New to fishing Catalina, need suggestions

[Keith R]

I'm Going to Catalina next week for first time fishing the island. Taking my buddies boat out. Staying on the boat for 3 days and could us some suggestions:

Would like to try and make bait ourselves. Best location for Squid? Also looking to catch first WSB:Razz:. What areas would you suggest. Any help would be great.

[catfish 17]

I'm Going to Catalina next week for first time fishing the island. Taking my buddies boat out. Staying on the boat for 3 days and could us some suggestions:

Would like to try and make bait ourselves. Best location for Squid? Also looking to catch first WSB:Razz:. What areas would you suggest. Any help would be great.


get some fresh mackeral from catalina, you could catch those easily and use them for bait. The wsb are all over the place, but catalina isn't the best place to go catch yellowatil or wsb, well so far as in right now. The bite should start picking up in a couple of weeks. The bonita bite is on fire.

[DockRat]

The squid are usually at the Vees. When you go around the east end you can see the V's up on the hillside as shown in Fishbones pic near the top at the fog line..

http://i354.photobucket.com/albums/r428/AROCK1_photos/IMG_0490-1.jpg

Squid can be tough to catch sometimes. M to F the commercial guys use Alot of lights to bring them up (float) then net them.

If you don't see light boats then the squid might not be around. A small dip 1' with a handle can be used to swoop them when they swim by or a glow in the dark squid jig. BRING fresh dead always.

Small 6" to a 12" macs are good as said above.

You can use white bread little pieces to chum up smelt the use a small sabiki rig with 1/8" pieces of squid tenacles to catch em then use smelt for halibut drifting.

Bring swim baits like Japan Ron or Vince Red Drum shows in posts.
DR

[Fishbones]

West end or bait grounds, you will find the fleet, watch your fishfinder, anchor up and fish away..fish squid it you can
find any 4 sale believe it or not i caught a sweet white seabass on some store bought squid, its cheap and it got bit..
buy some fishing lights and at night hang them over till the squid floats up and then net it till your tank if full.
then set up a bait rod with with sabiki to catch bait, sardines,macks theres tons of there all over the island and catching them should not ba a problem, the rigs you can use to get the wsb or yellows are dropper loop with a squid or sardine or mack on one rod and the other a 3/4oz sliding egg sinker and squid or sardine or macks,.,you can also flyline any of those baits or slow troll sardines or mackrel or spanish mackrel. If its a little slow shoot towards the east and fish the kelp up close, flyline a bait towards the line and hold on for calico madness and mabye a white seabass or yellow,,
hope that helps..good luck and take lots of pics,

[jiggaman]

get some fresh mackeral from catalina, you could catch those easily and use them for bait. The wsb are all over the place, but catalina isn't the best place to go catch yellowatil or wsb, well so far as in right now. The bite should start picking up in a couple of weeks. The bonita bite is on fire.

actually catalina has been biting for about two months now... i have caught over ten seabass so far on three trips

[Keith R]

Thanks for all the Tips and Ideas. Picked up some Freash dead squid, shrimps, and some new tackle.
Picking up my buddies boat tomorrow. Looking forward to great trip and a good 3 days on the water.

Has anyone tried mini strobs lights above the sinker with their Squid jigs or even on their WSB rigging?

[DockRat]

:UDaMan:
... i have caught over ten seabass so far on three trips:UDaMan:

:Shocked: DR

[jiggaman]

how was your trip... i would always like to tag along to show you the ropes