Report submitted by 'Oz'

Nyati Offshore Report North Padre Island, TX June 27-28th, 2009 Tweet

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A full crew boarded the Nyati Friday afternoon, with its hopes set high on various pelagic battles to be had. Capt. YT had made his modifications to the boat and we were ready for another long weekend trip. We make it out packery late in the afternoon and the voyage begins. There was a slightly higher onshore wind pickup than we had hoped for and with the wind and swells come nearly straight south, it made for a very wet ride. We traveled through the night anticipating the morning bite upon our arrival.

Come sunrise, we are out to a familiar location. The seas and wind are starting to taper off and things look good. Lots of structure around us, lets hope the fish cooperate.

The morning bite is pretty slow and things are questionable. Bait is slightly scarce and not abundant as we've usually seen. The weed is also hardy present in the gulf making us ponder the method and direction of the predators. We continue to troll in the blazing heat.

After a while we finally get our first knockdown. Mickey hops in the chair anxious to see what we have encountered.

Here she comes...

A couple minutes later the decks are bloodied by the thumping of a panicking Wahoo.

This baby is being dedicated to sushi and gets iced down immediately.

Shortly after Nate gets us another Wahoo that comes in Lit-Up

We continue to troll around hoping for more afternoon goodness.

About an hour or two later our prayers are answered and Nate gets back in the chair and hammers a trolled up Yellowfin Tuna.

This baby is carefully taken care of and preserved for more sushi...

A couple hours later things begin to pick back up and we get Jay in the chair (It's not a bucket this time!). He is excited and ready to beat up on some fish!

Action on the surface as he brings it in...

Not long and in comes a beautiful Bull Dorado

Great job Jay on a week's supply of Mahi Sandwiches for us!!!

Right now we are pondering about the lack of billfish in the area, despite some of the other good eats making their way on-board. YT takes a break and refuels...

We keep on trolling hoping for a monster. I manage to take a cool pic, which would also make a sweet wallpaper for all you Nyati-ites...

This pic turned out pretty good as well.

As daylight fades, the Tuna-torch from the rig blazes on..

Come dark YT, Scott, and Nate crash out after giving a great effort on the day crew. Night crew is up to bat, and out on a mission... TUNA. Things for the first few hours are very slow. Until midnight I think we only had maybe 4 Blackfin including this monster by Bizzy

After midnight, things begin to pick up. I get an average Yellow on a Jig.

Shortly after, Mickey nails his first keeper YFT, on a jig...

By now we are loading up on Blackfin and have a nice bait stash. Bizzy ends up nailing the always elusive Black Jack.

We decide to make some long drifts for a while to see what would happen. We also begin chumming and after about 15 minutes we begin to get some action in the lights. It is time. I get out the custom Popper from HWK and break her in. It was so beautiful and the work is simply amazing, I almost felt guilty for using it.. but not really.. muhaha

Within a couple seconds, on the very first cast, Tuna blow the crap out of it. The first one missed, but never fear, a couple seconds later his buddy exploded on the surface after it. Very Cool. A job well done on the lure Howard!

This was the first and probably smallest of the Topwater Blackfin (and released)

I continue to play with the topwater and catch some really grander Blackfin Tuna. Since the ice maker hasn't really caught up with us, we have no reason to keep the Blackfin anyway and release all that are candidates for release.

We pull back to the rig and make another LONG drift... chumming like crazy. With daylight about an hour away, it is all or nothing. Fortunately I hook up again, this time on cutbait and land my 4th Yellowfin of the wee hours of the night.

As we are about to wrap things up Bizzy is able to sucker a Rainbow Runner in the lights...

It is now daylight once again, and YT, Scott, and Nate get after it.

Unfortunately things are amazingly slow in the morning. We fish and troll for a few hours with merely nothing. YT decides it is time for a cleansing and we cool off in the water for a bit. I go to the front and realize what may be the reason the Marlin are currently fearing the boat..

Like a scene out of an old monster flick...

We get out, and run a couple hours towards home.. then come up on the shelf and put lines back out. Shortly we get several knockdowns by mystery fish. After about an hour we get some excitement. Up on top I see the fish just after it hit and is a brute. Nate hops in the chair and begins battle.

A few minutes later and we have him surfing on in to the ice box...

I get the leader and YT sticks it with a gaff, and over comes one of the largest Wahoo i've ever seen.

Congrats Nate on a Massive 'hoo!

We trolled for about an hour more only being pestered by Bonita. We call it a weekend and head in with some top quality table-fare, much of it will go into the beautiful art of sushi making, and eating.

Thanks to YT and the great crew of the Nyati. Also thanks to Nate's chick Sarah for taking pics when we were all busy with the mayhem. We may not have got any bills this time around, but we made up for in other goodies and plain ole fun. We will have our revenge on the pointy bills very soon I suspect.

Till Next time on the Open Sea...
- Oz and the Crew of the Nyati

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