A study in conditions early as current completely opposite than the prior two days threatened to upend our successful program. It was a dubious beginning note that produced zero in the way of bigger fish until, after an hour of thorough scouring, a fair drift got us in the game. A slight shift put us in the thick of them although they showed very little interest in what we had to offer. As the morning progressed that all changed.

Ultimately the current straightened back out, we settled in, and spent the remainder of the day scratching steady at larger grade tuna. Of the 28 recorded in the hatch by day's end a couple were just under 100#, half were around 110 - 140, and the rest were a robust 160 - 185 with two well over the deuce. There were a number of other "underlings" that were liberated until next year or simply did not make the grade. Being as this is big fish country down here the larger models are the only ones that count - to us anyway. All are counted, but only the good ones matter; and are reported as such.

A quick story to end the day's narrative on a high note. Royal Star angler Mike Neal, who opened this voyage with a stretched 241 and had his photo posted accordingly, is absolutely on fire this voyage. He is on one of those magical rolls that occur once in a great while. Although it isn't, it seems as though Mike gets bit every bait he puts in the water. His timing has been uncanny; nothing short of incredible. We have some of the finest live bait fishermen on board ever to grace the deck of a long range sport fisher this voyage. None of them are even close to maintaining the blistering pace set by Mike. When your hot your hot.

So with Mike's incredible run it comes as no surprise that he hooked another bruiser mid afternoon that was determined to make him earn it the hard way. Right up to the end the denizen was pulling like a thing possessed pushing Mike and his equipment to the absolute limit. The last two minutes were consumed by the erratic tuna furiously swimming tight circles under the stern corner wrenching Mike and his rod to the brink. Then, when the moment of truth arrived, when that critical last lift is executed with every ounce of reserve strength invested, the brink was surpassed - Pow! Just as I reached down with a gaff to dig for the fish on an instinct that it was now or never, the rod snapped with the report of a rifle shot. Unbeknownst to me simultaneously the line also gave way.

The gaff made contact almost at the exact same moment the rod and line let go. The fish must have sensed it was his final chance because he gave it all he was worth darting away against my best effort to hang on. At this point I have to give a call out to Royal Star angler Ken Baima who brought along a pair of pliable, grip traction gloves for us to try last trip. Ken, I can honestly say that if it hadn't been for those gloves that fish would still be swimming right now. With my "Sunami Grip" gloves donned, fresh from dressing out a big fish, that gaff slipped about two inches before I got a purchase with those gloves I would have gone over the side with rather than let go.

Fortunately the big fella gave it up after an exhilarating three or four seconds for me that came to an end when my savior Chief Sean Bickel reached in with a third hand to shut down the rodeo. Actually I had it, or so I'll keep telling myself anyway. Regardless the most important result was another huge victory for Mike with a 218# cow that made it into the hatch by the narrowest of margins. Congratulations to Mike; another photo of the triumphant master is in order. Also, thanks are in order for Ken Baima for thinking of us and bringing those gloves; it is the little things that count. In this case, the successful outcome is not so little.

Tim Ekstrom

Photo Here...