Very neap tide… A tough day
The weather didn’t look good with the weather front coming down, but it held up long enough for us to go out for a full day excursion.
But it was a tough day. The tide wasn’t moving for a whole day. Today It is called Naga Shio in Japanese, meaning “long tide”. It happens in 10 days and 25 days of Moon Age. The difference between high tide and low tide is minimum, and the tide moves slow for a long time.
Long Tide – A tough day for fishermen.
Off the port at 6:30. Reached at a point at 7:30, 30 minutes after the sunrise.
For the fist shot of the day, I chose Hi-Pitch with a long jig, shooting for a big one. …Nothing. But 2 anglers caught amberjacks on that run. Everyone got charged up with a hope. But nothing followed. Ouch.
And it went on like that for the whole morning. Occasionally the fellow anglers caught small tunas and some other fish. Not much.
I’m trying everything I come up with, trying to seize the pattern of the day.
Various slow-pitch patterns, long-fall, hi-pitch, and the combinations…
Fall jig, responsive jig, long jig, heavy and small…
Switch to thinner line, smaller hooks and rings…
Still nothing.
I started feeling like a monk on an ascetic practice.
What is it that I haven’t tried yet?
Is my jig moving funny? Too slow? Too fast?
What is it I’m not doing right?
Who am I floating 100m above the earth’s surface?
Does Heaven not like me?
Thousands of questions came to my mind, left no answers.
And out of the dark blue empty space underneath came a sudden impact of lively vibrations.
BOOM!!!
A sweet Amberjack!
I felt alive again. I don’t even remember how I hooked it.
The jig was Quick Zero 1 from CB One. This jig is a highly responsive. Not particularly a slow-pitch jig, but for some reason I like to use this one with slow-pitch actions and it always does a good job.
Right away I closed the fish, put it in the cooler box, and threw in the same jig in the next run.
Touched the bottom, 3 fast pitches and a long fall… BOOM!!!
Almaco Jack!
Gotta love this game!
And that was all she wrote for the day.
Well, there are days like this.
Today’s dinner
Amberjack Sashimi
Fresh and juicy with a sweet flavor. Yummy.
Amberjack Head Soup with Tofu
Yummm… Great soup.
Some might find it too wild but we are used to it and love picking into the head. The meat in the cheek and the head is such delicacy. Jelly around the eye socket is full of DHA, the essential fatty acid for human body.
Gratitude
That Amberjack sashimi looks top notch! Mouth watering 🙂
Amberjack is such a supreme sashimi. You probably know it well, Kitidas.
Totos
your food presentation is something else.
When you visit here you must teach me some things.
My question is about the 1st picture of the Slow Jerker and blue reel.
1/ What reel is that?
2/What is the stepped front grip set up? What purpose?
Thanks for all your great advice.
Daz
Hi Daz.
Wow. Nice eyes to spot that grip, mate!
Sometimes you want to make your jerks as holding on that spot, just before the reel. Especially when you want to pitch with strong impacts. And this is actually High-pitch Jerker. The reel is Marfix N4. A big reel for my palm to hold for a long time during all the jerking. But the original reel seat is too thin for a strong grip. So I made it thicker. I have the same grip on my 603-6 Slow Jerker as well.
It’s pretty simple. Buy some sports-tapes with 3 different widths. Tape around the reel seat in steps. Just whatever shape you feel comfortable holding. Find a rubber tube that contracts with heat. Place the tube over the grip and give heat with a gas burner.
Yes. We’ll exchange our fish cooking when I visit there!!!
Hi Totos
I’m sure the heavens like you.
Thanks again
Daz.
There’s another very nice tune-up you can do with your Slow Jerker. I will try with mine first and share with you here.