SCORE ON THE MIRAGE!!! YELLOWTAIL AND BONITA WENT OFF!!!

Hello fellow fishing friends!!!

Friday night we boarded the Mirage at Channel Islands Sportfishing in Oxnard, CA in hopes of finding Yellowtail!

With sleep came dreams of Yellows tugging and gaffs going over the rail!

Sure enough, the next day that's what happened!!! Yellowtail at the bow! Yellows going off at the stern! Yellows on the starboard side, then the port side!!! They were coming over the rail all over the boat one after the other!!! Then we had oodles of Bonita bouncing on the deck left and right!!!

I got a darn good sized Yellowtail and my very first "Channel Islands Tuna" aka Bonita!

Captain Tucker saw a diver floating on his back near a kelp patty with out any flags identifying his presence. The man was carried away by the current at least 1/4 mile away from his boat. The current kept him from swimming back to his boat. He was darn lucky Captain Tucker has an eagle eye and spotted him right away. The guys, Captain Tucker, Chase, Blair, and Alex drug the guy on board. The first thing the guy cared about was if we had seen his spear gun floating anywhere because that's what he was still looking for. It seemed like he thought there was no problem with not being able to swim against the current back to his boat where his three diving buddies were also submerged. Isn't there supposed to be someone in the boat watching at all times? IDK I'm just a chic, right? Anywho, the guys also had a Yellowtail attached to his abdomen with a very thick, clear line that seemed to be digging into his leg but again, he said "that didn't bother him either, just that he couldn't find his spear gun". All righty then.

After that we kept fishing and hooked up to a few more Yellows and some more Bonita. Adrian Cruz somehow managed to pull on a male and a female Sheephead from like a thousand miles away while flylining!!! He said "The last few trips I seem to be the only guy that manages to catch two Sheephead and I was kidding when I said 'Oh it's probably just another Sheephead' again".

It was a super fun day with lots of great anglers with non-stop laughing and munching on Rocky Road Brownies and Banana Bread Muffins! Alex made yummies all day long, including a giant chef salad for Woodman and myself to share at the end of the day.

Chase and Blair were on it and made sure everyone got their fish over the rail, even if it was just a Yellowtail head because a sea lion devoured the body! The sea lions were everywhere yesterday it seemed! And as annoying as ever!

Such a great day with Yellows caught Mary "Batray" Thompson, John the Hobbit (head only and one that escaped under the boat because it got lucky), JWoodman, Joey805, Lori Renee, Mister JP himself aka "Mackaral Pants", Carlos, Adrian Cruz, Todd "T-Bone" White, Jarred "Chanel No. 5"... he got FIVE YELLOWS!!!! That guy was EN FUEGO!!! And most if not all anglers got at least one Yellow. It was great to meet new people like Reyna and Rick. It was also great to share the rail with some nice people that I haven't seen in ages...

All in all a fun and eventful time on the Mirage, as usual!!! Everyone says that it is one of the fishiest boats around and it always seems to be true!!!

 

Thanks guys!!! It was an epic trip!!! But, that is to be expected with Tucker, the Mirage, and all the fun people that go on GB trips!!! Correction..... I was one of the die hard anglers that DID NOT retreat to the galley either time! A little warm rain is good for the soul. Jarredd, talk about your hot sticks! I am definitely looking forward the August GB trip!!!!!