Tunaslam
06-03-2010, 10:18 AM
http://www.allcoast.com/photos/data/2/103504100_092410174.jpg
A Beast of a Calico Bass, my personal best if it truly was nine pounds as estimated. Should have put it on a scale. Picture does not do it justice! Fat and long! We released at least twenty Calico Bass over five pounds.
Fishing Wednesday, 06-02-10 with Dave Robinson, on his 28' Farallon, “Hooked” with crew, John and Nouri. Our destination being San Clemente Island. We left Dave’s slip in Newport Beach at 5:15am, clearing the harbor by 5:50am, after picking up a number of scoops of slimy green sardines, at the new bait barge, sweet?
Dave set a course for the West End of SCI. The ocean at times was grease calm, with only a residual bump from the pervious days of blowing. Consequently the ride over was extremely pleasant, as we cruised out at a comfortable 22+ knots, and we began fishing around 8:15 am.
The West End of San Clemente Island contained the usual lumpy swell, however only a slight hint of any breeze. We started on the front side of the Island, and began a slow pick on the Calico Bass.
Dave got the party started with this good sized Calico Bass.
http://www.allcoast.com/photos/data/2/103504100_092110172-med.jpg
I got hammered by this beauty!
http://www.allcoast.com/photos/data/2/103504100_091310165-med.jpg
It wasn’t long before a Navy Patrol boat came up to us and asked us to leave the area, as some secret drills were about to be commenced in the area. We were not in any restricted zone, yet the Patrol boat stated we needed to be three miles off the island? He recommended we head to the east end of the Island, but not to the backside as other live fire drills were being held at both ends of the Island, and he stated that it was rough on the backside.
Dave elected to go around the west end anyway. We noticed the Long Beach Carnage anchored in the harbor, and several other fishing boats nearby, so we figured this area was not yet off limits, as the patrol boat headed back to shore on the front side! Not long after, we observed several Destroyers, Navy Seals and a Submarine conducting maneuvers, not far from our first location!
The next stop produced a few nice fish, but quickly slowed down.
I caught this very colorful Calico Bass.
http://www.allcoast.com/photos/data/2/103504100_091910170.jpg
John with a sweet looking Calico Bass.
http://www.allcoast.com/photos/data/2/103504100_093510181.jpg
Captain Dave holding up a nice Calico Bass.
http://www.allcoast.com/photos/data/2/103504100_091610168-med.jpg
Nouri with a big fat cat! This bass hasn’t missed a meal lately?
http://www.allcoast.com/photos/data/2/103504100_091510167-med.jpg
Dave found a likely looking area to start a chum line. The current was uphill, and allowed us to fish close to the weeds. In fact, I thought Dave anchored us in too tight, as just underneath us were numerous kelp stringers, and everywhere around us was kelp for at least 180 degrees? Well, Dave knows best, and although we lost plenty of fish to the weeds, the big boys came a calling! This turned into three hours of the most insane quality big Calico Bass Fishing I have ever experienced. It was not ever wide open, just a steady pick, yet there were times when all four of us were hooked up at the same time. Usually two of us reeling in fish, and two of us stuck in the crap!
Myself and Nouri with Calico Bass.
http://www.allcoast.com/photos/data/2/103504100_093310180-med.jpg
Myself with another nice Bass.
http://www.allcoast.com/photos/data/2/103504100_091810169.jpg
John with another healthy Cali!
http://www.allcoast.com/photos/data/2/103504100_092810177.jpg
We easily caught and released well over 100 Calico Bass, losing another 40 to 50, some very big ones. I tied on at more than a dozen hooks, lost to the structure, yet what a blast! At half past high noon, the current completely switched directions. We spun 180 degrees, and the bite was over. Dave re-set a few times; however, it just would not turn on again. Besides, the seals became real pests! Interesting, as earlier, lots of seals swam by, yet none of them stayed? Sometimes you just get lucky, I guess?
With the bite slowing down, I elected to put on a weed less plastic, and on my first cast, this Beast of a Calico Bass jumped all over it.
http://www.allcoast.com/photos/data/2/103504100_092510175.jpg
Unfortunately a dozen casts later, no mas with the plastic! Dave couldn’t get them to go on the iron either, they plain wanted live bait!
Dave made a number of moves nearby for very little, and elected to go to the backside of the Island. Tried several areas for a few fish, the water was crystal clear blue and 61 degrees, about the same as the front and west end. Current here was still uphill and west! Not what you want for good fishing.
I did catch this very dark colored Sheep Head, soon to be poor man’s lobster, after being poached tonight!
http://www.allcoast.com/photos/data/2/103504100_093010179.jpg
http://www.allcoast.com/photos/data/2/103504100_092910178.jpg
Nouri with another big Calico Bass.
http://www.allcoast.com/photos/data/2/103504100_091410166-med.jpg
The wind never got above 6 to 8 knots all day. Dave drove by a shallow reef off target Rock, and through some chum, wow, we all got excited when boils erupted everywhere! There was a big spread of fish, mostly Calico Bass, don’t know what else? We anchored up, and picked at the bass for a while. By now we didn’t even bother taking pictures of five pounders; they had to be six or over to warrant a picture. We caught more than a dozen over five pounds, a half dozen over six, with several more approaching seven, and the beast! Simply insane Calico Bass fishing!
Captain Dave holding up a nice Calico Bass.
http://www.allcoast.com/photos/data/2/103504100_092010171-med.jpg
Myself with another big Calico Bass.
http://www.allcoast.com/photos/data/2/103504100_091210164-med.jpg
John with a six+ pound Calico Bass!
http://www.allcoast.com/photos/data/2/103504100_093710182-med.jpg
A couple of seals moved in to spoil the party, John and Nouri each hooked one, hope it hurt good when they broke it off? We anchored up about four more times as we slowly worked our way down the front side, catch a few Calicos, and then almost nothing, as Bowser showed up, and scared them off.
We called it a day at 4pm, catching and releasing most Calico Bass, kept a few bleeders, and a couple of 15” fish for tacos. All the big boys and gals were released.
Thanks again Dave, what can I say, another incredible trip together.
Hook up!
A Beast of a Calico Bass, my personal best if it truly was nine pounds as estimated. Should have put it on a scale. Picture does not do it justice! Fat and long! We released at least twenty Calico Bass over five pounds.
Fishing Wednesday, 06-02-10 with Dave Robinson, on his 28' Farallon, “Hooked” with crew, John and Nouri. Our destination being San Clemente Island. We left Dave’s slip in Newport Beach at 5:15am, clearing the harbor by 5:50am, after picking up a number of scoops of slimy green sardines, at the new bait barge, sweet?
Dave set a course for the West End of SCI. The ocean at times was grease calm, with only a residual bump from the pervious days of blowing. Consequently the ride over was extremely pleasant, as we cruised out at a comfortable 22+ knots, and we began fishing around 8:15 am.
The West End of San Clemente Island contained the usual lumpy swell, however only a slight hint of any breeze. We started on the front side of the Island, and began a slow pick on the Calico Bass.
Dave got the party started with this good sized Calico Bass.
http://www.allcoast.com/photos/data/2/103504100_092110172-med.jpg
I got hammered by this beauty!
http://www.allcoast.com/photos/data/2/103504100_091310165-med.jpg
It wasn’t long before a Navy Patrol boat came up to us and asked us to leave the area, as some secret drills were about to be commenced in the area. We were not in any restricted zone, yet the Patrol boat stated we needed to be three miles off the island? He recommended we head to the east end of the Island, but not to the backside as other live fire drills were being held at both ends of the Island, and he stated that it was rough on the backside.
Dave elected to go around the west end anyway. We noticed the Long Beach Carnage anchored in the harbor, and several other fishing boats nearby, so we figured this area was not yet off limits, as the patrol boat headed back to shore on the front side! Not long after, we observed several Destroyers, Navy Seals and a Submarine conducting maneuvers, not far from our first location!
The next stop produced a few nice fish, but quickly slowed down.
I caught this very colorful Calico Bass.
http://www.allcoast.com/photos/data/2/103504100_091910170.jpg
John with a sweet looking Calico Bass.
http://www.allcoast.com/photos/data/2/103504100_093510181.jpg
Captain Dave holding up a nice Calico Bass.
http://www.allcoast.com/photos/data/2/103504100_091610168-med.jpg
Nouri with a big fat cat! This bass hasn’t missed a meal lately?
http://www.allcoast.com/photos/data/2/103504100_091510167-med.jpg
Dave found a likely looking area to start a chum line. The current was uphill, and allowed us to fish close to the weeds. In fact, I thought Dave anchored us in too tight, as just underneath us were numerous kelp stringers, and everywhere around us was kelp for at least 180 degrees? Well, Dave knows best, and although we lost plenty of fish to the weeds, the big boys came a calling! This turned into three hours of the most insane quality big Calico Bass Fishing I have ever experienced. It was not ever wide open, just a steady pick, yet there were times when all four of us were hooked up at the same time. Usually two of us reeling in fish, and two of us stuck in the crap!
Myself and Nouri with Calico Bass.
http://www.allcoast.com/photos/data/2/103504100_093310180-med.jpg
Myself with another nice Bass.
http://www.allcoast.com/photos/data/2/103504100_091810169.jpg
John with another healthy Cali!
http://www.allcoast.com/photos/data/2/103504100_092810177.jpg
We easily caught and released well over 100 Calico Bass, losing another 40 to 50, some very big ones. I tied on at more than a dozen hooks, lost to the structure, yet what a blast! At half past high noon, the current completely switched directions. We spun 180 degrees, and the bite was over. Dave re-set a few times; however, it just would not turn on again. Besides, the seals became real pests! Interesting, as earlier, lots of seals swam by, yet none of them stayed? Sometimes you just get lucky, I guess?
With the bite slowing down, I elected to put on a weed less plastic, and on my first cast, this Beast of a Calico Bass jumped all over it.
http://www.allcoast.com/photos/data/2/103504100_092510175.jpg
Unfortunately a dozen casts later, no mas with the plastic! Dave couldn’t get them to go on the iron either, they plain wanted live bait!
Dave made a number of moves nearby for very little, and elected to go to the backside of the Island. Tried several areas for a few fish, the water was crystal clear blue and 61 degrees, about the same as the front and west end. Current here was still uphill and west! Not what you want for good fishing.
I did catch this very dark colored Sheep Head, soon to be poor man’s lobster, after being poached tonight!
http://www.allcoast.com/photos/data/2/103504100_093010179.jpg
http://www.allcoast.com/photos/data/2/103504100_092910178.jpg
Nouri with another big Calico Bass.
http://www.allcoast.com/photos/data/2/103504100_091410166-med.jpg
The wind never got above 6 to 8 knots all day. Dave drove by a shallow reef off target Rock, and through some chum, wow, we all got excited when boils erupted everywhere! There was a big spread of fish, mostly Calico Bass, don’t know what else? We anchored up, and picked at the bass for a while. By now we didn’t even bother taking pictures of five pounders; they had to be six or over to warrant a picture. We caught more than a dozen over five pounds, a half dozen over six, with several more approaching seven, and the beast! Simply insane Calico Bass fishing!
Captain Dave holding up a nice Calico Bass.
http://www.allcoast.com/photos/data/2/103504100_092010171-med.jpg
Myself with another big Calico Bass.
http://www.allcoast.com/photos/data/2/103504100_091210164-med.jpg
John with a six+ pound Calico Bass!
http://www.allcoast.com/photos/data/2/103504100_093710182-med.jpg
A couple of seals moved in to spoil the party, John and Nouri each hooked one, hope it hurt good when they broke it off? We anchored up about four more times as we slowly worked our way down the front side, catch a few Calicos, and then almost nothing, as Bowser showed up, and scared them off.
We called it a day at 4pm, catching and releasing most Calico Bass, kept a few bleeders, and a couple of 15” fish for tacos. All the big boys and gals were released.
Thanks again Dave, what can I say, another incredible trip together.
Hook up!