January 8, 2025
Twenty-one anglers boarded the 117’ Intrepid based in San Diego California. The boat is one of the newest in the fleet and carries over 800 scoops of live sardines which will be used for chum and for catching yellowfin tuna and wahoo. The food is all included and is 5-star quality. Three meals each day as well as two snacks is the norm. Anglers share a private stateroom with a partner.
We cleared the point yesterday mid-morning en route to the zone. Sam and Ethan are running the boat and my partner Silent Jim Odlum and I are the charter masters. We have a good group of 21 anglers and six crew members. Captains Sam Moore and Ethan Childers at the helm and Min, Jack, Adolfo and Jason on the deck.
We are watching college football tonight after a great pork tenderloin dinner. Starlink has made it possible to have most of the modern wifi conveniences including internet (although it is slow) and even the ability to call home on your phone. The seas are flat and we are beginning to feel the weather getting warmer. The water temp is still cool and will increase as we head south.
Since it is an Accurate sponsored trip we brought plenty of 12’s, 30’s, 50’s and 600’sfor the guys to use in the trip. Since buying gear for this type of fishing requires aninvestment, joining an Accurate sponsored trip is a good option for the new longrange angler. Anglers can come on the trip with minimal (or no) gear and borrowsome top-of-the-line Accurate reels with accompanying rods. Another option is torent the gear from the boat. Hopefully, we will get to put the Accurate gear to gooduse.
We had a nice give away where everyone walked away with a tackle pack and niceprizes from our sponsors including an Accurate reel and rod, Seeker rods, Deckhandreel bags, CB Outdoors (wahoo bombs), Ebberly Stock, and JRI jigs. There wereplenty of smiles today.
Our destination is Hurricane Bank, also known as the Shamada Seamount. It is located roughly 500 miles southwest of Cabo San Lucas and is a 4-day boat ride from San Diego.
January 10, 2025
We are continuing our way south. Thankfully, we are headed downhill. The water and weather are warming up as we continue to make our way closer to our destination. This morning, Captain Sam gave a great seminar on catching big tuna to go with the wahoo seminar yesterday. These seminars are a review for most of us and serve as a good reminder of the little things it takes to be successful on this trip. They are intended for the first timer, but newbies and veterans alike all benefit from the seminars.
Our primary setup for tuna will be fishing 100 pound spectra braid to 100 pound fluorocarbon and a 4/0 size hook during the day and another set up capable of fishing 130 braid with a 130 top shot of fluorocarbon. While opinions vary, I prefer to start with a 15’ piece of fluorocarbon.
For wahoo a high-speed reel and a bomb (a skirted lure on a 5-ounce head) or a Raider type jig (silver or gold lure with a single hook) are the recommended lures. Since wahoo have razor sharp teeth, wire is the standard. The problem is that wahoo sees the wire and often do not bite a bait or jig with a wire leader. Fishing without wire will absolutely generate more strikes, but the angler is playing with fire as it will often result in getting bitten off.
Today we put together our rods and reels and began to build our leaders. I prefer the FG knot to connect my braid to my fluorocarbon leader and can tie them up pretty quickly, while others tie the RP knot or tie wind on leaders.
The food continues to be outstanding. Lunch today was a steak salad and dinner was Chicken Parmesan. Tomorrow we will check out drags and get ready for our 0830 arrival on Sunday morning.
January 12, 2025
Braised short ribs for dinner last night to go with some really tasty chicken sandwiches (I need to get that recipe!) I smell bacon being cooked for breakfast. Gear is readied drags are checked and rechecked. It’s game time in T-minus 4 hours we will be at the world-famous Hurricane bank! Breakfast and a shower and time for us to get to work!
We arrive to the bank and as expected we are the fifth San Diego based long range boat there for a spot that is roughly one mile square. Hurricane bank is best suited for two, three boats at the most. We are definitely the odd boat out. We do know however, that in two days two boats will be leaving and we will be able to set up on a better spot.
Out go the trollers with Nomad DTX lures. The four-person trolling team each has a rod and when a wahoo is hooked on the troll anglers cast wahoo bombs in hopes of hooking additional fish. Wahoo are completely focused on fast moving lures and live bait. My favorite reel is my Accurate 600 narrow which is spooled with 65# braid and a topshot of 50# monofilament. Some anglers opt for a short topshot of mono, but I put roughly 75 yards of mono on top. I prefer to cast mono with a 5-ounce bomb versus casting spectra braid. Additionally, at the end of a productive day of wahoo fishing I can simply refresh my mono topshot with fresh line.
After 10 minutes of trolling an angler gets bit and line peels off the trolling reel. Captain turns the boat and we are given the OK to cast our lures. I casted out ow my favorite green bomb and let it sink for 30 seconds. I put the reel in gear and crank. Fortunately, the 6:1 retrieve on my Accurate 600 narrow allows me to move my bomb through the water with less cranking effort than with a slower retrieve reel.
I crank for 10 seconds and there is a violent pull on the line, and I am unable to turn the handle any further. The critical thing to remember is to keep turning the handle even though you’re at a stalemate. Commonly a wahoo will grab your bomb or lure and clamp its jaws down and swim off at breakneck speed. Oftentimes since the lure is simply held in its jaws like a dog carrying a bone, the hook as not yet penetrated the fish. The hope is that the wahoo’s razor-sharp teeth do not come in contact with the line as this will certainly result in the line breaking. By keeping the line at maximum tightness there is a greater chance that when the wahoo opens its mouth to let go of the lure the wahoo will get hooked (often on the outside of the jaw). In contrast, if the angler swings to set the hook or allows slack in the line the wahoo simply opens its mouth, and the lure falls harmlessly out of its mouth. A good wahoo angler may land one in four or five hook ups. Wahoo fishing is extremely humbling even for experienced long-range anglers.
After what seems like forever the wahoo turns and runs. I was standing in the center of the stern when I hooked the fish and before I knew it there is a whooshing sound as line rushed toward the bow. I sprinted to follow the fish reeling as fast as I can in hot pursuit. I finally catch up and am finally up and down on the fish. I work the fish to the boat and am rewarded with a nice 40- pound wahoo. Not a bad start to the day. I check my fluorocarbon leader and thankfully it’s still intact with no nicks.
I cast repeatedly. On my fourth cast I get bit again. While not as dramatic as the previous fight, I landed my second wahoo of the trip. When the dust settled, we had landed 18 wahoo on our first stop. Not bad. We continued trolling for another 45
minutes and did not get another bite. Captain Sam decides to drop the anchor andtry for tuna.
We get the anchor down and we all fish live sardines for tuna. Since it is day time most anglers opt for fishing 100# and a live sardine. It’s a delicate dance since anytime you fish Hurricane bank you have a chance of hooking a 250# yellowfin tuna. This would be a very lengthy battle on the “light” 100# gear. The general rule of thumb is to fish 100# during the day as you have a better chance of getting a bite and during the low light times during dusk or at night fish 130#.
It is apparent right away that the current is just a trickle. This is not a good sign because for the fish to really bite the water needs to be moving. Additionally, a good strong current help get your sardine away from the boat. Compounding the lack of current is the wind. It’s blowing 15-knots, which isn’t horrible but with the lack of current it makes the boat swing back and forth on the anchor making it difficult to keep in contact with your sardine. This turns out to be the rule for the trip, not the exception. Compounding the issue with the heavy gear, most anglers are not able to cast their bait away from the boat. These anglers wasted countless time having to change their bait hoping for one that swam away from the boat instead of returning to the protection of it. The few of us who can cast a sardine on 100# were rewarded handsomely on this trip while the majority of anglers struggled to get bit. This is where my Accurate 30 shines. The incredible free spool allows me to easily cast a 6”sardine 40’ away from the boat. When it hits the water, it takes off at warp speed away from the boat often producing an immediate bite. If it doesn’t get bit immediately, I am still in the bite zone with a fresh lively bait compared to my fellow anglers. By the time their bait reaches the zone it is tired and worn out. Since pelagic fish (especially tuna and wahoo) often strike the liveliest baits, I believe I get more bites simply by using the best gear.
We have a pick on 100-130# yellowfin tuna. By the end of the day, we end up with a dozen yellowfin tuna and 18 wahoo for the day. Not a bad start for the trip considering we are not anchored in one of the top positions.
January 13, 2025
We finally have the right conditions and the fish bit. Good current makes all the difference. It was far from full speed, but there were plenty of bites to be had. Ironically most of the bites were on wahoo, but there were plenty of tuna too.
The wahoo were ravenous. I went 3–10 all on straight 100-pound fluorocarbon while fishing for tuna. I am fishing my Accurate 30 with a 15’ piece of 100 FC and a 4/0Super Mutu. It’s my favorite set up. Later in the day, I went to my 50 with 130 and a5/0 ringed Super Mutu when my friend Jim pulled the hook on a big fish while using a4/0 hook. The larger the hook the more difficult it is to have a natural looking bait while dragging around a large hook. Once you get a bite and are pulling 30 plus pounds of drag, the larger the hook the less likely it will pull out of the fish.
Several anglers targeted wahoo by using wire leaders or by casting bombs or Raider jigs, but they were keyed in on bait. Steven Sotello went 1-6 throwing Raiders jigs all day long. We stayed on the anchor all day long and never trolled around targeting wahoo. With the volume of wahoo on the bank it was unusual that they did not bite the bombs or jigs better. I believe it was a matter of just too many boats on the bank targeting them as they are known to be very susceptible to fishing pressure. When we first arrived on the bank a few days ago we trolled for wahoo and they ate the bombs and jigs very well. In my opinion this is the most fun way to catch them.
There were tuna to catch between the wahoo bite offs. Some guys caught as many as 4-5. Most of the tuna ranged in the 120-140 range. George caught a 254 pound yellowfin on the kite. Speaking of the kite we just went through one round on the kite. As usual the kite is accounting for the bigger fish. The volume of wahoo has made it difficult fishing the kite.
The weather has been nice so far, but the wind is expected to pick up the next couple of days. This is in the back of our minds as it is named “Hurricane Bank” for a reason. We keep a watchful eye on the weather. Fortunately, the wind never increased over 18-knots which isn’t too bad on the big and heavy Intrepid. She handles the weather well.
January 16, 2025
The pattern seems to be a lack of current in the mornings and as the day wears on the current picks up and the fish begin to bite. Today is no different. After a nice breakfast of French toast and sausage links I went out this morning and threw my favorite green bomb. On my second cast I caught a wahoo using my Accurate 600 narrow and 50# mono. A few more were taken on a variety of different jigs and on100 FC while fishing for tuna. Speaking of tuna, they are around, but it definitely takes some work to get a bite.
I hook and hand a small tuna to the assistant cook, Cody who is on his first trip. It was fun watching him on his first fish. It was small but he was like a little kid in a candy store. It reminded me of why I like this so much. I’m going to get him on a regulation sized one before the day is out.
The kite is getting bit pretty consistently on 100-140# fish. The weather is up this morning. It’s time for the taller boots as the constant water sloshing on the decks tends to lap over the sides of my short deck boots. Yuck, I hate the feel of wet cotton socks in rubber deck boots! There are less people fishing today. The rail is getting clearer as the trip goes on. This means that lots of folks have all the fish they want and are taking it easy.
January 17, 2025
Fishing is on the tough side today. Same story, no current, but those who spend time at the rail are usually rewarded with a bite. Yesterday we ended up with 22 tuna and a handful of wahoo. No real standout as far as size goes. It’s very similar to the previous days.
January 18, 2025
Today Pete Wight caught a 285 on the kite. It was a magnificent fish. Since the leader is out of the water while the bait dangles from a kite above, the kite gear is really heavy (usually 200#). Catching a fish of this size is much more manageable.
While everyone was admiring Pete’s fish, Jim Odlum upsizes his gear to his Accurate 50 with 130. He is the first bait back in the water while everyone else is taking photos. Being a savvy angler, Jim knows that the big fish are around and knows his chances of landing a similar fish on 100# gear is much reduced when compared to130.
Jim gets bit and immediately says, “I think I am going to get spooled”. Jim is no stranger to big yellowfin tuna. I have often admired the 305# yellowfin tuna he has mounted on his living room wall which he caught a few years back on the lower banks off Cabo San Lucas.
It’s apparent that Jim has hooked the “right kind”. The power of this fish is the next level. Jim is a fit guy, and this fish is really taxing him as well as Jason the crewman who serves as his wingman. Finally, we see deep color. This is another massive fish. Back and forth across the stern they go. Finally, the crew sinks a gaff into the beast,
and then another, and yet another. The fish is brought on deck, and Captain Sam measures the length and girth. Using a surprisingly accurate the fish is taped at 281pounds. A very impressive accomplishment on 130# gear and a live sardine. Jim qualifies for the prized Accurate 200# medallion!
January 19, 2025
Today is our last morning in the zone. We struggle yet again with a lack of current again as we have for most of the trip. We troll around for wahoo and catch another17.
We put the anchor down and found better current on a different corner of the bank. Fortunately, during our time at the bank most of the other boats have left and we have a few more spots to try. We have a pick on the 140-160# tuna and wahoo. Guys fishing 100# for tuna are getting zipped off on wahoo and landing a few here and there.
I have had a really good trip up to this point. My one last goal for the trip is to hook a bigger fish and hand it off to Cody, the assistant cook. He was so appreciative for the small fish I handed to him a few days ago, but I want to get him on a bigger fish. We are leaving in a few hours so my time is limited.
The fish came thru and there is a large boil 100 yards off the stern. “Boil”, yells the deckhand standing on the bait tank. I smile as the line peels off of my reel. I ease the lever forward on my Accurate 30 and the fish is solidly hooked. I call out for someone to get Cody from the galley. I hand off the rod to Cody who is all smiles. Instantly he comments that he cannot lift this fish as he could the last one.
The fish takes him to the bow. The crew is busy with other anglers who have also hooked up and asks me to be Cody’s wingman. I instruct Cody to take a deep breath and remind him that the rail is his friend. By putting the foregrip of the rod on the rail an angler uses the up and down motion of the boat to help lift the fish thus saving their strength. When the boat goes up the angler holds the position and when the boat goes down the angler can retrieve the line.
After 30 minutes I can see color. I direct Cody to keep the rod tip away from the boat. The inward angle of the bow allows the angler to keep pressure on the fish without worrying about the line hitting the hull and breaking. Cody keeps pressure on the fish, and I sink a gaff into a nice 125# yellowfin tuna. He screams in jubilation. It’s the perfect ending to a nice trip.
As we continue our 1,000 mile journey uphill to San Diego, I reflect back on our trip. Here are my thoughts:
On some trips I get bit well, while on other trips I often struggle to get a bite. Fortunately ,this was a good one for me. Lord knows I have certainly been on the other end of the line(pun intended ).
What worked:
I am an Accurate Guy so that’s all I fished. My topless 30 with 100# and a 15’ top shot of100# FC was the ticket. I am able to cast a bait 40’ with ease right out of the box. Being able to cast a bait and get it away from the boat makes all the difference in the world. My belief is that this is the single best thing an angler can do to set him or herself apart from the other anglers on the trip. In my mind it’s what sets you (your bait) apart from your fellow anglers. It always amazes me to see seasoned long-range anglers who have not learned how to cast a sardine on a 30 sized reel.
The way to get a bite on this trip was to long soak your bait. This often meant that you needed to get your bait 100 yards or more away from the boat. The current was funky which made it difficult. Add to the fact that we all reeled in each other while on a long soak. I made it a point that when I got reeled in by a fellow angler, I caught up to my bait and kept fishing it in the zone instead of reeling it in and putting on a new bait.
I fish a different color spectra so I was always able to tell if I was in a tangle. Good news and bad news. Everyone knows when you’re in a tangle.
Marking my line at the 100’ section was really helpful. Unfortunately, I ended up in a tangle at the latter part of the trip and had to cut off some line. I was now fishing blind. By this I mean that when someone reeled me in and I caught up to my bait I had no idea how far out my bait still was. I reeled in the bait and by the time I realized how far the bait still was it was too late. If I had known, it was still that far out I would have continued to fish the same bait.
The next thing is to pay attention to the crew. Pete Wight had just landed a cow on the kite in the middle of the day (284). All of us were fishing 100 pound gear and the crew said we should be fishing 130. While the rest of us were admiring Pete’s fish my co-charter master Jim Odlum grabbed his Accurate 50 and fired out a bait on 130. Jim hooked the fish and immediately stated “I’m going to get spoiled”. Jim is a very accomplished angler and has a305 pound yellowfin tuna on a sardine to his list of accomplishments a few years ago. My
point is that he knows what he is doing. After a lengthy battle he landed a 255 and claimed an Accurate 200# medallion.
Bring plenty of 4/0 hooks. I prefer the Super Mutu ringed ones. Because I kept getting chewed off by wahoo, I went through 18 ringed ones and was down to my non-ringed ones. I prefer the ringed ones as I believe the ring allows the bit to swim more freely and just as important is that ring allows the knot to be further away from the fish’s teeth when it’s hooked in the corner of the mouth. The wahoo were so ravenous that I needed to replenish my supply of ringed ones. To keep the ringed action I resorted to tightening down my three turn uni with a chopstick in the knot. Once I removed the chopstick, I had a loop in the line that allowed the hook to sway but tighten down when I hooked a fish.
We spent the entire trip on Hurricane Bank. The weather was actually surprisingly good. My favorite boots are my pelagic low tops. They did ok, but fortunately I had purchased a pair of Tingleys high top boots just before the trip. Both boots filled with water with the constant sloshing of water, although there was a noticeable difference with the taller boots. On my next trip I will employ my slip-on sketchers.
The crew on the Intrepid is amazing. I am so impressed with how well the guys do untangling massive spectra tangles which allowed us to get a bait back in the water and be back in the game.
Jack and Min were at the top of their game when two or more fish came together in the corner. They communicated well with each other and saved every fish. The same goes for fish that seemed to hang on the anchor line. Alfredo (FoFo) saved one of my fish that played tango on with the anchor. Jason is a beast on the deck. He has a laid-back demeanor and is incredibly strong.
Captains Sam and Ethan make a good team. They are both young and enthusiastic. They have a passion for catching fish and are genuinely nice guys. They often sit with the passengers and just chat. It’s always a pleasure to talk with each of them.
My fellow group of anglers included seasoned anglers like Fishybuzz, Steve Kiesel, Rich Rose and Dave Henderson. These guys are a wealth of information and are more than willing to share their thoughts. I routinely learn from them. There were also several guys who were on their first long range trip. Raymond from Seattle paid lots of attention as did Danny. Both of these guys had a very good trip.
All of the anglers were respectful of each other when a fish was hooked up. The conversations in the galley were fun and engaging yet were always respectful. It was truly a good group of guys.
The intrepid is a solid fishing platform that I would classify more as a large yacht than a commercial fishing boat. The interior is spacious, and the finishes are beautiful. On the way home we had some of the worst weather I have experienced in over 30 long trips. The boat pounded uphill and didn’t miss a beat. The boat is big, heavy and wide and safe. The restrooms were always clean.
Special thanks to Casey and Cody in the galley. They produced really good meals and two snacks for 30 guys (anglers and crew) for 15 days in some really challenging weather. They both have a really good attitude and filled special requests with a smile on their face. They are a credit to the entire operation.
Special thanks to our sponsors:
Accurate reels- I was able to bring plenty of Accurate 12’s, 30’s, 50’s and 600 narrows. My fellow anglers all had a chance to sample what I personally believe are the best reels on the market.
Seeker rods- we gave away 5 seeker rods that were the perfect wahoo bomb rods. My favorite setup is my Seeker with my Accurate 600 narrow narrow.
Deckhand reel bags- these were some of the favorite give away items. Truth be told I bought a big and small one for myself. I found the big one to be more than large enough to accommodate all on my reels. The one thing I didn’t factor is that it’s really heavy. Going forward I will bring my small deckhand reel bag and split the load. I will fill the voids in each reel bag with my maintenance items such as my water sprayer, chamois, towels etc. the handles are robust and so are the zippers. I am 100% satisfied with my bags.
CB outdoor wahoo bombs - while the wahoo weren't really keyed in on anything but bait on this trip, I have always fished these with a piece of 130 fluro. It’s my favorite setup.
I am looking to getting back into port tomorrow and working my home to Montana. While I love my long trips, I miss my wife and my way of life at home. Lastly, I miss my dogs!
Words & Images: Paul Lepore