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JapanRon
04-19-2007, 10:06 AM
Hey guys,

Blown Off The Water Today!


Rode Pierpoint’s ¾-day moo-moo Victoryyesterday ……. Wednesday. Did a scan of the landings with boats going out consistently and angler numbers to decide on trips this week. More and more boats coming on-line as the Summer season develops. Counts showed we would probably go for a variety of fish loosely termed Rockfish. Fine with me as the pattern is usually ……….. fish a little deeper in the morning and go shallower in the afternoon.

The majority of the 15 anglers on this trip were regulars. We also had some occasional-but-seasoned anglers. I did my usual walk-around checking out fishing outfits. High marks to everyone EXCEPT this one guy who brought 4 light/medium SW bassin’ sticks matched with these freshwater model Ambassaduer reels spooled with 12lb and 15lb-test li ………. ops……… those were mine! Check resulted in pretty good marks on anglers having adequate gear! You can be sure the deck makes this check too! ha ha ha

Tackle
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h313/tsurikichi/FROM1229/0418overkill.jpg

Overkill

Few under-gunned setups (outfit or terminal tackle) were seen at the rail but there was one guy that was seriously over-gunned …. you guesssed it ….. right next to me!! And a club member to boot!

His sinker looked like a WWII bomb-shell casing filled with lead.

Note: Countdown One of Interest!! Next countdown will be when the landings begin their Summer Schedule ……. which usually begins within the first two weeks of May. There have been cases where the start schedule was extended at bit to meet fishing conditions.

Target Fish: Salmon Grouper and Assorted Local Species


Wednesday 04/18 Jackpot

Contender. ……………….Winner!
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h313/tsurikichi/FROM1229/0418sabergoat.jpghttp://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h313/tsurikichi/FROM1229/0418tedsgoat.jpg


Sheephead Takes Jackpot

Congrats Ted on the Jackpot! Sorry Saber …… better luck next time!

This fish was caught with Squid strips in about 120 feet of water on what seemed hard-bottom. One other Sheephead caught as well as some Whitefish and a hand-full of Rockfish and Sculpin until we hauled up the white flag.


Short Report- Wednesday 04/18

Around 13 anglers caught just a few fish due to the worsening water and weather conditions. No fault of the skipper, the weather at the start of the trip could have gone whichever way …. but unfortunately ….. the weather deteriorated and it became obvious that things would only get worse. It was a strong downhill swell against a wayward current and opposing wind! Oh ya…. the only other minor problem was that the water temperature had plummeted to 54°F or so where we were fishing.

(Please widen your view to fit monitor if word-wrap looks off)


Long Report

Out the Gate!
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h313/tsurikichi/FROM1229/0418wideoutgate.jpg



The Plan

Left the dock 7:00. Got the required speech on lifeboat location and emergency procedures. It’s kinda interesting …. that you can often tell a regular ….. by …. both seeing how many rods they have AND if they start to rig before the ‘Plan of the Day’ is announced.

Guys that often fish will have 2 or 3 outfits, some of which, they will rig-up right away with their favorite setup. Once the ‘plan’ is announced, the outfit which is to be used first is rigged and often positioned where the fishing for the day will start. Others rigged either for the soak-a-fin-bait routine or to fish frozen Squid or Shrimp (except me fishing plastics) once the day’s plans were given by the skipper. For the guys that listened, today was to be a day we would go a little deeper for the deeper water species first and then later to shallower waters for Bass.


The Days Fishing

Fished Wide Area ……………………………….............. ........Local Platforms!
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h313/tsurikichi/FROM1229/0418Fmap.jpghttp://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h313/tsurikichi/FROM1229/0418RigPlatIsl.jpg


The Fishing …..Details

First Stop
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h313/tsurikichi/FROM1229/0418widerigs.jpg


First Round Started fishing around 8:00 We initially headed straight out on the ‘Shoe’. We had a good amount of frozen Squid supplied by the boat. We didn’t drift but anchored on a number of spots.

We went directly to an area that is commonly termed ‘the outside’ and within easy sight of the four (Sisters) E’s oil platforms. As there was a fairly strong current, the 120 feet of water seemed much deeper. Just about everybody used a dropper rig w/2-hook but even 8~10oz of weight could not have held bait to the bottom …… very long!! Current rate must have been at least 1mph …. That’s double the norm!

Although the situation was tough for fishing plastics, as there was plenty of room on the boat, I went ahead and used my braid outfit ….. fishing various plastics. In another hour or so, conditions had deteriorated to such a point for my type of fishing, I decided that I would just chill, not worrying about trying to fish. Instead, I BSed with buddies and watched and waited to take pictures of others catching fish!

We moved in the general area a number of times for very few fish. In a couple of hours of hard fishing, we decided to make a major move and moved with a running time of around 20 minutes.


Inside!
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h313/tsurikichi/FROM1229/0418widepv.jpg

Second Round Began fishing further inside around 9:30. Moved into water that was a bit shallower and had a little structure. The rigging and bait used were about the same as the first round. With but a hand-full of fish and the weather was getting worse by the minute ….the skipper decided to head for the barn.

Before we left the last spot, Mike came down and issued all anglers a full pass for another trip on a better day. Class act to give us more than the common (and sometimes not even that on some boats) ½-fare for weather. Pulled the hook around 11:45am.

Conditions: Check the graphics below.


Gallery

Deckhand ……………………………Nice Trailers
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h313/tsurikichi/FROM1229/0418bobdeck.jpghttp://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h313/tsurikichi/FROM1229/0418cutsquid.jpg


Plastics

Skunk No. 2
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h313/tsurikichi/FROM1229/0411Skunk.jpg


♫ Driftin’ Along …… Singin’ A Song ♫

Fished for about 2 hours on a 30lb-test (6lb-test mono diameter) braid outfit with a 4 foot length of 12lb-test fluorocarbon, 2oz leadhead, and both swimbaits and other plastics for a couple of bumps but no hooked fish. Got to the bottom in 120 feet of water but with the combination of swinging boat, ripping current, and 7-foot swells at 7 second intervals …. the bait just moved too much to keep it in any kind of zone …… let alone 2 or 3 feet of the bottom.

That’s ok as the day was abbreviated anyways … and I can always fish another day.
I love the fact that the smaller diameter line allows one to use less weight to get down and especially stay down than others ….. especially in extreme conditions.

My plastics buddy beside me got two fish ….. a Sheephead and a Sculpin. He used a regular dropper-loop type ganion w/6oz of weight and two 1 ½-inch split-tail, blood-red, Kalin plastic thingys that sorta remind one of an elongated jig n’ pig trailer. Had a picture of it in last week’s report…….. or maybe the trip before. Great Red killer too!


Tweeking Plastics #27
Nothing new.


The Stats


Lunar. ………………………………………….. ..…Wind Direction and Speed!
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h313/tsurikichi/FROM1229/0418moon.jpghttp://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h313/tsurikichi/FROM1229/0418Windmap.jpg


Tides …………………………………………†¦â€¦â€¦â€¦â€¦.........................Water Temps!
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h313/tsurikichi/FROM1229/0418Tide.jpghttp://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h313/tsurikichi/FROM1229/0418Wattemp.jpg


Wednesday’s Conditions

Fishing Grounds: The air-temperature at boarding was in the high-50’s, got all the way to the mid-60’s by noon when we were getting off the boat. In short, the wind got stronger, waves higher, clouded up, got colder and we called it a day.

Wild Creatures: Saw an eel! Few birds and no seals.


Asides

Aside: Checking out anglers stuff as they are in the racks can be educational just be careful someone doesn’t miss-interpret your intent. I learn some interesting things from setups people have concocted.

Additionally: I do my rounds and find the least applicable rig with broken tip-top at the third guide from the top, medium-sized freshwater spinning reel w/ half a spool of bleached out, 40lb-test nameless line. It will predictably have an 80lb-test, 2-hook rockcod ganion w/ rockcod flies ending in two pyramid sinkers tied together at the eyelets, or three flat teardrop sinkers tied the same way and rigged drop-shot style. I can then figure that’s it’s the rig I’m gonna see on one side of me at the rail or the other ………. And catch the jackpot!


Another Aside: Just bought a bunch of VHS tapes at a yard-sale (Danny J., Micheal F., and Dan H.) focused on Calico Bass fishing and the Horseshoe Kelp area ….. dated in the first half of the 90’s. Pretty cool videos….. keep your eyes open if you like this kind of stuff. From looking at the VHS cassette jackets, I realize there is a lot more videos out there than I imagined and ……… I make an effort to try to keep track via a growing list of such things!


Yet Another Aside: What about them Sand Bass for the moo-moo patron? What will the Horseshoe Kelp and Huntington Flats do for us this year during the Sand Bass-rush? Checked some of my fishing reports (’05 & ’06) and other more detailed archives ………. and found that, admittedly a broad generalization, the Sand Bass numbers started to grow around mid-June and extended to early August.

I don’t usually presume to be able to read the skippers minds but ….. Last year, many boats, both moo-moos and others, up and down the immediate coast here went ‘Exotics Crazy’ and therefore fewer days fishing for Sand Bass were recorded, (I suspect the Bass were there, it’s just the skippers wanted to say they got into dodos and yellows) thus the season was shorter, therefore …….. counts were also down on the species. Hope we don’t trade …….. too many days paddie-hopping for 2 dodos, 3 yellowtail-days on a packed boat for……. a day of near-limits Bass action for the same number of anglers !!! (‘Action’ is the operative word here.)


Last Aside: Day at the Docks Countdown !! Just [font color=�red�]3 days to go. When: Sunday, April [font color=�red�]22nd, 2007, Hours: 9 AM to 5 PM, Where: San Diego Big-3 Sportfishing Landings, Point Loma, San Diego. http://www.sportfishing.org. I’m going to be down hanging with my buddies and hope to see some of you there.


Trips End

Interesting to meet lots of new anglers as more people are starting to fish the moo-moos once again. I glad the skipper (deckhand was Bob) decided to call it a day and even happier that everyone got a pass for another shot at the fishys another day. We were off the boat by 12:30.

Looks like this Friday might be my next trip if there’s enough anglers to go, the weather permits, and I’m alive.

JapanRon

ghetto dad
04-19-2007, 10:53 AM
Great report as usual, Ron.....ok, now WHO is that deckhand on the Vitory???? I dont think ive seen him before? peace....

Pilirock
04-19-2007, 10:59 AM
hey ron, cool report, can you give me the titles of these videos , I want to try to find me a copy. Thanx

Pilirock

P.S. sorry to hear about the skunk , you'll catch them next time

JapanRon
04-19-2007, 11:44 AM
Hi ghetto dad,

I agree with you .... like ..... who's next ?? :lol: :lol: Don't know his last name but he was alternately called Bob and Bobby. I've seen him on the Victory a few times. Did a good job and was right there when a tangle developed.

When is that boat gonna be finished (painting) over there?

tsurikichi

JapanRon
04-19-2007, 11:58 AM
Hi Pilrock,

Ok. the four tapes are:
1) Sports Fishing with Dan Hernandez- Calico Bass Tactics- Honestly pretty basic ...... too basic for most! Check his website for others more advanced.

2) Techniques for Inshore Calico Bass with Ben Secrest and Greg Stotesbury- 72 minutes Check Michael Fowlkes website for many others.

Hot Spot Videos
3) Horseshoe Hotspots with Capt Don Brockman- 68 minutes Has the Loran and long/lat coordinates along with video of the spots actually being metered and identified by name. If I had a boat !!!!

4) Private Boater with Kit McNear-2 hours All kinds of fishing info from a number of famous people in the industry. At least ten other titiles from Danny Jackson's outfit. Don't know if they have a website or not.

Anyhow, that sould get you and fellow FNNer's started.

JapanRon

Crappie Slayer
04-19-2007, 12:23 PM
Thanks for the report.

one_leg
04-19-2007, 03:16 PM
I can then figure that’s it’s the rig I’m gonna see on one side of me at the rail or the other ………. And catch the jackpot!

It that the truth. And they go away thinking they taught you something!!!

Once more Ron, very informative and entertaining as well.

Thanks,
One_Leg

Funjunkie74
04-19-2007, 05:29 PM
I've been overwhelmed with work and I have a business trip all next week.
So I've been really bummed out about not being able to go fishing...

but it looks like I'm not missing much.
:banana: :banana: :banana:

As always, good report Ron, even if it is about the weather screwin' you!!
Do you ever fish on the weekends? Or you stick to just weekdays to avoid the crowd?

JapanRon
04-19-2007, 05:59 PM
Hi funjunkie74,

I never go out on Saturdays (other duties) and might go one Sunday a year as I don't like the potential crowds and moreover lucky enough to be able to choose the remaining days to fish.

Part of the motivation is that there are less of a chance of getting on a packed boat but there are other considerations.

1) Fewer kids- I'm no grumpy old man it's just safer at times like when the barries are in and jigs are flying. Unattentive dads make me madder than kids that don't pay attention to fishing at the rail.

2) A lot of the discount offers are on the week-days only.

3) I can fish exactly the way I want when the boat is not crowded ... i.e. braided line.

4) The skipper will sometimes do exploratory trips that he would not do on a weekend with more patrons expecting fish !

5) A lot of regulars that fish multiple days a week are on the week-day trips and I learn from them as they are easier to approach.

6) There is less compettion for spots both on the boat and from the skippers perspective on the ground.

7) Skippers might go to spots if they don't have to worry about a bunch of boats spotting them and getting a bead on a place.

8) Less competition for live bait at the receivers.

9) IMO ..... Sometimes I think a boat will make extra effort i.e. stay out later on a Thursday and or Friday to get fish so the counts look good for the weekend. Good business sense but I don't claim to know this from the skippers.

10) I get more valuable information on the fishing from the skipper and crew when they have a little time to share their thoughts.

Just a little food for thought and I have total respect for the guys that have familys they give priority time to and fish only when there is a free day here and there on a weekend. Not to worry! Your day will come gentlemen.

JapanRon

4g63power
04-19-2007, 07:29 PM
thanks for the report ron..i must agree with you on fishing moo moos on week days...it can be hectic on weekend especially with summer crowd..so jason doesnt work on the victory anymore?

fishincrzygrl
04-19-2007, 09:27 PM
sorry to hear about the skunk :skunk:

JapanRon
04-19-2007, 09:33 PM
Hi 4g63power,

Thanks ..... ghetto dad mentioned Jason would probably be doing the twilight runs this Summer at LBSF.

Suffering from increasing night-blindness, I don't know about doing too many twilights myself.

My problem is I ACTUALLY look back when I make an overhead cast of my plastics and get it in the eyes from the lights then ......... stare out into near pitch darkness. After a half an hour ..... I end up with my night-blindness making it almost impossible to see.

The older you get the more (cones) night-vision one loses. It's natures way of saying ..... when you're old ..... you're getting closer to becoming dinner!

JapanRon

halo16
04-20-2007, 12:13 AM
Japan Ron, Thanks for the report!

As you may remember, During last years DoDo frenzy I posted a question about sandbass and almost got banned from the board, well not realy :lol:

But people were foaming at the mouth for DoDo's, and I posted that I wanted to get on a sand bass bite :shock: , and no boats had good counts...

I to fell a bit in the DoDo frenzy :D , but just couldn't get out in time and never caught a DoDo to date. (just started fishing again last year since my dad past away several years ago) Well i'm back :P and learning all over again Thanks to you and all Fnn'rs!

So all the chattering i just did above, means i too agree that the boats get good counts on the sand bass with hopefuly warm waters and with Dodo's.

Well not to sure on the warm waters for us this year heard a meteroligist say that the elnino they forcasted may have changed and a elnina may have started to form?? (that may mean more albakore?) We will see what happens... And what do they know.lol

P.S. cool deal on the passes that is a class act, also LB55 just started their summer schedule just with winter weather right now.

ghetto dad
04-20-2007, 08:42 AM
Hey ron, as far as the boat getting done, I am assuming you mean the Native....its still fishing while getting painted on its off days......I thought it was supposed to be done this week.....im find out tonight when i get to work.....and OF COURSE, my only day off is on Sunday, I wanted to go fishing, and , like i said, OF COURSE, its supposed to rain!!! :evil:

JapanRon
04-20-2007, 11:01 AM
Hi again ghetto dad,

I see. I didn't want to mention the boat name as if my information was totally wrong it might cause some not to consider her for a trip. Boats need every patron they can make themselves available to .... especially with the weather being so bad this last week or so!

Sorry to hear once again, with no fault of your own, you're not getting in a day of fishing. I'll remember the Sunday availability thing.

JapanRon

JapanRon
04-20-2007, 11:07 AM
Hi fishincrzygrl,

Thanks,

Dang ....... now I've got skunk-envy !! Your skunk is a lot cuter than my kinda stuck-up looking skunk!! I got mine off of the Google image list and I believe your's is among the standard and or extended set of smilys.

Hope not to have to call on mine too many times this year.

JapanRon

ghetto dad
04-20-2007, 11:15 AM
lol...thanks Ron....i hope i see you a lil bit this summer..i miss my pal Ron!!! :D

Nessie Hunter
04-20-2007, 12:11 PM
Ron is the undisputed champ of report writing..

So complete and informative.. :D :D

The time and effort involved must be a true labor of love... :thumb:

Thank you Ron.. I have spent hrs enjoying the many, many great reads... :D :group:

You da man.... :thumb:


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