Old Glory 9/16

[Redjim]

Howdy. I wasn't gonna write this up but a fellow sdfish member inspired me to do so. I did a turn around trip so two in a row. The first trip went as follows... Arrived in the zone early enough to get a 2 hour night bite which was super surprising to me, fished hard but nothing was cooperating. Grey light brought the first fish aboard, with my first one at about 60 pounds coming on my sinker rigged truline 6x cobraglass. After a few fiah came over the rail, it dried up and we went lookin. Stopped on a couple more little stops for one or two fish. Then this clown with a Walmart spinner hooks up and the sheetshow really began. Round and round the boat, 7 or 8 times. Had every single deckhand pull on it, noodle rod and all. About 20 minutes into the fight captain Kley had a call from another sportfisher about a half mile away. They had crew limits and were holding the school of 20-50 pounders for us. We watched this asshat waste everyone's time for an hour and a half with only half a dozen fish other fish were decked. Kley finally killed the dumbass 80 pounder and we headed to the spot of fish. By the time we got there, a dozen skiffs and another 80 foot sportfisher was on em. The fish had slowed down the bite but we still managed 35 bluefin for the day and a dorado. 7 of the bluefin were put on the deck by me, 6 with my trueline 5x. I can count the number of folks I have told about themselves in the last 5 years on one hand. I told the guy to his face that he was a selfish POS, that 35 other passengers had paid $400plus to catch fish and I hoped he enjoyed his. I explained the scenario and told him to stow his crap ass gear. What a double.
Next trip--------> We had a small window of biters on the night bite, I had a good one on a sinker rig but got sawed off by a guy fishing a lexa with a 3 ft floro who had no idea where his line was (I was on the bow and his line had wrapped around everyone from the stern). Oh well. Graylight came and I put one on at about 40 pounds with the 5x. I stowed my gear and went to deckhanding. I had helped the passengers with rigging on the way out, now I took to gaffing and staying with less experienced anglers. I assisted with tangles and was there when folks needed a break. I would tell the fisherman "let me know when you want the rod back..." Sometimes they wanted it back, sometimes they asked me to kill it. I put over 15 or so on deck in that fashion, 30 to 50 pounds. At one stop they started slowly biting so I grabbed my Sabre 539 and sacked up. They only wanted a1 Michael Phelps baits and for some reason i wasn't getting any love on my 30 pound floro. I dropped down to 20 and was bit instantly in the corner. My fish came over the rail after about an hour, 60 plus pounds of it haha. Overall great experience with my Old Glory family, they sure run a helluva show. PLEASE DO NOT FISH CRAP ASS GEAR OR SMALL LOW PROFILE BAITCASTERS FOR THESE TROPHYS, IF YOU DO NOT UNDERSTAND THE REASON WHY PLEASE ASK A CAPTAIN OR DECKHAND.
Tight lines and following seas my friends...

[Everydog]

Great fishing and helping others, and great report. Thank you, Jim.

[Redjim]

After the ordeal on 20 pound floro, my corktape was all scuffed up and worked. I handed the rod off to my dear friend that wraps all the reely cool good stuff. I had been under the impression that it was a 539 and fishing 40 was not an issue but under the tape it said 530. I'm superglad I never highstick, and will limit its use to 30 pound and below. Headed out tomorrow night on the Producer with a few trulines and a Rainshadow that i won in a raffle on my 4 day trip. Life is good. Tight lines and following seas...