WBR> I have been on (in the gulf)<WBR> there<WBR> is no quest<WBR>ion about<WBR> the tough<WBR>ness of the 54 Bertr<WBR>am. With the boat for sale and who knows<WBR> what or where<WBR> the boat will go I never<WBR> will forge<WBR>t what could<WBR> have been the last trip on this boat.<WBR> The super<WBR> calm,<WBR> clear<WBR>, night<WBR> ride out. The big tunas<WBR> just busti<WBR>ng and going<WBR> crazy<WBR> eatin<WBR>g flyin<WBR>g fish and squid<WBR> at the rig.<BR style="DISPLAY: none" gauntlet_tokenizer_reserved="">
Chris<WBR> and Matt in very long battl<WBR>es with big tuna on light<WBR> poppi<WBR>ng rods.<WBR> And of cours<WBR>e I will never<WBR> forge<WBR>t the rough<WBR>est ride home that the big 54 Bertr<WBR>am lived<WBR> up to reput<WBR>ation<WBR> as being<WBR> one of the best rough<WBR> sea boats<WBR> ever built<WBR>.<BR style="DISPLAY: none" gauntlet_tokenizer_reserved="">

Tight<WBR> Lines<WBR> 
Max


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## Captain Woody Woods (Oct 2, 2007)

chris what length and pound test leaders were yall using?


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## 401 Cay (Sep 30, 2007)

Great report and excellent read.. thanks to both of you for sharing your accounts. Glad everything went right for you guys, and you made it in safely. Thatblow almost sunk the new florida girl on monday!


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## Chris Hood (Mar 13, 2008)

Woody,

I'm not real sure what the other two guys were tying but I had about a two foot long 100 pound leader. The leader had nothing to do with my two fish though....they both cut the braid when it got in the running gear.


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

Great report Chris! I know how you feel about hooking a triple digit tuna on spinning gear. I've caught them up to about 130 or soon poppers andusually I just hand off the rod to someone else!Me, sam and his dad are going to try to get out there this next week weather permitting. Hopefully we'll have a similar (or better) report to give.


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## Captain Woody Woods (Oct 2, 2007)

> *Chris Hood (10/29/2008)*Woody,
> 
> I'm not real sure what the other two guys were tying but I had about a two foot long 100 pound leader. The leader had nothing to do with my two fish though....they both cut the braid when it got in the running gear.


that freaking blows dude. i'll take that rod next time if you "dont want none," haha. i love fighting em'


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## flyliner (Oct 13, 2007)

Good report, shame to loose the good fish, and glad you made it back in. When I started reading the first post I thought wtf. Did you guys not look at the forecast because thatheavy north windwas nosurprise.


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## Chris Hood (Mar 13, 2008)

Forecast? What's a forecast?? What type of black magic can predict the weather?


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## Chris V (Oct 18, 2007)

Forecast is a scheme put on by politicians and oil companies. They want us to go no matter what so we will burn millions of gallons of fuel and put record profits into their pockets while at the same time extinguishing the local marine life with the high hopes that we will kill everything in the gulf which will allow them to drill for oil and gas wherever they like without a bunch of tree huggers crawling up their backsscreaming save the manatees! Without any sealife left to protect, they can answer the hippies cries with "They're all dead....so go F--K yourselves"

Sorry, there is nobody in the shop and I'm bored


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