By the numbers here with a great morning on the “skin” following a night on the pick eagerly awaiting dawn. It took a bit for the skinny striped devils to move into the shallows but when they did we kicked into high gear maximizing the opportunity. More than a few intense memories were made as lures getting hammered right next to the boat and fat skinnies leaping to ridiculous heights in pursuit of popper's, surface iron's, and live bait's were not the exception but the norm.

Even from the perspective of the “Old Salts”, whom have participated in this drill countless times, it doesn't approach common. The adrenaline still surges and the irresistable urge to add to the chorus every time one of those beautiful missle's flies from the water is automatic. And as adept as the uncontested most crafty of all gamefish are at escape every one that makes it over the rail freight's a special significance; a sense of accomplishment totally unique to their kind.

Enough of those fantastic grade skinnies now reside in the hatch to call the first round a solid success. We departed for southern climes thoroughly satisfied with the fruit of our efforts. Now awaits another day of rigging and prep as we shift into giant yellowfin tuna mode for the remainder of the voyage. As stated many times prior in this long running narrative prepartation and top tier equipment in this arena is the key to consistent success. There is no magic or luck involved. So we pass the time tomorrow adhering to the age old lesson's that we have accumulated the hard way. Then it's show time.

Photo today features a lighter moment between Captain Blake Wasano and Royal Star angler Ken Ross who is overcome with affection when his wahoo slides over the rail.