All queued up for the big final rally the stage was set with abundant schools and conditions ripe with potential. The Clarion bell was telegraphing chow time as the crack of dawn peeked through the clouds. And there we were. Exactly where so many dream opportunities have become tales of legend. Lines in the water, baits in the water, tuna in the waters surrounding the boat – all the things necessary to manifest exactly what we came for were in sync. As the stark blackness was slowly replaced by battleship gray the fantastic haul that had taken up station around our platform simply faded into the enormous indigo abyss. We were left holding the bag, again.

So passed the final chance. Redemption was not in our destiny this time. After the last swing and miss we again set to looking and were extremely fortunate to make a little something for the day out of relatively nothing: a handful and a half of 50 – 70 pound tuna and a few “skin”. A crazy change in conditions had us scratching our heads more than once during the final day. Giant rip lines, wildly varying water temperatures dropping to lows odd to say the least for this time of the year; suffice it to say that this zone is in the throes something extreme. And that something is a malaise that only time can cure. I hope for my colleague's sake, who are soon to enter the octagon, that that unknowable “time” is sooner than later. Whew!

So we head north satisfied with our effort but salty in spirit. No one enjoys getting their ass kicked; and we most certainly did this time. Not on account of anything anyone on board did wrong, simply as a function of tough fishing. How tough one might wonder? Not even measurable on the list of legendary butt kickings. We are actually fortunate with a very respectable quantity of beautiful, fresh yellowfin and wahoo in the RSW tanks considering what we had to work with; but we're far short of my personal goal that is based on a very high standard.

Photo today features Royal Star and master long range angler Vladimir Kustudic who made good on one of his several opportunities at big fish, appreciating this well deserved 217 landed on the long soak sardine.