It all came together today. Finally. For good reason we were firing on all cylinders making the right offensive moves for conditions rather than adjusting defensively. The fish still had their way with us; the law of averages just doesn’t favor smaller hooks and line sizes for this size yellowfin tuna. But we nearly neutralized the rotten, thieving thugs by fishing off the edge in deep water. That was the crowning triumph of the day by far. To hell with those gluttonous, thieving bastards.

Ending on a high note was the exact goal we sought. Overall, though it came with significant challenges, we bid farewell to “The Crucible” intact, victorious, and confident of a job well done. That goes for both our side of the equation (Captain and Crew) and these sturdy anglers who battled through the obstacles in good humor the significant majority of the time. “Strength in the face of adversity is the true measure of one’s character” - my go to saying that rings true all the time. These anglers passed the character test in flying colors.

Tomorrow will be passed in offshore mode scanning the sea surface as we make tracks for the beautiful port city of Ensenada. Reports of a few bonus dorado around suggest opportunity to add a little color to our catch if the luck continues to be on our side. Photo today features Royal Star angling veteran John Garner with the last tuna of the day coming aboard.