Offshore trip produces mahi, tuna, and a lesson learned

Sometimes I get so focused on a fishing accomplishment that I forget to just have fun. This was the case on Saturday. 

My nephew Conrad was in town. It had been months since we fished together, and I wanted him to catch a billfish. So, Conrad, Elliott (my son), Trent Gustafson (good fishing buddy), and I set out to do just that. 

We pushed away from the dock around 5:30 a.m. and made the 60-mile run to our fishing location. Satellite data indicated a temperature and current break in 220 feet of water. Upon arrival, it was uncanny how accurate the satellite data was. The surface temperature jumped two degrees when we encountered the current break. A massive weed line had formed along the break, and tuna were crashing minnows on the surface. Elliott cast a small Shimano Current Sniper to the breaking fish and quickly brought a sushi dinner to the boat.  

As we approached the weed line, a school of mahi appeared. Trent cast a Yozuri 3D Popper to the school. Boom! A mahi crushed the lure. With tuna sushi and mahi fish tacos in the fish box, I decided to move out to deeper water in search of a billfish. 

Only idiots leave a red-hot tuna and mahi bite. But I was focused on a billfish for Conrad. Rather than enjoying the hot bite, I moved the boat into 500 feet of water. After a few hours of trolling and one missed sailfish bite, I admitted that I was an idiot and moved back into shallow water, where we picked up two more mahi and another tuna. 

On the ride back, we stopped in 150 feet of water and did a bit of vertical jigging for grouper. In short order, two groupers were in the fish box. All in all, it was a pretty good day. Everyone had fun. We caught enough fish for several meals. I spent time with my family and a good friend. That is the best catch of all.