Is it albacore time yet?

You can make albacore fishing as simple or as complicated as you want.

A basic setup would be  30# outfit, 7', with a real capable of holding 300 yards of line.  Many albacore boats prefer mono only on the reels since if you get a multiple hookup albacore often tangle up and you find yourself playing a game of over-under.  Braid can/will burn off other lines pretty quickly, especially mono lines.  With all mono, you have a bit of time to unwind any tangles.

With the above setup, you can fish any style from trolling, to jigging/sliding/casting irons or swimbait, to livebait.  If you intend to do more than one style, it helps to have more rods rigged and ready. I have a 20# rod for live bait, and 25 or 30# rods for swimbaits and irons.

Some boats prefer 50# tackle for trolling, especially larger charter boats that hope to keep the fish close to the boat and start brailing chum to get a live bait bite going.  Usually these boat have boat rods for the troll, so unless you already have a 50# outfit, I wouldn't rush out and buy one.

Basically trolling jigs that get a lot of use around here are zukers or tuna closes.  Popular colors include zucchini, mexican flag, purple/black, jerry garcia, although I've seen almost any color you can think of get its time trolling behind the boat.  Other skirted lures like chrome heads, jet heats, plungers, etc. get a fair amount of use too, but no need to go hog wild and get a bunch of expensive skirted jigs (or tuna feathers as some people call them).

Cedar plugs get some use and are often effective as are trolling plugs like Xraps, other Rapalas, etc.  I've found that some boats don't like running plugs as they are more difficult to get right sometimes.  Ask the boat your going on what they prefer.  Plain wood cedars are my favorite color, but you can get similar colors to the jig colors above.  Plugs in black/white, blue/white, mackerel, dorado are popular.  Something like an XRAP 15 or 20 is a good choice, or CD-14 rapalas, or similar size and similar looking plugs.

Swimbait and irons are popular to slide or cast to jumpers.  When a troll rod goes off slide one of these bait ASAP.  Popular swimbait colors include chovie or any baitfish type pattern such as black back, blue or green stripe, and white or clear/flake belly on a 1-2 ounce jig head.  Irons are black/silver, black/purple, green mackeral, blue/silver, blue/white, dorado ... about 3-4 ounces.

For live bait, flouro leaders with #4 hooks for chovies of 1/0 hooks for dines.  Use light wire live bait hooks.  Flyline them, or use a large splitshot, or rubber core, or egg sinker up to about 1 ounce depending on the drift.

With just a handful of above, you're ready to go!

-Allen

The first dozen+ I caught were on Shakespeare Tidemaster gear...like $50 combos from Walmart. But I'm a cheap SOB.

This is sounding more and more like the year to go after them, does anyone have a preference for particular charter or 6 pack?

Thanks

I'd be interested in a 6-pack charter trip once they are here.

This is sounding more and more like the year to go after them, does anyone have a preference for particular charter or 6 pack?

Thanks

I've been using Fish On Sportfishing ... http://www.fishonsportfishing.com/

It's a 4-pack charter.  Captain Tom is a tuna highliner, well known in the fleet.  He'll work hard, run hard and fast, and put you on Tuna.  He trailers so can launch from the port that is nearest the best bite, usually SC or HMB.  He always seems to be the last boat back to the dock, so you'll have a FULL day of fishing.  Mention you heard of him through Allen and Allen if you do book with him.

-Allen

Sounds like fun!  Let's do this ... once they are here!

FFTC count me in for July forward, june is out for me due to pending National Guard Training starting the 7th.  Not sure where you live, I am thinking going out of HMB as my first choice if possible.

I'm just South of Gilroy but willing to make the drive to HMB.  No worries there!

Bill

Screw charters.  Its more fun on a buddy's or neighbor's boat.

My neighbor just got this 38' Fountain with triple 250 Mercs.  The front deck is nearly as big as my living room and it even has a bed and toilet.  It can do 70mph and get us to the Tuna grounds first even if we leave late.

Your neighbor is in Alabama?

No, he is across the street and I had a hard time getting my buddy's 21ft Aquasport out of my driveway because the Fountain sticks out so far.  He did buy it in Alabama though.  It has to have a pilot car if he goes to Oregon, but this year there will be plenty to catch from here.  That picture is from 2 weeks ago at the Eureka harbor launch.

His old boat is for sale: 28' Donzi with Twin 250 Mercs for $28000obo

How many kayaks fit on that monstrosity? ...sorry, I'm just jealous!

Any idea of the gas burn rate for an hour at 70 mph?

X3 

Any idea of the gas burn rate for an hour at 70 mph?

It burns the same amount of gas as his 28ft Donzi with the twin Mercs.

According to BoatTest.com with triple 225 Mercs:

Fountain 38 CC Tournament Edition Test Result Highlights

•Top speed for the Fountain 38 CC Tournament Edition is 67.0 MPH (107.8 KPH), burning 64.3 gallons per hour (GPH) or 243.38 liters per hour (LPH).

•Best cruise for the Fountain 38 CC Tournament Edition is 36.9 MPH (59.4 KPH), and the boat gets 1.74 miles per gallon (MPG) or 0.74 kilometers per liter (KPL), giving the boat a cruising range of 565 miles (909.28 kilometers).

•Tested power is 3 x 225-hp Mercury OptiMax engines.

http://www.boattest.com/Partners/Partner-Main.aspx?lp_id=418&t=BOAT-TEST&Videoid=277&p=0&s=fountain 38 cc#Top