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View Full Version : Skunk-a-lina Island - 7/15



ThanksKK
07-16-2007, 12:51 PM
Me and a buddy decided to head to Catalina Sunday on our 20ft Trophy via Newport Dunes. Paid $20 for boat launch, $25 for 1/2 scoop live bait. I love how everyone raises their prices on the weekend. On weekdays, launching is $15 and bait is $20.

Conditions were remarkably smooth, slight wind. We averaged 20 knots there and back with a small handful of splashes over the windshield in our faces.

Went straight to orange rock (around the corner of the backside to the left of avalon) and circled the entire island to Ithmus then headed back. Tried everything - live bait, trolling, artificials. All I got was a stinkin 16" calico that I snagged in the eye while trolling. Even the mackerals didn't bite.

I saw numerous pb'ers and NOBODY had a bent pole. What's going on? My only explanation was the cold 65 deg. water temp throughout the island. If anyone's thinking of fishing in the next week or so, beware.

Here's a video clip of a set of 4-ft swells on the backside (keep in mind this is considered "calm" for the backside.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_dXV4tOBzY

SanDimasLMB
07-16-2007, 01:31 PM
at least you beat the skunk. Thats a nice calico though :thumb:

dschmaltz
07-16-2007, 02:22 PM
Catalina is a little quiet right now. I have been there 4 times in the last month; I love to fish that water.

Bass fishing has been okay and is usually okay there, but the rest is quieter than normal. It will hopefully take off one of these days!!

Last year on 7/15; I was catching yellows in local waters off the San Clemente pier. This year, they are catching those ugly big squid and the Sand Bass season hasn't really even kicked in. What a change.http://calmetro.com/fishing/vgayellow.jpg

Tail Chaser
07-16-2007, 04:15 PM
Thanks for the report. At least you avoided the skunk,and had good weather.
I had a three day trip last week. One day was spent fishing Skunk Point at Santa Rosa island 54.9 degree water. Almost got the skunk, :shock: But a 13in Sculpin saved that day. Even hooked him in the lip :lol: The jet stream came down from the North last week. Maybe the cold water came with it :roll:

Lobsterboy
07-16-2007, 06:01 PM
We too went to Cat yesterday but the fishing gods were smiling on us. LEft from HH in my 20 ft cuddy with my 2 boys and a boat hoe at 5:30am. Parking and launch were free at Sunset Aquatic, the machine was broken, got some beat up sardines from Nachos for $25. headed over at 32 knots.

We got to the backside at about 6:45ish and set up a drift by the De De Marie. We saw the guy on that boat hooked up and a local in a skiff helped him gaff a nice yellow right as we started.

My son got a nice birdsnest in my new reel so I untangled him, put the rod back in the holder and a minute later "DAD!!!" was the call as my pole was doubled over.

I had the kid take it (14 yr old) and I coached him. The fish pulled hard and after about 5-10 minutes he said his back hurt and handed it off to me. I tightened the drag a bit and put some hurt on the fish. after about 5 minutes more up came a beast of a yellow. My buddy gaffed it (barely) and we had it. It taped out at 41" and weighted 28lbs on a spring scale at the dock. I used 25 lb test and a 2/0 hook with a split shot.

so five minutes in we already hooked up and at the 1/2 hour mark we were set and anything else was a bonus.

We stayed there for about another hour for nada. There were only about 15 boats in the area but nobody was getting anything.

We went to the frontside by Avalon and fished tight. It was s-l-o-w-er than ever. Usually we get tons of small calicos but not today. We hooked a 3 lb bonie and a fat 5 lb barracuda then we were just relaxing and my son again hooks up on something big. I was sure it was a batray by the way it pulled. Plus he was using a stale old frozen sardine that I had for chum.

The pole was stout with fresh 30lb test and a penn 500L that my boy gave me for fathers day. I buttoned down the drag and it was still taking line and the reel was gettin HOT. we passed the pole around, first to my lil boy 11 yrs old, then he got tired so I took it, then gave it back to the older boy, then to my boat hoe buddy. we were tired of being pulled around so he horsed it up and WOW. up pops a 60-80 lb Black Sea Bass!!!

It came up belly up, I grabbed the hook and it just fell out of his mouth. I went to grab it and revive it but it was ready to go. He flipped over, flapped his tail, splashed me in the face and said good bye. It was awesome.
What a day, the ride home was smooth (for the afternoon) and all in all a great day. I will try to post pics of the yellow but we did not get any of the blacky.
Sorry for the long story.

Ambassadorhawg
07-17-2007, 07:13 AM
ThanksKK,

Wow, did the temp drop out there! I was there last week on Tuesday and the temp all along the frontside was 70-71 degrees and the Calicos were so rediculously WFO that it wasn't really even fun.

So, yeah, I'd say the temp drop has everything to do with the duldrums out there.