[RACN35]

Left Lynnhaven on the LUCKY DOG for a fun trip overnite....first time offshore and we are going to spend the nite at sea !! Depart at 6 pm after filling the diesel tanks and freshwater holding tank. Cruise at 24 knots for 2 hours or so and the stbd engine starts to overheat.....alarm wont go off......so we run on just the port engine and reduce speed while we take turns trying to get the problem fixed.....after 2 hours taking turns down below we get the water impellor swapped with the spare we had on board....11 pm and 80 miles out we set out shark rigs and set the boat adrift ....no takers. an hour before sunrise we start to rig ballyhoo for the morning tuna bite that is about to explode.....set out 8 lines as the sun peeked over the horizon and what a gorgeous morning it was too .......0600 to 1000 and not a hint of a mahi or tuna in site.......deep drop is the only option to put meat in the box a 100 miles from home.........first drop I get my first ever blueline tilefish ! I pair of fat fish, both citations over the 10 pound minimum weight,I dont collect citations so in the meat box they go.....next couple hours we catch enough to get our fill and move from the shallow 300 feet of water we were in to the deep stuff around 900 feet for try for golden tiles.....Lou and Darren both hook up and rest off us look on in awe at a 900 foot drop......lunch time and we hear Keith(MEGA BITE) giving numbers for a tuna bite !! We head over his way and decide to make just 1 attempt at a yellowfin since both our buddy boats from last nite had headed home already.....5 minuets.......12 minutes ......I am in the chair ...ready .......waiting........Darren way up top gives Todd directions down below where the school of fish are.......BRrrrrrrrr ZING goes the the big Penn and the drag starts a smoking !! I jump outta my fighting chair and starddle the gunnell......letting the freight train roll away farther and farther waiting on the word to "take him"........my gawd this is not a fish its a unstoppable tank !! I crank and crank until my arms burn......this sh*t aint no fun anymore - Its serious and Charlie Tuna is NOT going to get the best of me !! someone from behind me straps a belt on me and I to fight the fish ..again.......I see it beside the boat and its gone again.....I am trying to reel in a dump truck here !!! On the third time I get him close to the boat Lou hits the mark first try and in one big body slam swoop heaves moby dick over the gunnell and onto the deck.....its not just FISH ON anymore, its FISH LANDED !! A nice stout 50+ pound class fish !! Today, all in one day my first real big sea bass, first tilefish and a yellow fin tuna......it took me three days to catch my breath to tell you this story ! Now I am ready to go again......I aint as good as I once was
but Im as good once as I ever was......and thats all I needed this day.........heres my seabass,tiles and the VW bus that knocked my socks off....I never did get to set in the fighting chair come to think of it......what a stand up fight !!