Chop~Chop
Well-known member
Sharon, my Admiral, and I set out for our first tuna trip together this past Friday morning. We got off the dock by about 0600. We had about a one hour run to the south side of Cape Ann. A 15kt NE blow made for a fun ride down the Stellwagen Bank. I took it slow so as not to instigate a premature mutiny. We were on the troll by 0800.
As we approched the fleet I knew I'd have to make it easy for Sharon to navigate through and around the other boats as I tended to the lines.
I thought it wasn't going to be too difficult for her; I told her these guys know how to troll in a pattern so as not to cross each other up. As the seas built to 2-4 footers I soon learned, anything goes. After a hour or so Sharon commanded we troll away from the cluster F#@! of boats. Within 15 minutes, with no other boats closer than 3/4 mi, Sharon alerts me...
When I picked up the rod, initially, I thought oh, rat bluefish; then the Penn 850 on my 7' Ugly Stik started to scream. Just about the time I saw
the dacron backing with very little power-pro left on the spool I was able to put enough pressure on it to slow it down.
Now for the fun part;
Sharon would require concise directions "suggestions" on how to maneuver the boat :roll: Initially, from the cockpit, I thought it was best to
fight the fish heading down-wind. That was rather easy for Sharon as she was able to quickly pick-up the position of the line and keep it from getting forward of midship.
Then once we had it within 30 ft. of the boat I wanted to fight it from the bow and "ask" Sharon to keep the bow into the wind, all the while in reverse, in 2-4 ft. Chop... :roll:
Evidently, this worked; but since, I have thought through how more concisely I could have instructed my beloved.
Thanks Sharon,
As we approched the fleet I knew I'd have to make it easy for Sharon to navigate through and around the other boats as I tended to the lines.
I thought it wasn't going to be too difficult for her; I told her these guys know how to troll in a pattern so as not to cross each other up. As the seas built to 2-4 footers I soon learned, anything goes. After a hour or so Sharon commanded we troll away from the cluster F#@! of boats. Within 15 minutes, with no other boats closer than 3/4 mi, Sharon alerts me...
When I picked up the rod, initially, I thought oh, rat bluefish; then the Penn 850 on my 7' Ugly Stik started to scream. Just about the time I saw
the dacron backing with very little power-pro left on the spool I was able to put enough pressure on it to slow it down.
Now for the fun part;
Sharon would require concise directions "suggestions" on how to maneuver the boat :roll: Initially, from the cockpit, I thought it was best to
fight the fish heading down-wind. That was rather easy for Sharon as she was able to quickly pick-up the position of the line and keep it from getting forward of midship.
Then once we had it within 30 ft. of the boat I wanted to fight it from the bow and "ask" Sharon to keep the bow into the wind, all the while in reverse, in 2-4 ft. Chop... :roll:
Evidently, this worked; but since, I have thought through how more concisely I could have instructed my beloved.
Thanks Sharon,
