Dorado day descended upon us demonstrating the remarkable ability of this ocean to produce dramatic change. Beginning at 0300 when a big ball of neon blue Mahi’s took up station around Royal Star we thinned them out pre day light before the real show began. From where they came I don’t know but jumbo kelp after jumbo kelp came drifting in and nigh every one was loaded with fish. Mainly Dorado but also a few wahoo provided hot and heavy action before limits were filled and we resorted to pure fish watching. Hookless poppers provided the most entertainment as sheets of voracious dorado chased, smashed, and grabbed the skipping lures in a maddening exercise of pure futility. Their frustration was our entertainment turning the tables in a game out here that is usually the other way around. Oh how gratifying it was, especially in light of the straight scratch fishing that we have encountered thus far.

Beyond the dorado bonanza however the wahoo, aside from those few associated with kelps, took the day off. In perfect conditions - flat calm weather and ideal water temperature and current, we saw a few around the rocks but caught none. Go figure. Unwilling to give our entire day to this obviously changed zone we headed out by mid afternoon looking to expand the variety list tomorrow and beyond. Photo today features long time Royal Star veteran Jim Baker who picked this fine wahoo off the kelp seen in the background. Photo number two features long range and Royal Star veteran Ken Dyer with whom I go back almost thirty years. Ken does the honors with a beautiful dorado he picked off while fishing on the anchor.