duck key Fishing Report 2024

24 yellowtail 1 bluefin. Still fish around but the changing conditions have them acting up.

Nice mixed bag of yellowtail ,barracuda and kelp bass for our 27 anglers today.

Oct. 6

My sea anchor trick didn't work today. I had dreams of drifting beautifully on the sea anchor catching wide open yellowfin, bluefin and dorado but those were just dreams this time. We caught a handful of yellowfin and then had to pull it. The rest of the day was very slow for most the fleet. There were a few fresh kelps found today, and I mean a few but all the rest of the fish caught today were on kelps being fished all week long. Boats were waiting in line to fish them and I just can't do that. Not that there is anything wrong with it. These local guys are very very good at what they do and some of that involves keeping track of kelps for weeks at a time and that takes a great talent. We didn't have a whole lot of fish on board at 4 O'Clock but then we found the kelp of the day for us. It started off straight trout size yellows, then the skip jack started mixing in, then the yellows backed off and it went straight skipjack, then the tuna started to mix in, then the tuna overtook the skipies and it was straight tuna for a while. Not wide open but a steady pick of 3 to 4 going for a while. The day maker. And that was our day.

 

Tune in tomorrow for another exciting day aboard the Polaris Supreme.

The Polaris Supreme docked at Fisherman's Landing August 19. Tom Rothery skippered the five-day trip with 24 anglers, and remarked that this Dan Heil memorial trip was the 23rd for the charter group. Jeff Hoover of Richland, WA won first place and took over the top spot in the jackpot and for the best bluefin of the season. "He fought for 45 minutes," said Geoff. "He was the strongest fish I ever felt, and my best fish ever. He beat me up!" Hoover said he baited a sardine on a 3/0 Super Mutu hook. He used 40-pound line, a Penn two-speed reel and a Seeker Black Steel 6470 rod. Bob Hagan of Ramona was second for a 38-pound Opah that erred on a sardine. Mike Myer of La Mirada won third place for a 37.6-pound albacore, but declined to stand in the lineup, so Gene McKenna of San Jose stepped up with his 30-pound dorado.

Capt Mike Pritchard called in from the Tribute with a fantastic on the water report for today, so far we have limits of some really nice grade Dorado and a couple Yellowtail. The Dorado were in mid to high 20 lb range, we then started searching for tuna and decided to put out some Wahoo jigs and we did manage to get a couple nice 50 lb plus Wahoo for out efforts. We are still fishing and will check back in again later if find anything else. If you would like to get out with us, give the Seaforth Landing a call at 619-224-3383 and reserve your spot.

Started where we have been catching Vermillions to find they were not in the mood. Moved to an undisclosed location and found very willing XL size Lingcod. Managed 2 to the boat and lost a few more. Good fun!!!

Nov. 9

                We had a pretty good day today.  We were due in the zone at 8:40 AM but we didn't make that ETA.  We got caught up in a stop a few miles prior that bit pretty well for us.  Then we spent maybe too much time in that zone looking for another deal that never came.  So we mosied on down and found another little zone which gave us our best stop of the day.  That was a good stop.  We caught a couple tuna reaching close to 40 pounds on that one.  And then the life pretty much disappeared until late.  So from lunch until 5 or so we didn't catch anything.  Then wouldn't you know it, before dark we started seeing life again and stopping the boat and catching fish again.  I guarantee you us catching fish right before dark and nothing since lunch wasn't a coincidence.  The fish were down hanging low where we couldn't see them and came up late.  All and all it was a good day.  A nice little starter for our 10 day trip.  15-25 pound yellowfin mostly with a few we let go and some nearing 40.

 

                The weather held up for us today too.  It got a little breezy in the afternoon but then it came down late again.  We're heading down tonight and we're going to try our hand at some yellers tomorrow morning and take it from there.  We're hoping we get a weather window in the morning.  It looks like we should but the wind should be with us tomorrow night on through hopefully only the next day.

 

                I'm supposed to let mama bear know that your forever cub is kicking butt.  He got himself a nice one and plenty others today.  He won't stop yappin about how much he loves and misses his mommy though.  Frankly, we're getting tired of hearing it.

                                                                                                               

We have another opportunity to jump on the Apollo with us. This one is a six day departing Oct. 13th returning Oct. 19th. This is an Ultra Ultra limited load trip. Only 12 passengers. Please call Fishermans Landing ar 619-221-8500 for more info or to sign up. Hope to see you there. J.J. Gerritsen