BFT Staycation

Short version: I got one and video is below

When I was actively kayak fishing in my hobie AI, I’d post these Paranormal Staycation reports when the stop-everything-and-load-up-on-5-hour-energy fish appear. They would usually last about 4 days and they’re basically benders where you would disappear from the normal everyday life and just hunt for ghosts. Still have the kayak, just not actively using it. But a lot of guys who move onto boats, usually drive up to seattle to pick up an Arima from an old timer who no longer wants or can fish. 

Flash forward about 8 years and that species hasn’t shown up in a large enough school to target for days/weeks at a time. But a new species did make an appearance! It started a couple of years ago where there would be sightings but being able to actively target them didn’t happen until last year, when they showed up in Monterey Bay and then outside deep reef in Half Moon Bay. Normally, you could go to socal, hop on your own boat or a party boat and be on Bluefin tuna, but catching them up north near SF bay is like being able to catch albacore in Socal.

I have to tell the story of heart break from last year. I was trolling 2 rods, 65# and 80# at deep reef when I veered away from a hooked up boat. I thought that I was far enough away but the fish had a ton of line out and was on the surface. Both my lines were caught and I made the decision to cut the lines – I’d want someone to do that if I were hooked up to a fish of a lifetime. So I’m down a considerable amount of braid and decide to rig up again. About 3:30 PM, the 65# setup starts screaming! I get a head start by running it down and gaining back some line on the 120# class fish (the school was about that size). Long story short, I was able to get it within 50’ with an Avet Jx raptor, but wasn’t sure how to bring it up. Even having watched wicked tuna, I guess the moment messed with my mind and it didn’t occur to me to super power the drag by hand-bringing the line in – duh. It got dark, made a run as I made the decision that this was it and thumb spool the line and pull up the rod, then reel. I was chasing it down, but my headlamp was out of battery and it was difficult to see where the line was. Next thing you know, it changes direction and the line is under boat and I’m pinned, where I couldn’t go to the helm to stop the motor. Plunk, there goes the fish and 7 hours of effort and I didn’t get back to HMB until 12.  Undergunned and with a new addiction, I went shopping the next few days and loaded up with an HX, 2 Fathom 60s, tanacom 1000 and a shit load of extra braid that I always bring on these trips.

Going into Oct 1 weekend, I had 4 shots and I needed to catch one!

Friday, 10/1, I launch out of Monterey and made about a dozen macs – mostly Spanish and a couple of greenies that died out before being deployed. I started trolling a rapala and a cedar plug. Around 1, I finally see some birds near the surface and some surface wake – wasn’t able to see jumpers, but knew it might be them so I deploy a fly lined mac with 80# fluoro, 100# main and 3/0 circle hook. I was getting the second ready when the clicker goes off! I wait about 15 seconds or so and then slowly engaged the drag.. fish on! I slow the boat down a little and let the rod sit in the holder as I prep the gaffs, then picked up the rod and stopped the boat. One thing to mention, I forgot my long gaff and had to make do with a ductape + paracord extension on an old ugly stik rod that I made into a gaff – hope this holds up! It came in fairly easily near the boat in about 5 mins or so and I had to switch to the starboard side because of the wind/current. I started pulling and reeling some more until I finally see deep color! Don’t eff up and keep controlling this fish! I finally get a chance to test my DIY extension and sink the second gaff in, but it’s right in the eye! Damn, hope that it doesn’t freak out too much. After taking a couple of deep breaths and knowing where the rod was, I bring her in and force it into the corner to avoid the rod! I am no longer a Bluefin wannabe and it’s in my own backyard! The gaff barely held up, but it did its job as I try to target #2. Slow trolled until about 5 and made the ~25 mile run north in fairly dense fog. It was about 630 when I finally reached cypress pt and when it got dark – eery feeling not seeing any lights in fog so had to take it slow. The plan was to fish the next day, but there was no way that was going to happen – had to get ice, refuel, prep fish and lack of sleep was the least of my concern.

Sunday rolls around and instead of watching football, I’m on the hunt at Pt Sur again. There was light fog so it was harder to spot any signs. Fished around the fleet, who had a good amount of bft on the line and in the boat but no luck for me. It was about 3pm when I decided to call it and not because the bite sucked but because I wanted to get ready for the next day. Yep, I left biting fish to prepare to find biting fish and what I should have done is to stay until dark, even if it meant motoring back slowly.

I woke up before the alarm at 2 and couldn’t get back to sleep on Monday so I decided to get a head start. Santa Cruz was on fire on Sunday and I launched at 4:30. I heard of macs near the mile buoy but couldn’t locate them and it seemed like others were having the same issues. Finally found them near the light house and loaded up on Spanish macs.  As I approached the fingers, you could see a wall of fog – yep, just in the target area. It was a fairly slow day with a couple of radio fish and I only marked a single fish all day. Tough conditions, but that’s fishing and just putting in the time.

The plan was to go on Wed, 10/6, but the weather forecast changed all of the sudden, so PTO was pushed forward. I launched out of Monterey again and headed off shore of Pt Sur. It took about an hour to find the spot and it was like sea world! Huge schools of dolphins, seals finning on the surface in packs, whales slapping their tales and jumpers! At one point, I could look all around me and see different schools of BFT either skimming the surface or jumping clear out of the water – it was unreal! The only problem was that this school(s) wasn’t biting the live macs. Around 12, I thought it was going to happen when the fly line rod’s clicker goes off… 5 seconds into it, it stops and the only thing left was the bridle. To top it off, a few seconds later, I see a single BFT jump straight out of the water 500’ behind the boat. An hour later, the downrigger clicker goes off for 2 seconds, then stops. A 2” patch of skin was peeled back on the mac and it didn’t take it. I never thought that I’d get sick of seeing jumpers – even throwing a popper as I slowly trolled by one – or as one appeared right next to me. You could tell when another set of jumpers would appear by looking at the bird activity. Getting tired of this, I slowly trolled away from the area, hoping to mark some fish that were willing to take a mac. Even then, I trolled into an area with the same sight of unwilling jumpers. 

I was shot, but working remotely has its advantages and I can look like a zombie and still get some work done. Goal of getting a fish was successful, but even more valuable was learning how to target BFT!  Hope this pattern of them appearing in norcal continues!

That's wild Hai ! Congrats 

Congrats, awesome video. And you ate the heart!!!!!

congrats!!

I got the BF addiction after hooking up on two this past Tuesday lol buying more gear hope it comes in before the next BF hunt!! lol

Ready for round two Chet and crew lol let's not do 17 hours on the water again!! lol

You are a stud landing that fish solo!  Good job bro!

You are a stud landing that fish solo!  Good job bro!

man, seriously. That's quite an achievement. Congratulations.

You probs woulda landed the first one with someone at the helm...but I understand the solo addiction too.

Simply AMAZING 
Thank you for the video.

Cool

Congratulations Hai! That is awesome! Get a cow next!

That is badass!!!

That was an insane write-up.  Congrats on the solo bluefin!

I don't have a boat, and I don't need a boat, but...

"I don't need a boat..."
"I don't need a boat..."
"I don't need a boat..."
"I don't need a boat..."

Solo beast!!!!!!!!

I'll be your deckhand anytime (and I have gas money )

Way to get sweet sweet redemption on last year.

Hell Yeah dude!  That's a serious score!  Envy of many!    Congrats!

Good stuff.   

congrats!!

I got the BF addiction after hooking up on two this past Tuesday lol buying more gear hope it comes in before the next BF hunt!! lol

Ready for round two Chet and crew lol let's not do 17 hours on the water again!! lol

Go get em!

Thanks homies! Took what I learned since I started salt water fishing off of a kayak in 2010 and it paid off. I might have tried to horse it in a little too much but it felt right at the time.