Buoyed by FRank's "get out while you can" message and a no wind prediction for the AM I put my 2 biggest rods on the boat; a pair of Shimano Baitrunners w/ 20 & 25 pound test respectively and set out for the Hooter at 5AM.
21 miles and 45 minutes later I arrived; 6 miles south of Wasque just as dawn was breaking. So was something else a mile or so south of the buoy. I cannot say for certain what it was, but I suspect it was tuna. BY the time I idled down and got a couple lines in the water whatever it was, was gone. Feeling a bit on the edge of the world in a small boat, alone, with no other boats within miles I retreated north of the Hooter where I was at least in sight of 4 or 5 other boats.
Now in 25' water rather than in the 100'+ water south of the Hooter I started trolling a couple Rapala slivers on some lighter tackle. Bzz. Bzz. Two fish on; just like that. A pair of matching 10 pound bluefish. Fish released, out go the lures again; boat up to speed; bzz, reel reel , bzz # 2. 2 more 10 pound bluefish!
So this trolling stuff works! I continued to troll in flat calm water with a gentle rolling ocean swell; invisible schools of fish were visible on the surface by watching for the dimpling waves of sandeels pushed up by fish underneath. I picked up more bluefish than I wanted; including a serious mid-teen sized fish that I hooked right along side the hooter in 90' of water.
More exciting to me was my first 2 bonito of the year, both trolled up on ye old Green FastTrac minnow; the bonito trolling lure of choice. I dropped the first on in the ocean by accident - fool; but managed to keep the second one; dinner :-).
About 10, having been out for 5 hours, and facing a 21 mile run home I called it quits.
I was surprised how calm it was out on the open ocean and how easy it would have been had I not been alone to have continued a few miles south into big game land.
Oh well; discretion is the better part...