Today we decided to visit the other side again to see if we could get on a few Yellowfin Tuna. My crew consisted of Mason Williams, his associate Curt Jacobus, Buck Buchanan, Donnie Poston and Joe Wright from New Mexico who used up a free ticket to make the voyage.

    Trailored the Goin Off down to Sebastian State Park to set sail and east we went very early in the AM. Worked pretty much east of Sebastian out to about 105 NM and found a fair amount of birds not really a lot as of yet. There were a number of boats out there as well and one boat in particular came flying in on a flock I was homing in on. After I had set my spread as was less than one tenth of a mile from pay dirt this googan in a Contender comes flying in on the flock on the wrong side of the school to make an approach and ruined it for the both of us. My answer to anyone that does stupid stuff like that is what I did to this fool. I jacked up my speed busted, right into the flock, crossed his wake, pointed my bow at his stern to follow him and sent the school to back to the depths from whence they came. Earlier in the day we found a flock and hooked up some fish and by the time we had landed the fish we were about a quarter mile from the pack and another boat came in behind us and made a pass on the flock. We were first on that flock and my answer to him was that we returned to the flock made a pass and hooked up again. Bottom line it's a big ocean out there and if there is a boat near a flock chances are they found it first and you should stay away from that flock unless you're invited to join. I don't mind a race to the birds if two boats are running hard to a flock then let the best man win, however, if the boat was there before you then give them a half mile berth and move on. It's a big ocean out there with plenty of fish and room to move around. Courtesy is just common sense and remember how you would feel if someone pulled in on your party and ruined it! NUFF SAID!!!

    Last fish of the day was Joe was hooked up to what turned out to be a 500 pound shark for over an hour. I fought like Eric's 105 pounder a couple of weeks before but at least we were able to get him alongside the boat and get back my trolling feather. Finished up the day with a nearly calm crossing back to Sebastian with some tasty treats and some more great memories.

Final tally for the day:
5 Keeper Yellowfin Tuna to 50 pounds with six released to grow up.
5 Mahi to 25 pounds
3 Blackfin tuna