southern illinois Fishing Report 2024

~~Nov. 16
 I told myself yesterday that if we caught 30 wahoo today it would be worth the move.  We caught 31.  Scoooore!
 
 It was good in the morning.  By 10:00 we were moving right along on pace to have one heck of a day.  Then things went slow.  We were able to scratch just enough, and with the expectancy of an evening hit, we still were feeling good.  That hit never happened.  One here and two there was the rest of our day.  But like I said, I'm very pleased with what we caught.  It was definitely worth the ride.  It helps that every wahoo we caught this trip is a toad.  40-50+ pounds baby.

 We're headed up now.  We'll have to be making headway toward home for the rest of the trip.  We only have a couple of days left.  We're going to give it a shot and finding a dorado kelp in the morning.  The 3 boats that tried it prior to us struck out so we'll have a back up plan.  Our plan B is to fish yellows at an island tomorrow afternoon.  See you tomorrow.
                                  

July 14 and 15 all in one.
    We fished the 14th offshore in some haven't been fished in waters for a while and we found plenty of tuna but they were all small.  For the most part it's what the grade of yellowfin is this year so we opted to put tags on them.  It bit well on one stop.  After a while we wound in the jigs due to constant jig strikes, we couldn't short stop anymore without it costing us time in the local grounds where the better grade was biting.  Mark and I played a game we call suicide trolling.  We each put out a troll rod and the first one to get a tuna on deck wins.  The boat doesn't stop.  We both got bit instantly but mine fell off.  I kept getting bit but they wouldn't hook.  After 30 seconds I realized I didn't have a hook on my jig and by the time I got a different jig out we were past the fish and Mark took his time and wound his in for the victory.  

    We can't complain about today.  The weather was as good as it gets.  No wind and no sea.  It was beautiful.  We also caught 54 30-35 pound tuna and for what was around today, it was a good score.  We're headed in and we're going to be the first boat in tomorrow at 0530 hours.  We'll be heading back out tomorrow on another 5 day trip.  See you then.

 

The San Diego checked in tonight with an update from Seaforth Sportfishing in Mission Bay. Captain Cameron Cribben ran the boat today! We had 31 anglers and caught 56 Bluefin Tuna and 91 Yellowtail. Today was a big day and it looks like the fish are back on the bite.

Polaris Supreme Trip Update 11-18-2019 Another good day on the tuna, scratched up a few nice Wahoo and threw in some beautiful grouper to go with it. Overall a very satisfying and complete day! The weather kind of sucked the first half of the day but was good the second half! Weird squally weather this trip more drizzle and rain. Everybody's having a great time looking forward to tomorrow our last full day of fishing down south! Oh yeah almost forgot Wahoo enchiladas for dinner this evening! They were absolutely screaming! The Polaris Supreme Crew!

Today the San Diego had 24 anglers catching 1 BlueFinn Tuna, 111 Yellowtail. Fish ranging from 5-20 pounds. Lot of fun. They have a private charter tomorrow, Saturday, but they are open after that. Call 619 224 3383.

~~Oct. 3
 Hello October and hello you all and welcome back to the Polaris Supreme.  We were off for a week if you didn't notice.  The crew, we all did our own thing except for Tuesday and Wednesday we all got together for a little maintenance.  And now we're back out here. We all came back to the boat talking about how great we cook wahoo.  "I cooked it this way, you should try it". "Oh no, you should try it my way".  Basically I think wahoo is just good.  We left for 2 days this morning and we're pumped.  We had a report of a floating kelp pattie that was producing good days for many boats this morning so we thought we'd give it a try too.  Thankfully it was all rigged up with a flag and a reflector and stuff because the sun was getting low by the time we made it out there and I'm not sure we would have found it without it.  Anyways like most rigged kelps there was a school with it and it bit pretty well  for us for about an hour and then it got dark.  The fish were tuna.  A bit on the smaller side but that's what's around and that's what everyone's been catching so we were cool with it too.

 Tomorrow we're hoping to get down and crazy with some dorado.  We heard of a zone with some floating kelp with schools of those colorful fish and we're going to try and find some.

 We have a new PA system on board and that thing pumps.  Holy Toledo can that thing put out some power.  I think I could take that thing to Petco Park and announce a Padre game with it.  Just some more raw power for the Polaris Supreme.
        

Capt Ryan Bostain checked in from the San Diego the 3/4 day boat out of Seaforth Landing to report that the Yellowtail are starting to bite down at the Coronados. Yesterday we had 96 Yellowtail and today we 114 Yellowtail for 30 anglers, come on down the are biting everything. We are getting them on surface iron, yoyo jigs, dropper loops and fly lining baits, the water is very nice and clean. When you come down make sure to bring your passport as it is required.

Polaris Supreme arrived June 10 after a five-day trip. Owner-skipper Tom Rothery docked the boat at Fisherman's Landing and weighed the best of the catch. "We fished open water and found a new albacore area," he said at the scales. "We fished our first night out, and got a few. The albacore bit good, and we also got some nice yellowtail off kelps. On our first half-day of fishing we had an excellent bite on albies of 30 to 40 pounds." Chartermaster Paul Hess of Napa won first place for his 42.4-pound albacore, which set a new high mark for the species this season. He said he bagged it with a sardine on a 3/0 Eagle Claw hook tied to 30-pound Yo-Zuri line on a Trinidad 16 reel and a Calstar 800 M rod. Brian Schwartz of Napa won second place for a 40.8-pounder, and Casey Weaver of Woodland took third for a 40.6-pound albacore. "He came in after 15 minutes," said Hess. "It was a standard albacore deal."