Before I start to write about the highlights of this past weekend's excursion, I want to reflect on the great memories and friends that I have meet over the last 3 years fishing with Joel Ralston and the crew at Conquest Sportfishing…. It may be a smaller vessel, but it's crew with the ability to satisfy the customer has no limits. You see, this past trip on the Conquest is one of the last few trips that I will run on the vessel under the ownership of the Ralston's,  as Joel and the crew move forward in their dreams of achieving a larger, faster vessel to take them to the next level. We at JES Sport Fishing have to start by saying thank you Conquest and HELLO Top Gun. There will be many great trips to come and I promise you that Joel and his crew will be there with me to serve all of you! 

Report: It is always a pleasure to get to the docks at meet up with Joel and the crew…. It's as if I were at my best friends home. I can speak freely and not worry about repercussions and rumors. It's a matter of trust and respect. When Joel tells you the fishing is tough, it is going to be tough, but he'll find them. It's up to the angler and a lot of help of the hook'em and hand attitude of the crew to catch them. 

We started at the bait barge with little or no anchovy for the trip! A fresh, green bin of sardine from 2 to 7 inches was our best chance at the one-day bite. Use the small Dine in substitution of the chovie and the large one in case we stumble over the reported Bluefin. They are out there, but they are line shy. Passing the harbor buoy we found the seas greasy calm and the weather warm and humid. Almost like the traditional October conditions, Calm and balmy. There were some great fisherman on this trip as well as some novice… A great mix on a JES trip. 

Gray light found us drifting over an area @ 55 miles southwest of the Point. The practice trolling rotation sent us south as we came into view of the other sporties in the area from the North in traditional Ralston style. As the sun arose over FLAT seas and clear sunny skies, the rest of the anglers awoke and we started our first real rotations and we were fishing……..A few green individuals did their best in attempting to help Joel Chum up the fish, but it wasn't working… 

First stop 2 albacore on the feathers and 1 bait fish. These 3 would turn out to be the some of the smallest fish of the day! Picking and scratching we boxed the area. The anxiety of the anglers was high as we had our slammer breakfast of pancakes, sausage, bacon and eggs. We were all ready, but it wasn't going to happen here. 

The radio was squawking some numbers out to Joel in the house. Something about heading west, northwest! The engines revved and we were off. We were going to the meat. Long trolled feathers for the next hour or so as we made the move to the spot, but we new were close when the chum line was boiled on and the feathers went deep. HOOK UP! This stop produced a good mix of fish, but when my bait was hit on my Seeker CLB706 and Diawa SLV20 with 15lb string, I knew it wasn't an Albacore.

Screammmmmmming the line peeled off! This was worth the hour haul. Several others were on and the boat went bendo. The first fish to hit the deck was a great one for Teresa Altman of Scottsdale, AZ! She and the other female, Raleigh Holman were just in it with all of us! They knew what to do! Grind. 

If you were going to get bit, you had to match the bait, hook and line perfectly. No mistake, this was good fishing…. I finally landed my 25lb Bluefin on the bow and upon my return to the bait tank saw that the rest of the anglers had created a "Red Deck" on the stern. I stepped up to the 20lb on the Shimano TLD10 and went back to work, but the bite slowed and we had to run along. 

We had some information of breaking fish further up the line a bit. As we approached, you could see the whitewater from a ½ a mile. A combination of porpoise and tuna all breaking the surface. As soon as we got close to the main body of dolphin the trollers were attacked! No footballs like last year. These were all 20lbs + grade. I was still trying to get over my disappointing loss that challenged my sportsmanship from the last stop. A beautiful Bluefin that was lost at the gaff due to my decision to push the limits of my 20lbs Ande. He was the jack pot fish on this day! It was heartbreaking. 

This stop would last only 45 minutes before we had to push on, but I had seen some great work from all on board the 2 last stops. Hot hands for the day were already Al Stankewicz, Allcoast's TunaQ, David Fong, Allcoast's fongster and Bill Holman. They were in the zone. Mrs. Holman, Bills wife had great yellowfin catch that I have on the SONY Digital. 

As I climbed the ladder to the wheelhouse to speak with the skipper, we came up on a paddy. As the rudders turned hard to bring us up wind around the sunny side you could see it from above......Birds resting, bait balling and color....lots of color. Blue, yellow and white down deep! I just sat there for the moment to watch as the feathers got bit again! Yellowtail …… Bait fish and more happy anglers. 

I slid down the ladder in Navy style to get a bait in the water as Joel yelled "Crazy Ivan" on a free swimming Dodo! It is amazing to see the chaos a beautiful Dorado can cause on a sport boat! I think that one went to David Fong as he out cast me to the spot. Hmmmmmm! Good for him, he was in that zone. He had his first ever Albacore and reflecting I think TunaQ having had first on the Yellowfin. Great job guys. 

I can't imagine what this trip would have been like if we had to have gone the distances we had in the previous weeks, but with us 48 miles from the landing we got to fish until 3:00PM. We ended our fishing day with 24 Albacore, 17 Bluefin, 4 Yellowfin, 4 Yellowtail and 3 Dorado and a group of exhausted anglers. 

I awoke to a call from the cook, Eric, saying something about Porterhouse. It doesn't' take a second word to get me out of my bunk for a hearty steak. Raffles were concluded before our meal with the thought of having the Birthday cake for 16-year-old Joshua Tate as we headed past North Island. 

Prizes of Kicker Jigs went to Dan Tate and Raleigh Holman. The Birthday boy, Joshua, won the Seeker 270. The CJB65 Black Steel Seeker was awarded to Brendan Ryan of Santa Ana… A great prize for a great young man, especially since he is a rod wrapper as well. The Penn 500L was won by Loran Dargatz of Yorba Linda. Jack Pot fish was David Fong's 30lb Bluefin, that just beat a fatty Albacore. 

Enclosing I want to thank the sponsors as usual… SEEKER RODS, KICKER JIGS, CTX Mortgage and BC Distributing for all of your product support! 

Until the next outing, take care and be safe. 

J.E.S. Sportfishing

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