daveg456
07-30-2009, 09:32 PM
Checked the waves on Sunday and it was smaller but still good. But after 3 sessions in 2 days and getting some of the biggest waves I've ever ridden in Newport and nearly drowning at Scotsman's Reef on Friday, I thought I'd give it a rest for Sunday and decided to check out the turd rollers and cuda action at the flats on a solo mission. It was already 9:30 so got a late start and headed to HH launch ramp and cleared the harbor around 11. Was a long period SW with some west swell in it but was able to do about 20 heading out. Got out and saw the private boats and sportos out at the flats offshore just north of the pier.
Trolled some xraps for a while and saw no one catching anything. Got bored so I headed inside to see if I could catch the US Open finals and got close to the beach and saw the mass of people but decided it was stupid to try to see a surf contest from the other side. Duh. Got on the BB and got the scoop about the sb bite being a late one so instead of heading towards Izors or the Shoe, decided to head back out the the fleet to see if it was true. Trolled around a bit and saw the terns working the chumline hard off the Nautilus. All the other boats were anchored but when you're on a 13 ft. Boston Whaler and you have only a 100 ft. of rope and your windlass, aka fishing buddy, is not on board, well you do the right thing and drift. Went up swell and drifted. I had one drop shot gulp with a heavy weight and let that go deep or the bottom and put it in the holder. I would then cast out a lead head swim bait and let it sink as I drifted. Kept doing that and got bit regularly and a couple of doubles. The way the drift was, I would end up at the bow of the Pursuit. The Sport King also came up later and anchored up close but the funniest part was seeing the faces on the passengers all surprised that I would be out there on such a small boat. Well their concerns were partly justified later on.
Kept going up and drifting down but the drift was real short because of the boat traffic so I got the genius idea to put the motor in reverse and kind of idle back so that I would be in the zone longer. Well, I think you learn something every time you take your boat out and found out it wasn't the best idea. A swell came and when your back end is only about a foot off the water and it meets a nice swell, well there's some water that comes over. Have a bilge pump so I thought no big deal. Well, ended up that it got flooded and my gunnels were almost the level of the water and a roller I put in the splash well ended up free swimming in the back of the boat, like in an aquarium. I was a little panicked but I knew the whaler was not going to sink but when your fish are swimming INSIDE your boat and your gas tank is floating in the water, it gets you going a little. Long story short, pointed the boat downswell, ran the bilge and started bailing with the small bucket. After that, headed up swell again for a bunch more drifts.
Ended up with 8 nice sb and a 36 in cuda. Lost another good one when it bit off my swim bait. Fished till about 5 when the Nautilus and the City of Long Beach left and I was the only boat left. It was kind of cool. An adventure for sure. Headed for HH at a lot slower speed but a lot faster than the sport boats but if I know it's not going to be glass in the afternoon, I might launch out of Newport next time to take advantage of the down swell boat ride. I figure if guys can paddleboard from Catalina to the mainland, what excuse do I have, even on a 13 footer with a motor. If I have to travel at 10 mph, I'm still making better time then the sportos so that's my next adventure, making the crossing to Catalina. Overall, not bad considering it cost less than $20 for fuel and the $10 launch fee.
Can't figure out this picture thing so here's the link. The last photo is of the snail hideout where I have gathered some for some tasty escargot action in a few days after they purge. Inspired by the huge slug gleemsteel211 posted a while back.
P.S. Found out my friend chartered the Nautilus for the afternoon and I was right next to it. If I'd known, I'd have ordered a cheeseburger.
http://w96.photobucket.com/pbwidget.swf?pbwurl=http://w96.photobucket.com/albums/l182/daveg456/b2627865.pbw
Trolled some xraps for a while and saw no one catching anything. Got bored so I headed inside to see if I could catch the US Open finals and got close to the beach and saw the mass of people but decided it was stupid to try to see a surf contest from the other side. Duh. Got on the BB and got the scoop about the sb bite being a late one so instead of heading towards Izors or the Shoe, decided to head back out the the fleet to see if it was true. Trolled around a bit and saw the terns working the chumline hard off the Nautilus. All the other boats were anchored but when you're on a 13 ft. Boston Whaler and you have only a 100 ft. of rope and your windlass, aka fishing buddy, is not on board, well you do the right thing and drift. Went up swell and drifted. I had one drop shot gulp with a heavy weight and let that go deep or the bottom and put it in the holder. I would then cast out a lead head swim bait and let it sink as I drifted. Kept doing that and got bit regularly and a couple of doubles. The way the drift was, I would end up at the bow of the Pursuit. The Sport King also came up later and anchored up close but the funniest part was seeing the faces on the passengers all surprised that I would be out there on such a small boat. Well their concerns were partly justified later on.
Kept going up and drifting down but the drift was real short because of the boat traffic so I got the genius idea to put the motor in reverse and kind of idle back so that I would be in the zone longer. Well, I think you learn something every time you take your boat out and found out it wasn't the best idea. A swell came and when your back end is only about a foot off the water and it meets a nice swell, well there's some water that comes over. Have a bilge pump so I thought no big deal. Well, ended up that it got flooded and my gunnels were almost the level of the water and a roller I put in the splash well ended up free swimming in the back of the boat, like in an aquarium. I was a little panicked but I knew the whaler was not going to sink but when your fish are swimming INSIDE your boat and your gas tank is floating in the water, it gets you going a little. Long story short, pointed the boat downswell, ran the bilge and started bailing with the small bucket. After that, headed up swell again for a bunch more drifts.
Ended up with 8 nice sb and a 36 in cuda. Lost another good one when it bit off my swim bait. Fished till about 5 when the Nautilus and the City of Long Beach left and I was the only boat left. It was kind of cool. An adventure for sure. Headed for HH at a lot slower speed but a lot faster than the sport boats but if I know it's not going to be glass in the afternoon, I might launch out of Newport next time to take advantage of the down swell boat ride. I figure if guys can paddleboard from Catalina to the mainland, what excuse do I have, even on a 13 footer with a motor. If I have to travel at 10 mph, I'm still making better time then the sportos so that's my next adventure, making the crossing to Catalina. Overall, not bad considering it cost less than $20 for fuel and the $10 launch fee.
Can't figure out this picture thing so here's the link. The last photo is of the snail hideout where I have gathered some for some tasty escargot action in a few days after they purge. Inspired by the huge slug gleemsteel211 posted a while back.
P.S. Found out my friend chartered the Nautilus for the afternoon and I was right next to it. If I'd known, I'd have ordered a cheeseburger.
http://w96.photobucket.com/pbwidget.swf?pbwurl=http://w96.photobucket.com/albums/l182/daveg456/b2627865.pbw