Davis Boats / Mike Stanton Open Nov 12th-25th 2009
We departed on Nov 12th at 8:00 am on the Davis Boats 13 day aboard the Royal Polaris. This was a limited load trip with 21 anglers. The loading went smooth as usual and anticipation was high as some bigger fish were starting to show on the lower banks. After taking on a beautiful load of bait we are headed south.
Roy loading the ammo
The beautiful Royal Polaris
I usually take notes day by day and did the same on this trip however my laptop took a dump and the data was not recovered, luckily all my photos were saved externally.
Frank gathers us in the galley for the safety seminar and lets us know we are headed to Hurricane Bank. No one has been there in a few weeks and the last boat to leave saw good sign. I think this is a great decision as it keeps our options open if we need to move. With it being a 13 day we have plenty of days to fish and move if we need to. The rest of the day was spent relaxing, playing some cards and talking about trips past. A large number of the passengers were on the trip in 2005 when we got 68 over 200 on a ten day and the trip in 2007 when we ran to the bank on a 10 day and plugged the Royal Polaris in 3 days so we have the good mojo with this group and it should turn out to be another epic trip.
Travel – The next 3 days are spent traveling south in good weather. The wind is up but riding down hill is nice and smooth. Each travel day we had the usual great seminars the RP puts on covering everything you need to know about rigging and fish fighting. Arron held a great knot tying seminar along with a seminar on using the rail in both the stern and the bow. We should arrive at the bank around 7:00am.
Big D setting it up right
Roy Rose telling stories and showing off knots
Larry and Arron wiring up some jigs
Fishing – We start with a troll around the bank for some Wahoo, we have numerous stops and get through the rotation once. The thing that was different this time was the fish being hooked on the Marauders were Tuna! These were a nice grade of fish up too 125 pounds. We did trick a few skinnies to bite along with a few on the iron. We get the anchor down and it doesn’t take long for us to start hooking some on the sardine. There were a few small ones used for chunks but most the sardine fish are in the 150 pound class with a few going over 200. There were a lot of smaller fish on the bank and the Skipjack would move through every now and then. We don’t have any flyers yet so Squid is the bait of choice on the kites as the Double Troubles would just attract small tuna. The kite was slow the first day with most of the larger fish coming on the sardine.
John with a nice Wahoo on the troll
branman with one on the iron
Tuna on the troll
As the sun was starting to set the little guys were on us so a few went to the Chunk and PL68’s as well as fishing big baits (Skipjack/Small Yellowfin). All three of these methods produced fish over 150 pounds. By the end of the first day we had a nice count on the bigger yellowfin with a few going over 200.
Big Daddy Don Burnside
David with another
At sunset the crew went to work getting a tank of Flyers, this was a long slow task but we managed to get our 35 flyers for the tank and look forward to what they will produce tomorrow.
Day 2 of fishing started with a bang with some big ones coming on the kites in the dark along with the PL68s at sunrise. The bait fishing on the sardines continues to be the best I have ever seen at the bank. Big baits are producing as well. We did the usual troll around the bank for the Wahoo in the late morning and bagged a few more. Back on the anchor around lunch and continued to hook a great grade of fish on all methods. This was the first time in a long time that I have seen all methods covered in the seminars produce quality fish. Without going into details for everyday we just did the same routine for 5 days and proceeded to fill the boat. We had to dump bait twice in order to make room for our catch.
Kenny always with a smile
You saw Big Daddy in this position a lot
Young Zach with one of many
Zach's dad Kurt with some weight
branman letting him run
Larry with one of many
Zach with another good one
Charter Master Mike Stanton
We saw this a lot!
Pete with a beauty
Zach and proud father Kurt
Another through the gate
Jim manged a few of these!
If you listened to Lets Talk Hookup during the trip Frank called in and mentioned 2 big ones were lost on the Iron using the wrong hook and the angler would not be mentioned, well that was me. I left my PL68s on the work bench at home and kept putting off getting one from the boat as I was having great success on the fly line sardine. On the last day I gave in and barrowed a custom glow painted 7x heavy. It had a Owner Stinger treble hook on it which made me leery but they are a very strong hook so I dropped it in anyways. I get bit on the second drop; it is a good one with lots of weight. After a 30 minute battle the hook pulls. I’m disappointed but hey that’s fishing. Were I feel I made the mistake was I dropped it in again and got bit right away after 2 cranks. This fish is bigger then the one I just lost. It takes me around the boat 4 times and is a mean heavy fish. Zack and Matt are on iron fish as well and we all got bit at the same time (these turned out to be the 2 biggest non kite fish). After close to an hour with about 80 feet to go the hook pulls again. Ouch! When I real my jig back I get the scolding (in a good humored way) from the crew on the hook again. Please read this part – I am not slamming owner stinger hooks they are a great hook and are very sharp and very strong and have many applications but they are not for Cow tuna. The strength and shape of a large tunas mouth work a treble hook against itself and all the fish has to do is open his mouth to pry the hook free. Can Cows be caught on them? Yes. Do I or the Crew of the Royal Polaris recommend them? No.
Getting worked on the bow
Bruce had a great trip with lots of these
ooops Zach again
Big fish Bob
This one looks like it wanted to come in the boat
Another father son team, Mike and Matt
John with a biggun
Matt with yet another
The sun is setting on our last day of fishing and we are calling it a trip. We have 207 Giant Yellowfin on board, 35 over 200 pounds along with 57 Wahoo.
We stop for some reds on the last day after a few nice drops we are headed home. The off loading goes smooth there are lots of smiles at the weigh in, everyone says thier good buys and looks forward to next year. For me it is off the Bill Poole Memorial. Once again this group and the crew of the Royal Polaris produce another epic trip.
We have room on the SDLongRange.com – Open 17 day. The trip leaves on April 23rd. I will be the Charter Master and have lots of great giveaways, Hope to see you onboard. For reservations and information contact: Scotty or Andrea @ (619) 226-8030
Got Get Some!
