# Return of the YFT



## Always-Gone-Fishing (Feb 20, 2006)

So gents, there were some decent YFT caught in the Southern waters for several weeks this summer but what are ya'lls predictions as to the fall tuna bite?? I think it will turn on in 5.5 weeks and if the weather allows and you aren't sitting in a tree stand, in a marsh, or a soy bean field you will enjoy a major harvest year by my predictions but let's hear your's.

AGF


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## 27contender (Dec 22, 2008)

I hope that you are right.

R


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## dolphinslayer1 (Mar 27, 2006)

rumor has it a 135+ was caught behind a shrimpboat by one of the port aransas highliners this past week...

but it was the only tuna seen that day


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## REELING 65 (Aug 18, 2009)

27contender said:


> I hope that you are right.
> 
> R


Yep


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## Always-Gone-Fishing (Feb 20, 2006)

Yep, the shrimpers on the shelf will produce an occasional "big" YFT this time of year (potential record caught at Cerveza last year) but considering our less than usual spring/summer season this year at the floaters - what do the Tuna 2Coolers think about the fall season? I will say my bet is on a banner year for those willing and able to go in 1 to 2 months. However, this post may be focused too much on fishing rather bravado for many to answer.

AGF



dolphinslayer1 said:


> rumor has it a 135+ was caught behind a shrimpboat by one of the port aransas highliners this past week...
> 
> but it was the only tuna seen that day


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## Eastern Tackle (Oct 28, 2008)

Always-Gone-Fishing said:


> what do the Tuna 2Coolers think about the fall season?
> 
> AGF


They will show up Sept 17th.


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## awesum (May 31, 2006)

dolphinslayer1 said:


> rumor has it a 135+ was caught behind a shrimpboat by one of the port aransas highliners this past week...
> 
> but it was the only tuna seen that day


James

Keith Banks said the fish weighed 137. They were doing an 8 hour on the Caliente.

One shrimp boat ... one fish. They caught it.


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## Always-Gone-Fishing (Feb 20, 2006)

Good! I've got $250.00 in jigs or related items from Eastern Tackle for the 2Cooler that PMs me first - a time stamped 150lb+ YFT pic weighed on cert scales from September 17th to September 30th. ***Must be from a Texas port.

Good luck,
AGF:brew2:


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## jaredchasteen (Jun 15, 2005)

In April we pulled some decent fish out of Hoover during the daytime. We haven't been fishing them however. August is a good month for tuna they should be there. They have been at perdito all summer. During hbgc there were three fish over 105 weighed. At poco a 51 pounder won 100k. Looking forward to winter. There will be some tuna blood on the deck of the minno soda next time out. Last year there were more marlin and tuna around. Let's hope the currents bring them our way.


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## Always-Gone-Fishing (Feb 20, 2006)

I have just added another $250.00 of jigs and goods from ET (total $500.00) to the offer that someone bring to a Texas port/scales a YFT 150+ from September 17th to the 30th so let's see what ya'll got.

AGF


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## Swells (Nov 27, 2007)

It's a large unknown due to several factors including the BP oil spill, which was close to the breeding grounds for several species of tuna. I am also hearing reports lately that Boomvang YFT are running in lower numbers in recent years and seem smaller, perhaps because of fishing pressure. Then you got them long-liners out there, who by law cant catch bluefin tuna except as "by-catch" so they target YFT almost exclusively. Again, having no facts, data, or proof, any of this is hard to prove. 

So will they come back? I think so, but not in massive droves like in years past when we had YFT within 30 miles of South Padre Island. The BP oil spill hasn't seemed to affect tuna fishing all that much, and indeed many have been tested by the FDA to check for oil & that dispersant. If the bait such as blue runner holds in high numbers, it should be an OK to moderate YFT bite. No bait, no YFT.

The amazing stories I have heard are blackfin tuna to over 40 pounds. Wow, that's a monster for what should be little "footballs." Tight lines and good luck.


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## Eastern Tackle (Oct 28, 2008)

If the tuna don't show, I will have come a longgggggg way for nothing in Sept. You cleaning house AGF? What you gonna jig with if you give away all your stuff?


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## Calmday (Jul 7, 2005)

My best guess to the original question is mid October and hopefully it will be a great season. Dave if you guys go looking in September and need an extra I will be home on vacation sep 4-24.


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## Always-Gone-Fishing (Feb 20, 2006)

Jim, when you are here make sure that we hook up so I can re-up.

My offer to all the 2Cool world is $500.00 of your products if they are the first to catch (PM me) a time stamped cert scale weighed YFT 150+ from September 17th to 30th. I have no doubt that it will happen so get the invoice ready for me.

David



Eastern Tackle said:


> If the tuna don't show, I will have come a longgggggg way for nothing in Sept. You cleaning house AGF? What you gonna jig with if you give away all your stuff?


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## Always-Gone-Fishing (Feb 20, 2006)

Al, Its great that ya'll will be back for a little while and you definitely have a place on the BPII for as many trips as we can fit in.
D



Calmday said:


> My best guess to the original question is mid October and hopefully it will be a great season. Dave if you guys go looking in September and need an extra I will be home on vacation sep 4-24.


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## mako (Nov 10, 2004)

Our YFT fishery has continued to weaken with each passing year, this year should not be any different.


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## woobiwan (Aug 13, 2009)

Always-Gone-Fishing said:


> Jim, when you are here make sure that we hook up so I can re-up.
> 
> My offer to all the 2Cool world is $500.00 of your products if they are the first to catch (PM me) a time stamped cert scale weighed YFT 150+ from September 17th to 30th. I have no doubt that it will happen so get the invoice ready for me.
> 
> David


Does it count if I catch it on your boat?!;-)))


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## CoastalOutfitters (Aug 20, 2004)

tuna don't like hot water or boat traffic, once the crowds die off and the water cools, the big ones will be back


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## Chase This! (Jul 20, 2007)

150# is a high mark. I'd love to see it happen and David have to pay up. 

CO, here is a mid August fish. Water was hot. I think we were the only boat there. Fishing pressure makes a huge difference IMO.

Brandon

Ps. Is that an Avet in ONE piece???


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## luna sea II (Jul 11, 2009)

I think fishing pressure is killing you guy's yft fishery. going to BV seems to be the trendy thing for everybody with a twin engine boat to do these days. we've got alot of rigs over here but we never mention specific rig names on the internet or even at the dock. 

several years ago Devlin Roussel of Real Peace Charters and I were at the same rig and killed the tuna. we had nine from 50-60lbs in my old mako and had a full fish bag with tuna sticking out of every compartment in the boat. he had a boat load too. he came over to me the second we hit the dock and told me in a very stern manner that they had been catching alot of fish at that rig and not to tell anyone where we caught those fish. it kind of ****** me off at the time but I understood where he was coming from.


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## James Howell (May 21, 2004)

Ding ding ding. Correct answer.



luna sea II said:


> *I think fishing pressure is killing you guy's yft fishery. going to BV seems to be the trendy thing for everybody with a twin engine boat to do these days. *we've got alot of rigs over here but we never mention specific rig names on the internet or even at the dock.
> 
> several years ago Devlin Roussel of Real Peace Charters and I were at the same rig and killed the tuna. we had nine from 50-60lbs in my old mako and had a full fish bag with tuna sticking out of every compartment in the boat. he had a boat load too. he came over to me the second we hit the dock and told me in a very stern manner that they had been catching alot of fish at that rig and not to tell anyone where we caught those fish. it kind of ****** me off at the time but I understood where he was coming from.


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## Always-Gone-Fishing (Feb 20, 2006)

Well then I guess ya'll better fish somewhere other than BV/Nancen if you want to take me for $500.00 in goods.

AGF


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## Always-Gone-Fishing (Feb 20, 2006)

Sure it does but then the goods must reside in the prep station for your individual use











woobiwan said:


> Does it count if I catch it on your boat?!;-)))


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## mako (Nov 10, 2004)

X2 It seems that every boat from Freeport that can afford 20 extra 5 gallon containers of fuel are heading to the floaters these days. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to see why the fishery has been hurt over the years. The YFT fishing sucks compared to 5-10 years ago. In fact, it really erks me that people find out about a fishing spot or technique on the internet, go fish it, then blab all around the internet ruining things for everyone else. Trust me, having a "Party at the Boomvang" is not in anyone's best interest...no wonder there aren't any fish caught over there anymore.



luna sea II said:


> I think fishing pressure is killing you guy's yft fishery. going to BV seems to be the trendy thing for everybody with a twin engine boat to do these days. we've got alot of rigs over here but we never mention specific rig names on the internet or even at the dock.
> 
> several years ago Devlin Roussel of Real Peace Charters and I were at the same rig and killed the tuna. we had nine from 50-60lbs in my old mako and had a full fish bag with tuna sticking out of every compartment in the boat. he had a boat load too. he came over to me the second we hit the dock and told me in a very stern manner that they had been catching alot of fish at that rig and not to tell anyone where we caught those fish. it kind of ****** me off at the time but I understood where he was coming from.


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## woobiwan (Aug 13, 2009)

Always-Gone-Fishing said:


> Sure it does but then the goods must reside in the prep station for your individual use


DEAL!


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## cobia 254 cc (Jun 10, 2006)

mako said:


> X2 It seems that every boat from Freeport that can afford 20 extra 5 gallon containers of fuel are heading to the floaters these days. Doesn't take a rocket scientist to see why the fishery has been hurt over the years. The YFT fishing sucks compared to 5-10 years ago. In fact, it really erks me that people find out about a fishing spot or technique on the internet, go fish it, then blab all around the internet ruining things for everyone else. Trust me, having a "Party at the Boomvang" is not in anyone's best interest...no wonder there aren't any fish caught over there anymore.


Thats why I will be heading to Perdido when the weather cools. I will stay 2 nights most likely.


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## mako (Nov 10, 2004)

cobia 254 cc said:


> Thats why I will be heading to Perdido when the weather cools. I will stay 2 nights most likely.


All the "know it alls" on this website have done the same to Perdido. We have fished Perdido for the past 4 years and never saw more than 1 other boat...you can't go there these days without 10 boats milling around. Big mouths are the main problem.


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## DRILHER (Apr 4, 2010)

mako said:


> All the "know it alls" on this website have done the same to Perdido. We have fished Perdido for the past 4 years and never saw more than 1 other boat...you can't go there these days without 10 boats milling around. Big mouths are the main problem.


 It's only a matter of time before someone starts fishing your private fishing spot no matter how far it is. Used to be if you went out of Port A to Baker you would catch Wahoo, Dolphin, And some Billfish regularly. When you went there there would be maybe 1 other boat now on a weekend it looks like a parking lot. I'm not saying you can't catch them there today but there are less and will be sharing the fish with other boats. The change there was GPS before that we used Loran which was expensive and not user friendly. Now we have large center consoles and four stroke motors that have more range than even the smaller sportfishers. It's technology that's changing offshore fishing including the sharing of info on the internet.


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## Always-Gone-Fishing (Feb 20, 2006)

Looks like my money is safe according to ya'll:

no more buffalo
blue skies or open road
no more rodeo
no more noise
take this Cadillac
park it out in back
mama's calling
put away the toys
JM

I got tired of hauling those 5 gallon red cans so I bought me a 100 gallon bladder - watch out yellers I comming to Per'de'do Par'te ye ha!

AGF


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## big_zugie (Mar 14, 2006)

its not like you own the gulf, get real.

sorry im not 25 years older and got to start fishing the rigs when you did. how did you find out about them anyways. where you just driving around 100+ miles out one day and was like "ohhh this looks like a great spot".

Ready for the drama


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## Snap Draggin (Nov 11, 2007)

I personally don't see where any of those spots belong to anyone. I also don't see what is wrong with anyone that has the range to get there to fish them. Afterall everyone on here likes to catch fish. What gives someone that has fished there longer the right to claim a spot as theirs? More folks are obviously buying offshore boats. That means more folks have the range. The spots aren't secret anyhow. You can get the numbers to all the platforms on the www.


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## Empty Pockets CC (Feb 18, 2009)

Yes, the fish have a tougher time hiding from us anglers whether it be better range, better outboards (or more reliable engines), more sharing of info, more boats, more people, better equipments and/or electronics, bigger boats, and floating/standing oil rigs...

2 points I'd like to make is:

1: Not all floating, suspended, or massive structures in the Gulf are oil rigs (floating or standing)... 
2. To be a fisherman (good) today you have to either accept these parking lot type conditions and still do well or go find your own "indicators." Every fisherman hopefully has a few spots he doesn't share and while those spots aren't consistently good fishing like an oil rig or well known rock it still is his spot and usually isn't easily found (unless he has busy fingers or a motor mouth). These "spots" are found through experience and time on the water and it is most certainly tough to give up these spots to even your best neighbor...Or at least it is tough for me to give up my secret honey holes that I have found. Kind of pride or ownership...except it's pride of foundit.  

You have to be adaptive. I personally don't fish around rigs much. Too many people even if there is 1 other boat there. I'd rather find and fish a weedline, rip, or color change...They appear, move, and disappear...Hard to "fish out" something that does that.  There will always be weedlines, rips, color changes, temp changes, and "top secret honey holes".


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## luna sea II (Jul 11, 2009)

Always-Gone-Fishing said:


> Looks like my money is safe according to ya'll:
> 
> no more buffalo
> blue skies or open road
> ...


I've got an idea David - a few days before your trip dig up a bunch of old tuna pics and post a fake report with a title like "yellowfin massacre at boomvang". every boat in Texas will be at BV and ya'll will have perdido to yourselves!:wink:


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## jaredchasteen (Jun 15, 2005)

mako said:


> All the "know it alls" on this website have done the same to Perdido. We have fished Perdido for the past 4 years and never saw more than 1 other boat...you can't go there these days without 10 boats milling around. Big mouths are the main problem.


Man perdito is no secret, there are 5 "floaters" within range of most texas ports. With everyone having all the numbers there is no guessing. The skill comes in when you get there....I 110% agree boat traffic sucks, but a fact of life.

At HBG there were 4 other boats on a high spot .5 a mile across. :an6::an6::an6::an6::an6::an6:I have never seen one boat there.....the fishing sucked....With high tech electronics and google earth anyone can find bottom structure now as well as utilizing public data (rig locations).

I need to tuna fish...been to long, give me a window and 10 6 galloon fuel drums and i will be at the party with you MAKO. You know the deal 10% of the fishermen catch 90% of the fish.:work:

Oh yea with one is the offical GAY dolphin.


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## sea sick (Feb 9, 2006)

luna sea II said:


> I think fishing pressure is killing you guy's yft fishery. going to BV seems to be the trendy thing for everybody with a twin engine boat to do these days. we've got alot of rigs over here but we never mention specific rig names on the internet or even at the dock.
> 
> several years ago Devlin Roussel of Real Peace Charters and I were at the same rig and killed the tuna. we had nine from 50-60lbs in my old mako and had a full fish bag with tuna sticking out of every compartment in the boat. he had a boat load too. he came over to me the second we hit the dock and told me in a very stern manner that they had been catching alot of fish at that rig and not to tell anyone where we caught those fish. it kind of ****** me off at the time but I understood where he was coming from.


You can't compare your fishery out of Venice to Freeport. Totaly two different beast. I would bet, all the pennies in my piggy bank. That if the Venice guides had to come catch YFT from Galveston on down to Port A on a consistant basis like they do in Venice, it wouldn't happen.

Where would you suggest they go? Besides the floaters, where would you recomend they go if they have a party. It's limited to say the least. Tuff place to run tuna trips. For what ever the reasons may be, it's limited and tuff.


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## bjd76 (Jan 12, 2008)

*I'll Party Wherever I Want*

Excuse me if I happen to learn about an obvious fish attracter that is stationary and been there over 5 years. Or inquire about who may be going out to that obvious structure from a safety perspective. Hey, I'm in the oil industry - maybe we should make a rule that only those in the industry can fish within 5 miles of "our" structures. The sea is a natural resource and not for the use of an exclusive few. Give me a break. Sorry to rain on your parade. Get over it and your self.


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## luna sea II (Jul 11, 2009)

sea sick said:


> You can't compare your fishery out of Venice to Freeport. Totaly two different beast. I would bet, all the pennies in my piggy bank. That if the Venice guides had to come catch YFT from Galveston on down to Port A on a consistant basis like they do in Venice, it wouldn't happen.
> 
> Where would you suggest they go? Besides the floaters, where would you recomend they go if they have a party. It's limited to say the least. Tuff place to run tuna trips. For what ever the reasons may be, it's limited and tuff.


I wasn't comparing Venice to Texas. I was just saying fishing pressure is killing your tuna fishery. my story about Devlin was illustrating the point that if you tell everybody where you fish they are all going to go there and ruin your spot. yellowfin respond to fishing pressure by moving away from it - over here and over there.


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## sea sick (Feb 9, 2006)

luna sea II said:


> I wasn't comparing Venice to Texas. I was just saying fishing pressure is killing your tuna fishery. my story about Devlin was illustrating the point that if you tell everybody where you fish they are all going to go there and ruin your spot. yellowfin respond to fishing pressure by moving away from it - over here and over there.


Thats just it thow, it doesn't compare. You might be able to keep it hush hush out of Venice or Grand Isle. Plenty of locations to catch YFT.The dynamics of dept and available structure are two different worlds. But you pull up to the cleaning tables with a load of YFT here, the word just got out without even having to open your mouth if another soul sees those fish.

But your right, pressure is pressure. No matter where your at. I think there are plenty of variables to the depletion of YF in our waters. I'd love to be able to fish year round out of GI or Venice, your lucky if you can. I'm ready to go back.

It's just limited on areas of consistant YFT around here.


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## Always-Gone-Fishing (Feb 20, 2006)

I like the way you think! - LOL

Yeah, there is something to be said about recreational pressure but ask yourself (2coolers) how many YFT does one Mako (no pun intended) eat each a month or perhaps think about the "fishing pressure" the pod of orcas that Ronnie filmed in GOM put on the YFT. How many YFT were harvested last year by recs????? 1000 - 2000 The more likely consequence of multiple boats is the "spook factor" and ultimately the skill or lack of skill level of the anglers. We have a good YFT fishery (not as good as La by any means) and nothing has really changed. There will be great catches here in the comming months and I will revive this thread to remind us of this interesting exchange of opinions.

Tight Lines,
D:brew2:



luna sea II said:


> I've got an idea David - a few days before your trip dig up a bunch of old tuna pics and post a fake report with a title like "yellowfin massacre at boomvang". every boat in Texas will be at BV and ya'll will have perdido to yourselves!:wink:


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## Swells (Nov 27, 2007)

Well the scientific studies I have says that there is not annual "return" of the YFT because there are always there, scattered throughout the Gulf, whereas the bluefin are totally predictable. That said, there are two spawning areas in the northern Gulf - one by Louisiana where the Deepwater Horizon was and out to the Loop Current, and another in the western Gulf towards BV and Perdido. Tuna of all kinds congregate in those two regions during the spring (not the winter) because the deep ocean waters colliding with the continental shelf, which creates cyclonic eddies of cooler water that the tuna prefer to feed in. 

If there were no floater rigs way out there, you would still have scattered YFT around the western Gulf. Nearly all studies say that the YFT has almost no fidelity to any area, which is why they seem to come and go. 

Finally, I'm going to blow you away because most of the YFT spawning area is offshore of Texas, and not Louisiana, although the action can be closer to Venice, thus reducing travel time.


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## Chase This! (Jul 20, 2007)

mako said:


> All the "know it alls" on this website have done the same to Perdido. We have fished Perdido for the past 4 years and never saw more than 1 other boat...you can't go there these days without 10 boats milling around. Big mouths are the main problem.


Gabe, you know I respect you as a fisherman, but I got to say this. If I am not mistaken, wasn't it some of your crew that posted the "epic", "ultra epic", and "mega epic" reports last summer that put a spotlight as big as Texas on Perdido??? Just sayin', careful where the finger gets pointed.

And you have put more than your fair share of reports up with beautiful pics of tuna, marlin, swords, etc. How can you NOT expect others to try an experience that??? It's like you are saying, "look at my pics, but only I can do this".

Anyway, quite your *****in' and let's go fishin'. Plenty of water out there and BIG fish, like 400#+ swords. :cheers:

Brandon


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## Swells (Nov 27, 2007)

Gee, sorry if some us us stupid old inshore fishermen have been potlickin' on your floaters and offshore honey holes, Bubba. I knew it would come down to this, that you don't want us yahoos out there on your private fishing grounds, places that only the very elite can go, and you want to talk about it. I mean gosh, how can we make that up to you? it's true - I stole a bunch of your poor widdle fishies and I feel horrible about it! Now go butt a stump, OK? :rotfl:


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## cobia 254 cc (Jun 10, 2006)

Swells said:


> Gee, sorry if some us us stupid old inshore fishermen have been potlickin' on your floaters and offshore honey holes, Bubba. I knew it would come down to this, that you don't want us yahoos out there on your private fishing grounds, places that only the very elite can go, and you want to talk about it. I mean gosh, how can we make that up to you? it's true - I stole a bunch of your poor widdle fishies and I feel horrible about it! Now go butt a stump, OK? :rotfl:


hehe, he is gonna really get hot when I take my ******* cat that took 4 firemen to buy and load it up like the beverly hillbillies. Stay 2 nights and fill those GB Fish boxes to the brim. WEEEEHAW they should a kept gas at 4 when they had a chance. I knows how to catch them Biguns


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## mako (Nov 10, 2004)

Chase This! said:


> Gabe, you know I respect you as a fisherman, but I got to say this. If I am not mistaken, wasn't it some of your crew that posted the "epic", "ultra epic", and "mega epic" reports last summer that put a spotlight as big as Texas on Perdido??? Just sayin', careful where the finger gets pointed.
> 
> And you have put more than your fair share of reports up with beautiful pics of tuna, marlin, swords, etc. How can you NOT expect others to try an experience that??? It's like you are saying, "look at my pics, but only I can do this".
> 
> ...


Brandon,
I think you misunderstood my position. I am not stating that people should "stay away from MY rig"...that is just plain ridiculous, there were plenty of people fishing those rigs before we started making our first trips out there years ago. I love comparing fishing trips and tips with others, and wish everyone the best of luck when making the venture offshore. My point was just that we don't need to always spill the beans with every detail on a public forum. The reports you speak of don't mention where the fish were caught, could be Redhawk for that matter. Since the advent of the internet, it has made targeting big game much easier for the average joe. Instead of pouring over blood, sweat and tears....Joe can log onto 2cool and by using the search engine, learn how to sword fish the next day, or specifically target yellowfin. I know the post might have come across as selfish, but that was not the intention. I just think it would be cool and mean more to everyone if they learn it the hard way, and not have everything presented to them on a silver platter.

Bottom line- more pressure, less fish. So, go ahead and invite your closest 30 buddies to meet you at Boomvang...or Perdido...or wherever, but don't expect to slay the fish. Like it or not, it's the truth.


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## Snap Draggin (Nov 11, 2007)

mako said:


> I just think it would be cool and mean more to everyone if they learn it the hard way, and not have everything presented to them on a silver platter.


I just have a couple of questions pertaining to this statement. What boat do you own? How did you learn to catch all those fish at such a young age?


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## mako (Nov 10, 2004)

Snap Draggin said:


> I just have a couple of questions pertaining to this statement. What boat do you own? How did you learn to catch all those fish at such a young age?


Ask all the questions you want big guy, but I'm not interested in detailing my background on a public forum...despite the growing trend. Nor do I feel the need to defend myself to some guy on the Internet.


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## Snap Draggin (Nov 11, 2007)

You said everyone should "learn it the hard way, and not have everything served to them on a silver platter; instead of pouring over blood sweat and tears." I was just wondering where and how you learned. No problem if you don't want to "detail your background on a public forum."


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## rdhdfmn (May 10, 2006)

I would just like to learn the different ways to target them.


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## jakers (Oct 29, 2004)

Always-Gone-Fishing said:


> I like the way you think! - LOL
> 
> Yeah, there is something to be said about recreational pressure but ask yourself (2coolers) how many YFT does one Mako (no pun intended) eat each a month or perhaps think about the "fishing pressure" the pod of orcas that Ronnie filmed in GOM put on the YFT. How many YFT were harvested last year by recs????? 1000 - 2000 The more likely consequence of multiple boats is the "spook factor" and ultimately the skill or lack of skill level of the anglers. We have a good YFT fishery (not as good as La by any means) and nothing has really changed. There will be great catches here in the comming months and I will revive this thread to remind us of this interesting exchange of opinions.


AGF nailed it and Mako is def. right about boat traffic putting them down. Several times I have spent two days sitting out at BV and seen hundreds of tuna in the air they have there pattern of when they want to feed and it might not match when the weekend fleet shows up. The weekend fleet shows up 5-10 boats and the fish go down or away. I would bet there are probably no more than 500 YF a year caught at BV. There are so many other factors that play a role, here are a few to think about.

1. General ocean currents which supply the food chain to keep them around. Why is it the lump can shut down stone cold one year and the fishing is strong as can be 80 miles away? On the good years you will see 50-100 boats hammering them for three months straight and they just keep on coming. We probably catch less than 1% off of BV compared to what they catch at the lump. General current patterns change the entire make up of the gulf. Think about how much sargasso you saw last year compared to this year. Oh, yeah the fish get more spread out on the weed lines too when they are here. Can't tell you how many times I have watched a good weed line come through and take all the bait and YF along with it away from the platform.

Another point to note is how many trips I have taken to Green Canyon and seen very little bait and no tuna at eight different platforms with no other boats around for weeks then we go back to Inovator and Medusa and see them by the thousands along with all the bait and other fishing boats. Current patterns and bait are everything.

Here is another example: For months last winter there had been very few tuna caught at BV or other platforms in the area but, as spring rolled around you could see a distinct push of warm nutrient rich water push over the area. we noticed that and ended up with a 74, 85, 98 and several other good fish in about 4 hours of fishing. They were there all of a sudden, like magic!

2. Predators and long liners probably take out 100 times as many tuna as recs. Yeah you might not see them but they are there.

3. Blame it on all those darn sonar beeper boats doing circles around BV for the last 5 months. Who knows?

Im pretty convinced that rec. fishing pressure has very little to do with it other than the immediate impact of 5-10 boats putting them down when they are there. It is a very big pond and we are giving ourselves to much credit to think that recs. are fishing them out. That would be like saying if you had only 5 boats fishing the same small area on a lake the size of Rayburn that they were capable of fishing out the whole lake from that one area. There are just to many much stronger factors involved.

That is my take anyway. I'm still looking for an easy way to post a bunch of good marlin photos from recent trips. Please don't lock this thread, someone here might actually be willing to help me!

Cheers.


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## Swells (Nov 27, 2007)

> 2. Predators and long liners probably take out 100 times as many tuna as recs. Yeah you might not see them but they are there.


I don't have the facts or the math, but the fish hold on a medium-sized Gulf long-liner like the Broadfire design holds 12,000 pounds of fish and ice. Between Cortez, Florida and Brownsville, Texas there are probably 80 topwater longliners, just guessing.

The NMFS commercial landings data for 2008 YFT in the GOM are 706 metric tons (1.5 million pounds worth 5.6 million bucks ex-vessel price). Folks, that's a lot of YFT, without even considering the shark and sometimes Orca predation.

By comparison, some estimate "about 2,000" YFT at an average of 50 pounds caught off Texas by recreational boats, which is equivalent to 100,000 pounds or about 15 to 20 commercial longliner trips per year.

Just playing with numbers but sometimes they tell us a lot.


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## SkeeterRonnie (Aug 11, 2005)

hopefully they show up late october! cause this landlocked fool, has a floater trip November5th!! and I want some BIG BIATCHES!


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## DavidG (Feb 28, 2005)

jakers said:


> ... and long liners probably take out 100 times as many tuna as recs. Yeah you might not see them but they are there.


^^^^^This

Take a look at http://nsgl.gso.uri.edu/lsu/lsug88002.pdfThis data is pretty old but it gives you an idea of the commercial yft landings way back when. 5mm lbs of yft in 1986 between Fl and La by the domestic LL fleet. Call that between 75-100,000 tuna. I imagine the effort is not there compared to 1986 but I bet they still take a bunch of fish.


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## oldtrackster (Jul 20, 2007)

jakers said:


> AGF nailed it and Mako is def. right about boat traffic putting them down. Several times I have spent two days sitting out at BV and seen hundreds of tuna in the air they have there pattern of when they want to feed and it might not match when the weekend fleet shows up. The weekend fleet shows up 5-10 boats and the fish go down or away. I would bet there are probably no more than 500 YF a year caught at BV. There are so many other factors that play a role, here are a few to think about.
> 
> 1. General ocean currents which supply the food chain to keep them around. Why is it the lump can shut down stone cold one year and the fishing is strong as can be 80 miles away? On the good years you will see 50-100 boats hammering them for three months straight and they just keep on coming. We probably catch less than 1% off of BV compared to what they catch at the lump. General current patterns change the entire make up of the gulf. Think about how much sargasso you saw last year compared to this year. Oh, yeah the fish get more spread out on the weed lines too when they are here. Can't
> tell you how many times I have watched a good weed line come through and take all the bait and YF along with it away from the platform.
> ...


X 3


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## big_zugie (Mar 14, 2006)

^^^^ X4


BUT! I now claim boomvang as my rig! thats right i said it bahah, gonna find a big obama poster to put on that sucker to try and keep some of you guys away just gotta watch for the libtards.

Boomvang= Zugies Top Secret Honey Hole


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## Always-Gone-Fishing (Feb 20, 2006)

Let's hope the weather allows one of ya'll to get jiggy September 17th - 30th. Here fishy, fishy, fishy - here fishy, fishy, fishy ----

There's a monster out there just wait'n to bite ya'lls jig

AGF


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## Swells (Nov 27, 2007)

Always-Gone-Fishing said:


> Let's hope the weather allows one of ya'll to get jiggy September 17th - 30th. Here fishy, fishy, fishy - here fishy, fishy, fishy ----
> 
> There's a monster out there just wait'n to bite ya'lls jig
> 
> AGF


That's the spirit! Sometimes we get rig reports from the workers on BV and Perdido, way cool. And I don't have a pay-for service like Hilton's but if the altimetry, horizontal currents and rips, vertical upwelling, and temperature breaks are right, its time to saddle up the ponies and go-go-go.

Some also use the moon, vector tables, and wind directions ... and whether the old lady will let you out of the house! 

The YFT can act "hinky" even if things look excellent for conditions. They can magically appear and disappear in a heartbeat. You really have to park out there for a while and cover some ground, and don't forget that sometimes they'll be sulking at 100 feet or deeper, and sometimes can be teased up with a diamond jig. There's plenty of marlin and swords to play with if you get bored waiting for the topwater action.

I'd love a trip on a go-fast boat out yonder. Sounds jiggety juggity to me. :texasflag


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## capt4fish (Dec 4, 2004)

*Tuna are Tuna....*

There are only two things that I am absolutely certain of in pelagic fishing off of Texas. 
1) You cannot catch them at the dock.
2) The ONLY thing for certain in tuna, marlin, wahoo, dolphin, and sword fishing is...... NOTHING IS FOR CERTAIN.

Beyond these two undeniable facts, everything else is a **** shoot.

Just some trivia for everyone. What was the name of the original semi-submersible that worked the area that Boomvang and Nancen now reside in? This is a trick question.

Tight lines,

Kenneth


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## woody7 (May 28, 2004)

So AGF, you got a 100 gal bladder, can I have my old 24 gal tank back?? I figure another 50 gallons and I can be a tuna fisherman too!! Might need a tow back though, is that a problem that far out there??


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## PlasticParidise (Jun 17, 2008)

DavidG said:


> ^^^^^This
> 
> Take a look at http://nsgl.gso.uri.edu/lsu/lsug88002.pdfThis data is pretty old but it gives you an idea of the commercial yft landings way back when. 5mm lbs of yft in 1986 between Fl and La by the domestic LL fleet. Call that between 75-100,000 tuna. I imagine the effort is not there compared to 1986 but I bet they still take a bunch of fish.


Tbh, I think data that is almost 25 years old, would be quantified as "outdated". Maybe reports within the last 5 years, but not quite that old.


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## word-doctor (Sep 20, 2005)

I'm curious about "putting them down." While a topwater bite is more fun than a barrel of greased monkeys, it seems like getting a 14 oz. diamond down below the parking lot might be the answer.

Course, I still think it's fun jigging for blackfins.


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## Always-Gone-Fishing (Feb 20, 2006)

Well, its time a little later than first thought but they're here









Come on weather gods,
AGF


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