realisticly how far south do i need to travel to have a shot at them? are they all little guys and not worth the effort or is it worth a go. when is the right time to target them?

I would say 30 to 50 miles to have a really good shot. Look for the high flyers and approach one quietly and cast out some metal. Changes in temperature and particularly warm core eddies will help signficantly.

Most will be smaller in size but you can occasionally get a 5 pounder, but you never know. One of my favorite fish stories is the time I was trolling around butterfish hole. Had absolutely no luck and one of my guests wanted to bottom fish. He pulled in a 22 pound 44 inch bull Mahi on a frozen clam on the way up! Played the fish wonderfully on an old Penn setup that I had given him. Drag was set just right and this fish made several runs.

After we boated the fish he barfed up a few bait fish (the fish not the guest). This guy throws one on his hook and drops it over....and immediately hooks up with the 14 pound cow.

Great day!

Also, throwing small chunks of butterfish at the high flyers helps.......

30 - 50 miles is a long run. i may have to ho a ride for this one. my little boat is pretty good to me but that run would be a little to far for her

I'm not sure if it happens at the Vineyard too but most years in a few more weeks little ones (5 pounds and less) will be close to mainland RI.

I see them hanging on the ledges off Newport and sometimes right in the surf. Guys in Narragansett seem to get some every few years too. They get so close if you were in the right place at the right time, you could probably get one from shore.

They tend to be picky though and hang out with small bluefish to make it extra aggravating. But it's a (mostly) offshore fish so it's kind of fun to pick one off inshore if you get the chance to do so.

Best bait for them are small squid, like you can pick up frozen in the supermarket. Last weekend a neighbor of mine on the dock showed me a fish and asked for an ID. It was a neon wrasse! He caught it on East Matunuck beach! So the water is warm enough right now!

30 - 50 miles is a long run. i may have to ho a ride for this one. my little boat is pretty good to me but that run would be a little to far for her

oh no Niko you're gonna have bigger boat itice! Every time I read your posts now I think you sound like..........................me :grins:

I'll be heading down there in a couple weeks looking for yf and hoo

A few boats went down this week and pounded on wahoo, mahi, yf, and blue marlin. But the ride was to the canyon. BTW- This was a day trip.

did you go?

Leaving Monday night for a long day trip if the forecast stays open.

all of what was said about Mahi. generally towards the edge/on the flats. smaller ones typically around the gear, larger ones on the troll; there are exceptions of course!

this guy was early in July, 69deg water just off the Edge in Atlantis.

can anybody recommend a day/2 day charter captain/trip?

Canyon Runner is the best hands down.

CR is definetly good, but you are biased :D

Slow pick of YFT today for us, 50-60+ with some gaffer mahi and a blue hooked briefly mid day. not a bad full moon day trip to the fish tails. snotty ride out but the 29 Blackfin handled it like a champ.

who would you recommend?

Brian any reports of swords in the northern canyons?

Another trick is to catch the first one but leave it on the rod and that will light up and excite the rest and you can farm the whole school off the high flyer or weed patch. Also like it was stated above throwing a handful of butter chunks help get the attention of them.

yes. a couple of contacts had some, one was a pup, one was 2bills+ he was way way east.

we didn't spend the night this trip. just a long day trip.