Has anyone on this board been on a tuna charter out of Westport? Whom would you recommend? How was your experience?

Thumbs up all the way.

I have always wanted to do that but isn't it like a day of motoring out to where the fish are, one day of fishing, and then a day to motor back?

i don't know if it's a day out but i know they normally start running the charters when the tuna get around 30 miles offshore

Divers - Thanks! Who did you go with?

leadthrower - This has always been a dream of mine. Trips are typically 2 days most of the time although there are 1 day trips when the fish are in close and extended trips for the die hard. Majority of the time is spent getting out and back. Leave the night before and arrive on the fishing grounds. You get to fish all day and head back at night to arrive next am at home. The extended trips stay out on the fishing grounds all night and allow extra hours during the day for fishing and arrive back at night. I am looking at a 2 day or extended trip. It is expensive (around $400.00) but should be worth it. By the way, no license is required and there is no limit! Average catch is 6-10 fish per day averaging 20 lbs with some 20+ fish days depending.

spokey9 - charters are starting to run August through end of September.

Went out of westport several years ago and had a great time. We went out over 200 miles traveled all night and work up and put a live anchovy on the end of the hook and let it swimm. hold on because they are bullets in the water I was on a 130 foot boat and this was the only time I have ever gotten sea sick. could have been the breakfast they were making in the morning. Brought home over 200 lbs of fish. biggest fish was about 40lv

yoadrian, Did you go on a 2 day trip? Who with? So far all the charters I am seeing are not providing food. Any other advice?

Busy, the cost was $400 with Deep Sea Charters.
No, food or blankets, you bring everything you want, except for the rods and reel, bait.
Also you don't need a license and there is no limit. The cost of the trip is for 1 1/2 day trip.

I went ou a few years back and did the 2.5 day trip. We left at about 8pm one night, fished all day the next day, slept on the ocean a second night, and then fished the next morning.

Six people were fishing on the 53' boat, plus one deckhand and two captains. We caught 84 fish, of which I got 37. Three of the passengers puked from about midnight of the first night, all the way through, they may have caught 9 fish between them, but we split the catch evenly.

We would troll with 5 tuna plugs, two on outriggers, one off of each corner of the stern, and one out the center of the stern until we located fish. The boat stopped when we caught 3 fish in a short period of time. Bring a good set of gloves like those ones with the blue palms and fingers, and check to see if the boat you are locates fish this way, it is a lot of fun catching fish this way, believe it or not.

The average albicore on our trip was about 13-15 pounds with a few at 30 pounds. The highlight of the trip was catching a 52 pound yellowfin, not my fish though.

I fished on the Slammer, and Brett ran a good boat. I had to provide my own food. Another boat to look at is the Hula Girl. Steve just overhauled his boat and it is looking fine. He also works hard for his fish.

I brought 3 rods, from a flyrod up to a medium heavy salmon rod. After getting my butt kicked on the two light rods, I switched over to the medium heavy and it was easier, and more enjoyable. A medium heavy rod and an ABU 6500 C3 equivalent reel would be the ticket.

If you have a chance, do it. It is worth the dough, and there is nothing better than fresh canned albicore. You'll never buy a can of cheap tuna ever again.

Andy

Are albicore good on the grill. I have caught yellow fin several times out of La Paz in Baja Mexico and if there is something that tastes better off the BBQ I have not had it yet. I did not know that yellow tail got as far north as the WA. coast. Talk about a fish that can PULL !!! do the albicore have similar fight in them. I think that they are smaller than yellow fin on avg ???? This 2 day thing sounds like a cool trip.. I could puke forever and get some nice fish. Might have to look into this.

I have never done it myself, but we were just talking about this very thing at our PSA meeting tonight. A few of the guys have gone out with Geoff Grillo on the Advantage, they said it was a great time, like 150 fish or something crazy... they are about 40 hour trips, they leave at arond 9pm. Geoff runs Advantage Charters,800-689-5595.

I definitely want to do a tuna trip this year!!

-N.

The season is starting soon and will be booked up pretty quick from what I hear. I will try to get some information. If anyone else is interested you can contact me. It would be fun to get a boat of guys/gals (hey I don't discriminate when it comes to fishing) from this board together on a charter.

A couple of Posters mentioned sea sickness...this is no joke. I've fished around the San Juans quite a bit in some pretty rough water and never been sea sick, but I took a one day trip out of Neah Bay last year for Butt fishing and man was I sick. Nothing like puking(dry heaving) for 10-12 hours straight. If you are going out for a two/three day trip be prepared. Just a hint...Take the Dramamine before you start puking because after that it's too late.

TL/WN
Camo

How well does Dramamine work...

Does it just make you less sick, or keep you from getting sick all together.

Lead thrower
Those little pills are good stuff. You puke a different color with them. But I am the world worst sailor.

Still want to know if albicore are any good to BBQ. Yellow fin rock !!! If it was just a deal where you wind up with 1000 cans of tuna then I would not really be up for that. The reason I am asking is that I have never seen albicore for sale at any fish market etc. Its always yellow fin or blue fin tuna. Help me out here, are they good to eat besides canned ???

It is very good on the grill. But as with all fish, fresh is the key. I had some years ago, and it was bbq like chicken, I mean sauce and all. Not bad, but weird to eat fish like that. Another great way is to smoke it then can it.

I went out on a two day trip with mr Magoo. Very fast boat and clean . Usually number 1 with fish caught, Best live well really helps. I caught over 25 each day. I was really tired had them canned at nelsons in Tokeland, my bill was over 500.00 my wife and me will canned them nexth time!!!

Everyone who loves to fish should go out at least once on a Albacore Tuna trip!! I have been on 20hr and 36hr trips and will never forget those trips the rest of my life! So damn much tuna... about 100 lbs of fillets on each trip but I only go every two years. I think I have it nailed down exactly "When" to take the charter out of Central Oregon coast. We are talking mostly handlines and some on sport rods. Ya need to bring Ginger or a transderm scope patch if you think you might get sick out there. Don't miss out on the great action!!!!
Albacore are hard fighting and very fast fish. They are fantastic canned and BBQ. I smoked some Albacore and salmon but everyone wanted to eat the smoked tuna so go figure!!

For those of you who have gone out before, when did you go out? August or September? When worked best for you or did it matter - i.e. you came into lots of fish each time?