Overnighting Norfolk Canyon Saturday / Sunday

[Mike Avery]

Last weekend we caught over 60 small YFT and managed our limit of 18. This weekend the bite was scattered but the fish are bigger. Crewed up with Matt Dunn, Matt (Rock Crusher), his brother Bo, and Doug. Headed out to the canyon with lines in around 3 pm Saturday. Just as we are putting the spread out, a thick fog rolls in and the wind kicks up. I'm thinking WTF....not good for an overnighter. But conditions improve within the hour as the winds lay back down and sun peaks back out.

Start trolling the south wall and a nice fish explodes on the rainbow spreader bar on my Tiagra 30. I have my 30s packed with braid and a top shot of mono. They start to freak out because within seconds they think we are about to be spooled but soon they realize this as the braid starts ripping out. After a short fight, Bo lands a nice 40 inch BFT. Troll the south wall then head south at the SE corner. Pick up 2 gaffer mahi. Late in the evening a big mako explodes but misses. Then comes back and long is tight but it's a short battle has she cuts the line and is gone.

As the sun sets, we reposition over the Norfolk Canyon for the night. Winds are light and our drift is only 0.3 knots to the west. Should be good, heading straight up the canyon. A long line string had the south wall covered up so we set up along the north wall. Got the chum chucker hooked up and it's putting out a beautiful chunk line of fresh butter fish. We position 3 rods around the chunk line, 2 free lines and 1 with 3 ounces of inline weight with butterfish on 60 lb floro on circles. Then put out 2 sword rigs and send them out on floats. Swordlight out but minimal bait around the boat. Not a single pull all night. None of our baits touched. Oh well, seas were flat, a good night for sleeping so I got some rest.

At sunrise Sunday, get back on the troll. Soon, more and more boats arrive and before long, I thought it was striper season at Cape Henry. :D Troll up and down the line from the canyon to the 400 line and 2 lines go down hard. I jump on one but the hook pulls. Matt Dunn is on the other and after a good fight, he boats a 55 lb YFT. A few more mahi and no other hits. The guys want to deep drop so we head back to the canyon. Manage 6 beautiful golden tiles in the 30 lb class with one pig that Bo pulls up that goes 47 lbs. Head over to my wreckfish hole and get our 5 wreckfish in short order. My fish boxes are full so we head home.

Get to the triangles and my port engine starts to make a knocking sound. Shut it down and check the oil and filters, all looks good. Get back on plane and with a few minutes she shuts down. Nothing we could do but troll home the last 40 miles at 8 knots on one engine as she won't get on plane with one engine. Didn't help by losing a knot once we entered the bay on the outgoing tide. Put a couple of lines out just in case but nada. Got to the dock at 10 pm but we made it.

Final tally of the best eating fish in the ocean:

1 40 inch BFT
1 55 lb YFT
3 mahi
6 Goldens to 47 lbs
5 Wreckfish

Still have 2 1/2 years of Yamaha warranty so hopefully they will cover the repairs on my port engine. In the meantime, I might become a ho and look for rides if the tuna bite sticks around some. A few pics from our day.

Bo with his 40 inch BFT.

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk41/fishdad11/27-28%20Jun%2009%20Overnighter/Tuna09211.jpg

Matt with a nice 55 lb YFT and a mahi.

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk41/fishdad11/27-28%20Jun%2009%20Overnighter/Tuna09224.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk41/fishdad11/27-28%20Jun%2009%20Overnighter/Tuna09227.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk41/fishdad11/27-28%20Jun%2009%20Overnighter/Tuna09216.jpg

Here is Bo with a pig 47 lb Golden.

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk41/fishdad11/27-28%20Jun%2009%20Overnighter/Tuna09240.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk41/fishdad11/27-28%20Jun%2009%20Overnighter/Tuna09232.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk41/fishdad11/27-28%20Jun%2009%20Overnighter/Tuna09255.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk41/fishdad11/27-28%20Jun%2009%20Overnighter/Tuna09261.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk41/fishdad11/27-28%20Jun%2009%20Overnighter/Tuna09266.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk41/fishdad11/27-28%20Jun%2009%20Overnighter/Tuna09272.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk41/fishdad11/27-28%20Jun%2009%20Overnighter/Tuna09283.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk41/fishdad11/27-28%20Jun%2009%20Overnighter/Tuna09284.jpg

http://i277.photobucket.com/albums/kk41/fishdad11/27-28%20Jun%2009%20Overnighter/Tuna09292.jpg

[smithbros]

Nice job mike, glad you made it home safe. Must have been some weird juju out there, first my hose breaks then that 70'er hit the bridge down at OI, then your motor?
Good luck (fed ex just knocked on my door so its back to wrenching for me...)

Taylor

[alby man]

nice report Mike !!!:thumbup: don't sweat the engine repair . I have a ride for you anytime you want it .
Kevin

[Capt Nemo]

Mike, saw you out there south of the canyon mid day. Looks like some good eats. Sorry to hear about the engine trouble. Thats why you want two engines on a canyon trip...

[Here We Go]

Nice catch Mike and crew and great pics!:thumbup:

[Crappie11]

Good report Mike and crew. Looks like ya had a productive day! Sorry to hear about the engine troubles!

[Skipjack/VA]

Sorry to hear of engine trouble, mine wont plane on one engine either - what a long day. Good job on the fish! Saw you out there in the fleet. I think that is a YFT, vs BFT. (Maybe - hard 2 tell from pic)

[TEAM BILL ME]

Nice post,, bummer about the motor.

[Persistence2]

Real nice fish...I need to swing by and take some of that Wreckfish off your hands :)

[Rock crusher]

Thanks again MIke, the pics turned out nice, I will email you what I took.

[TommyTuna]

OVERNIGHT CHUNKING is a mystery - sometime in late July/August the switch flips and the bite is on - would love to know what the trigger is

[MattD]

Thanks for the trip Mike. As usual, it was a great time with a great crew. Glad I got to put my first tuna in the boat!

[Mike Avery]

Chad, I'm pretty sure it's BFT having seen it come out of the water. But no matter, we would be legal either way.

Tommy, yea I hear ya. But late July and Aug, I think all the tuna are north of us. Obviously, as with any kind of fishing, being at the right place at the right time is most of the game. I have to believe if a school of tuna visited our chunk line, using fresh butters, we could have held some fish and got some hits. But it's still a giant ocean and where one chooses to setup and where the drift carries you only covers a tiny, tiny area of the canyon. I wanted to set up on the south wall as I had some good marks when I trolled by there. But a long line string prevented me from trying there.

[HIT N RUN]

Wow what a fantastic mix of meat fish. Doesn't get any better unless you had stumbled into Sword during the night drift.:rockingreport:

[Rock crusher]

Mike,
I just housed about 3#'s of sashimi and spicy tuna. The neighbor and his kids popped in on me while I was preping the ice and, well the rest is history, Had a wreckfish sandwich for lunch today too. YUM YUM YUMMY. Let me know what the deal is with the motor when you find out, very curious too.

[ocnslr]

Great report, Mike, and great photos.

Sorry to hear about the engine problems. Hope the repairs are prompt and effective.

Brian

[c-note]

Numbers anyone? Nice work and way to put your time in. It's paid off.

[Capt. Joe]

Your wreckfish hole???? Well ok, sure

[Mike Avery]

Your wreckfish hole???? Well ok, sure

Dang Joe, you really have become a sad case, an internet lurker reading posts with the only intent of typing something stupid when somebody didn't say perfectly to your liking. Yea my hole just like a public park bench is mine while I'm sitting on it. Once I leave the bench, then any other member of the public can sit on it. Do you have anything positive to say anymore or are these kind of posts your contributions?

[fshrgrl]

Thanks for the report Mike. :yes:

[Kevin Smith]

Mike & Crew,

Nice going putting some meat in the box.

Don't worry about the engine issue. Bill's will have you back on the water quickly.

Always good to read your reports.

Tight Lines,
Kevin
Weekend Mistress

[tonydivefish]

mike you da man! sounds like you needed the rest. what is up with port motors! if it happens to somebody else besides you & me i'm gonna start thinking it's in the water!

[Capt Rickster]

Mike

Thanks for another great report. Any update on your engine? I am betting fuel. I could not believe the crud that came out of my filters a couple weeks ago.

[Mike Avery]

Mike

Thanks for another great report. Any update on your engine? I am betting fuel. I could not believe the crud that came out of my filters a couple weeks ago.

No update. Am scheduled with Bill's Marine next week to get it to them. Don't think it's fuel, there is a loud knocking sound even at idle. Am thinking I threw a rod.

[CRYSTAL_CLEAR_D]

I don't think Joe (or Skip) has an issue with the "park bench" mentality, just homos trying to sit with them...:D:D:D

...and before you get all pissy and shut this thread down (your tendency when it goes south), I didn't call you a homo....

...and that's MY contribution...



Sean

[makkim]

Great report Mike, Doug gave me a call and told me about the motor, I'm sure you'll be up and running in no time.

[Mike Avery]

I don't think Joe (or Skip) has an issue with the "park bench" mentality, just homos trying to sit with them...:D:D:D

...and before you get all pissy and shut this thread down (your tendency when it goes south), I didn't call you a homo....

...and that's MY contribution...

Sean

Sean, I honestly fail to understand why so many good people go from being positive and trying to help other anglers to lurking only to jump on other people's threads with negative stupid things to say. And I didn't call you stupid.

[Dr. Ike]

Mike that's terrible about the engine. Knocking sounds real bad. No offshore this weekend, dang, and I'm now free of singing at church till August. The catch looks great:bigfish:. Love those goldens and YFT and BFT. WTG MattD.
Tell Lanie that dinner looked great. At least now I know why you had not posted by Sunday evening. Bummer. Great post as usual.

[Bluegrass_fan]

Mike,

Would like to talk sometime about what to look for on the bottom to find those wreckfish, groupers and tiles. I have done allot of bottom fishing in the Gulf/the Keys and know what to look for to indentify a good spot in those areas but do not have a clue for up here. Any chance you could help explain depth, type of bottom etc...? I am not looking for numbers just some tips to help me find my own holes.

Thanks Mark

[NJ]

Mike,

Great report! Sorry I missed the trip. After having those dink tuna wear us out last week, this bigger class fish must have had you guys hoppin'.
Sorry about the motor--getting my lift put in today and tomorrow, so maybe I'll finally have my boat offshore-ready while yours is down. Those Golden's sure are pretty....

[DC Ben]

Great trip and report Mike. I'm waiting on diagnosis on an engine too - it's an epidemic.

[classicrockfish]

Nice Job Mike and crew!! P.S. Happy Birthday Mike! Can't think of a better way to celebrate it!! Beth

[PlaynHooky]

NICE JOB MIKE AND CREW!!! NOW THATS WHAT I CALL A MIXED BAG!!!

Sorry to hear about the issues......I am sure you will be back up and at it again soon......Look at it this way.....the Cobes are ALMOST within paddling distance of the marina!!! LOL

[Tyson]

Looks like a great trip. IM sorry I couldnt make this one either. soon i hope

[smells like fish]

Nice pics and report. Congrats!

[ReelEscape]

Way to go Mike!! nice catch.

hope they get the motor back up and running soon.