Skipper Andy Cates reported for Red Rooster III February 16:

“We had a nice day, with decent-sized fish from 100 to 195 pounds. Josh Garst was the hot dog. He just seemed to get bit all day. He picked off a 195-pounder, and this looks to be our biggest fish of the day. Hopefully tomorrow we get a chance at some cows. We ended up with about 30 fish for the day.”

Biting By Six

The Royal Polaris report for February 17 said, “Most all of us were on deck waiting for the bite that has been starting by six most mornings. It was a selective bite as always but some of the big boys showed up for the party right on time. Most of the cows caught for the day came in that bite with one maybe two a little later. There were the usual good number of 170's and 180's with a few 70 to 90 and 100 to 140. Big fish went to Erik Simonsen who had a 205 and a 200 and we're all pretty sure he's been "sandbagging" us about this being his first long trip (at the very least he's not fishing like it is.)

“Chico Leonard landed the biggest fish of the day at 211 and won a pair of Accurate Piranha pliers. Francois Mangeot (I've mentioned his name so often I've learned to spell it without looking) was the second best tuna of day at 208 and won a 6 pack of casting lures courtesy of Tady, Salas, and Halco lures, The other half of the French Connection Claude also Mangeot rounded out the cows with a 203. Wind picked up a little but it's been dead calm and there's still hardly a ripple. Add a few more wahoo and all in all it was another excellent fun day of fishing.”

Driftfishing Big Tuna

Get some! Blue water fishing for giant yellowfin tuna, drifting over schools of yellowfin tuna upward of 100 pounds, fishing 1,000 miles south of San Diego, in the Buffer zone off Clarion Island. Host Bill Roecker, chartermaster Jack Nilsen of Accurate and saltwater journalist Brandon Hayward go after big boys aboard Red Rooster III with skipper Andy Cates.

Andy talks tuna strategy, the bite is on, weather’s picture-perfect. Tangle with tuna from sunup to sundown on this fly-home special adventure! Brandon shows how to get bit fast and often, fishing from the bow. Jack and Brandon show and tell how to bring these huge, muscular fish to the boat. Top the holds off with some jigging and baitfishing for feisty wahoo, when there’s just enough space left to slip skinnies between the tuna in the fish holds.

This exceptional video features riveting footage shot in the Sony 35mm AVHC format, with super color and clarity. The DVD also features underwater footage by chartermaster Jack Nilsen, illustrative on-the-spot photos, and some cool new music. Skipper Cates offers much knowledge about tracking tuna, picking out the biters and capitalizing on their habits.

Calm November seas and a remarkably green Clarion Island set this scenario. Excellent fishing offered many hours of footage, now edited down to an hour of fast-paced action, including red and gold tropical dawn scenes, to spice the down and dirty struggles at the rail with fast-biting tuna up to 275 pounds. Two rookies not only realize their 100-pound goals, they’re rewarded with cow tuna over 200 pounds! Whopper yellowfin are biting hard and fast. Five-alarm excitement, good times and great fishing—see Driftfishing Big Tuna!

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