Jackpot Jimmy
06-13-2010, 12:56 PM
We left the dock promptly at 6am and headed over to the bait receiver to pick up some sardines and small mackerel. A couple guys threw some swimbaits while bait was being loaded, and they got some short bites by some bonito that have been breezing through the harbor the last few months. Once we got under way, Capt. Steven said our target for the day would be seabass and calicos. He said calico bass fishing was exceptional the day before, with fish being taken on both the sardine and plastic. I set up my kelp cutter rig with a ½ ounce slider with a 2/0 hook for the seabass.
We arrived at our first spot and started soaking sardines. The current was running pretty good so you had to cast your bait up the side and let it flow in the current. However, most fish were hooked by the boat. We eventually got a few seabass and a bunch of shorts. The fish would just lightly gum the bait, and you had to give it plenty of time to eat. A lot of times, they would run with the bait for a while and drop it.
The current picked up throughout the morning and most of us went to an ounce slider, but we didn’t get another go-around on the seabass. We moved on to another spot, and we started having a nice pick at some quality calicos. The guys who could heave a sardine back into a kelp pocket got bit almost instantly. I fished the sardines for a while but then I switched to an anchovy colored blam with a red leadhead, and it worked for a while until I got stuck in the kelp and busted the plastic off. We had just fewer than 50 bass when Stevo wanted to see if the seabass would go on a little afternoon bite.
On the next spot, I got bit on my first cast. I let it eat the bait until it felt solid, and I was off to the races. I could feel the spectra cutting through some kelp, and about half way into the fight, the fish gave the illusion of breaking off, when actually, it was swimming towards the boat, and we got it on the boat soon after. A few other guys also hooked up in the next couple hours, and with some coaching, some nice seabass came on the boat.
The seven seabass that were landed ranged from just legal to 23 pounds, with the average being around 11 to 13 pounds. Mine weighed about 11 pounds. There were definitely some bigger models hooked, but tackle error occurred in some cases, so you have to come prepared! The fish were eager to bite the sardines but not the little mackerel or a fresh dead squid. Second, check your drags BEFORE you cast your bait in, and DO NOT touch the drag during the fight – it should be fine since it is already set. Go easy while fighting them, and don’t horse them in. This was my first time being in a good seabass bite, and it’s tough, but work at it and don’t give up!
It was also nice fishing calicos again. The water temperature was up to 64.5 degrees and the calicos were biting both sardine and plastic – I think summer fishing is finally here! Great times, great fishing!
My First Seabass
http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/Jackpot-Jimmy/007-33.jpg
Tom’s Seabass
http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/Jackpot-Jimmy/005-53.jpg
Jackpot Winning Seabass
http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/Jackpot-Jimmy/009-21.jpg
This was our pinhead for the day, Blaze. He got the biggest seabass, weighing in at 23 pounds.
http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/Jackpot-Jimmy/010-25.jpg
We arrived at our first spot and started soaking sardines. The current was running pretty good so you had to cast your bait up the side and let it flow in the current. However, most fish were hooked by the boat. We eventually got a few seabass and a bunch of shorts. The fish would just lightly gum the bait, and you had to give it plenty of time to eat. A lot of times, they would run with the bait for a while and drop it.
The current picked up throughout the morning and most of us went to an ounce slider, but we didn’t get another go-around on the seabass. We moved on to another spot, and we started having a nice pick at some quality calicos. The guys who could heave a sardine back into a kelp pocket got bit almost instantly. I fished the sardines for a while but then I switched to an anchovy colored blam with a red leadhead, and it worked for a while until I got stuck in the kelp and busted the plastic off. We had just fewer than 50 bass when Stevo wanted to see if the seabass would go on a little afternoon bite.
On the next spot, I got bit on my first cast. I let it eat the bait until it felt solid, and I was off to the races. I could feel the spectra cutting through some kelp, and about half way into the fight, the fish gave the illusion of breaking off, when actually, it was swimming towards the boat, and we got it on the boat soon after. A few other guys also hooked up in the next couple hours, and with some coaching, some nice seabass came on the boat.
The seven seabass that were landed ranged from just legal to 23 pounds, with the average being around 11 to 13 pounds. Mine weighed about 11 pounds. There were definitely some bigger models hooked, but tackle error occurred in some cases, so you have to come prepared! The fish were eager to bite the sardines but not the little mackerel or a fresh dead squid. Second, check your drags BEFORE you cast your bait in, and DO NOT touch the drag during the fight – it should be fine since it is already set. Go easy while fighting them, and don’t horse them in. This was my first time being in a good seabass bite, and it’s tough, but work at it and don’t give up!
It was also nice fishing calicos again. The water temperature was up to 64.5 degrees and the calicos were biting both sardine and plastic – I think summer fishing is finally here! Great times, great fishing!
My First Seabass
http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/Jackpot-Jimmy/007-33.jpg
Tom’s Seabass
http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/Jackpot-Jimmy/005-53.jpg
Jackpot Winning Seabass
http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/Jackpot-Jimmy/009-21.jpg
This was our pinhead for the day, Blaze. He got the biggest seabass, weighing in at 23 pounds.
http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/Jackpot-Jimmy/010-25.jpg