I should have stuck with my plan and I would have filled the boat with Yellows!
Only day off and I brought the Boma out for a test drive with the new motor. I brought rods, but my plan was to stay inshore, fish and get a lot of driving in to gauge the motor and all its nuances.
She was happy to get salty again.
So I head out and make some nice Spanish and Greenback Macks. I drop down at my ling spot and Bam! Instantaneous hook up!
She spit up a Puss!
My next two drops cost me two more macks as they were grabbed by ling, but I couldn't keep the hook in their mouth. It was so flat out and the motor was running good, I decided to take the remaining macks offshore and look for paddies. I abandoned my plan to hunt for yellowtail inshore as these opportunities do not come up so often and it would give the motor a real good shakedown.
I'm glad I did in a way as I found that my boat likes slow and fast. I was trying to troll at 6-7 mph, but the motor didn't like that speed too much. It would shudder here and there, but ran OK. It just didn't feel like its sweet spot. Soon as I tried to get it to 8mph, it would rev the rpms and I'd be going 12 mph right away! It was weird, but it loved riding at higher RPMs. So basically trolling sucked and I didn't bring the right gear as I was not planning on fishing offshore.
I found a half dozen paddies and they were LOADED with Yellowtail! Hundreds to thousands on every paddy! They were slamming my jig, but you'll have to see the video. I tried uploading my video to Photobucket, but it wouldn't take it for some reason, so I'll just try and figure it out and post it up later.
BTW, here was the water temp out there!
I decided to start running in when I saw terns working and fish busting underneath them. I shot over but they were moving fast!
I tried throwing a mack at them, but they wanted nothing to do with it. I cast my bass gear with a small iron and I'm on! Nice Skipjack!
I almost get spooled, but manage to get him to the side of the boat just to realize I don't have my gaff out and the fish was freaking out! I decided to grab the line and flip him in the boat! I knew that wasn't a good idea as he popped right off a foot out of the water and dropped back in. It was a 5-7 pound fish and At least I got my jig back.
I shot up again and made another cast and got HOOKED UP right again! This one was a little bigger and before I could get my boat in gear, with a thumbed spool on the max drag... it spooled me. Everything gone! It's been a long time since that happened, but they didn't want the bigger stuff.
I shot back over as they were hauling ass and this time messed up. They turned at me as I was shutting down and scared them. They sunk out and I couldn't find them again. Oh well, I was still happy with the day and started heading in. Football was on and it was time to watch!
As I was going in the inlet, I get a call from my buddy who loaded up with 12 big bruiser YT and asked if I was out.... ugh... figures that I was heading in the right direction, but made a 90 degree turn.
It all was good however as I got to see some killer stuff, gave the motor a good run and caught some fish. This motor is a good short term answer, but I'll leave it at that. It is not a good trolling motor for sure.
I'll try and post the video later.
Until next tide!
