Jackpot Jimmy
07-19-2010, 07:58 PM
I woke up at 3:45 in the morning and dad and I got ready, packed the car, and drove on down to Redondo for another great day on the water. On this trip, we would have a light load of about 12 or 13 anglers. Our destination was Catalina Island, hoping to get some good bass and bonito fishing over there. We all got a little more rest on the way over in addition to getting some breakfast and setting up our gear. My gear comprised of:
• Torium 20 (30# Test) & Super Seeker 90M (Mint & White Tady AA)
• Torium 14 (15# Test) & Super Seeker 809 (#2 Mustad 9174 Live Bait Hook)
• Curado 200 (12# Test) & Calcutta (8’) Medium Heavy (Swimbait)
• Curado 200DHSV (12# Test) & Caluctta (7-1/2’) Medium (Clear & Red Flake Blam)
http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/Jackpot-Jimmy/005-54.jpg
After a while we arrived at the island and started fishing. We were anchored perfectly to begin with, but conditions soon changed and we swung away from the kelp. I started out with my blam, which I have been very successful on in the past month and a half, and I got two short calicos right off the bat. Steven repositioned the boat in closer to the kelp, and we got down to business. Being closer to the kelp, I switched over to my fly line outfit. At the beginning of the day, Steven told us that the bass were biting the sardine the day before, but really well for those using a smaller hook. I had my fly line outfit rigged up with a #2 hook, so, whenever I got a bite, I would let the bass eat the bait a little longer than usual. It got a little frustrating but I was rewarded with one nice calico and several shorts.
We moved down the island after the bass fishing slowed, and circled around and found some bonito. The bonito were pretty finicky biting the bait, but there were plenty of bites. I landed a nice bonito on the fly line. The hook actually went through the bonito’s mouth and got hooked on the outside with the line wrapped around its mouth – this happened to a few other people, too. After about 20 minutes, a sea lion found us and shut the bite off, so we made our way back up the island.
Angel with a Limit of Nice Bonito
http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/Jackpot-Jimmy/017-13.jpg
In between moves, it was an ample time for people to order some great lunches from Derrick, and in this picture, Carlos takes advantage.
Bowl of Noodles…Picante Flavor!!!
http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/Jackpot-Jimmy/007-34.jpg
We looked around for a bit and set up on a spot, but the water was churned up and conditions were funky, so we moved on further up the island. At the next spot, I decided to have a little fun and fish blue perch or as we call them, “Blue Zoomers”. That was very fun as usual and the couple other kids that were on the boat had a blast catching perch after perch. There were also quite a few whitefish on the bottom for those that wanted them. We had some time left to fish one more spot, so we moved on in search of something better. At these spots, there were plenty of bonito boiling off the bow, but they wanted nothing to do with us.
At the last spot, Chuck, one of our regulars, shared some of his shrimp with other anglers, and we had a good sheephead bite going. They weren’t huge, but solid 13 to 14 inchers and they provide a pretty good fight. Those fishing the shrimp got sheephead, while people fishing squid got the whitefish. Those continuing to fish the surface scratched out some more calicos, but they became few and far between.
All in all, it was a pretty good day. Mental note for myself – pray that the calicos start to bite a little bit better, and to bring some shrimp next time at the island. Our total count was 41 bass, 17 sheephead, 31 whitefish, 12 bonito, and 54 perch. Great times, great fishing!
P.S. I’m going on a two day trip this Saturday out of Dana Point. I hope either the albies make a return to the Butterfly or the yellows bust WFO at Clemente…but we’ll see how it pans out! :Smile:
Roger and Teresa with their haul of fish
http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/Jackpot-Jimmy/006-42.jpg
Carlos with a nice sheephead and a couple calicos
http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/Jackpot-Jimmy/008-31.jpg
I got to talking with this father and son while tying knots for them. Great people, and his son had a blast catching a bunch of blue perch!
http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/Jackpot-Jimmy/012-20.jpg
This kid had a blast today and ended up with a pretty nice day on perch, calicos, sheephead, and whitefish. He even caught a nice surfperch that gave live birth right in the bait well.
http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/Jackpot-Jimmy/013-17.jpg
Another angler who had a great day on the various species caught.
http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/Jackpot-Jimmy/015-14.jpg
• Torium 20 (30# Test) & Super Seeker 90M (Mint & White Tady AA)
• Torium 14 (15# Test) & Super Seeker 809 (#2 Mustad 9174 Live Bait Hook)
• Curado 200 (12# Test) & Calcutta (8’) Medium Heavy (Swimbait)
• Curado 200DHSV (12# Test) & Caluctta (7-1/2’) Medium (Clear & Red Flake Blam)
http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/Jackpot-Jimmy/005-54.jpg
After a while we arrived at the island and started fishing. We were anchored perfectly to begin with, but conditions soon changed and we swung away from the kelp. I started out with my blam, which I have been very successful on in the past month and a half, and I got two short calicos right off the bat. Steven repositioned the boat in closer to the kelp, and we got down to business. Being closer to the kelp, I switched over to my fly line outfit. At the beginning of the day, Steven told us that the bass were biting the sardine the day before, but really well for those using a smaller hook. I had my fly line outfit rigged up with a #2 hook, so, whenever I got a bite, I would let the bass eat the bait a little longer than usual. It got a little frustrating but I was rewarded with one nice calico and several shorts.
We moved down the island after the bass fishing slowed, and circled around and found some bonito. The bonito were pretty finicky biting the bait, but there were plenty of bites. I landed a nice bonito on the fly line. The hook actually went through the bonito’s mouth and got hooked on the outside with the line wrapped around its mouth – this happened to a few other people, too. After about 20 minutes, a sea lion found us and shut the bite off, so we made our way back up the island.
Angel with a Limit of Nice Bonito
http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/Jackpot-Jimmy/017-13.jpg
In between moves, it was an ample time for people to order some great lunches from Derrick, and in this picture, Carlos takes advantage.
Bowl of Noodles…Picante Flavor!!!
http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/Jackpot-Jimmy/007-34.jpg
We looked around for a bit and set up on a spot, but the water was churned up and conditions were funky, so we moved on further up the island. At the next spot, I decided to have a little fun and fish blue perch or as we call them, “Blue Zoomers”. That was very fun as usual and the couple other kids that were on the boat had a blast catching perch after perch. There were also quite a few whitefish on the bottom for those that wanted them. We had some time left to fish one more spot, so we moved on in search of something better. At these spots, there were plenty of bonito boiling off the bow, but they wanted nothing to do with us.
At the last spot, Chuck, one of our regulars, shared some of his shrimp with other anglers, and we had a good sheephead bite going. They weren’t huge, but solid 13 to 14 inchers and they provide a pretty good fight. Those fishing the shrimp got sheephead, while people fishing squid got the whitefish. Those continuing to fish the surface scratched out some more calicos, but they became few and far between.
All in all, it was a pretty good day. Mental note for myself – pray that the calicos start to bite a little bit better, and to bring some shrimp next time at the island. Our total count was 41 bass, 17 sheephead, 31 whitefish, 12 bonito, and 54 perch. Great times, great fishing!
P.S. I’m going on a two day trip this Saturday out of Dana Point. I hope either the albies make a return to the Butterfly or the yellows bust WFO at Clemente…but we’ll see how it pans out! :Smile:
Roger and Teresa with their haul of fish
http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/Jackpot-Jimmy/006-42.jpg
Carlos with a nice sheephead and a couple calicos
http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/Jackpot-Jimmy/008-31.jpg
I got to talking with this father and son while tying knots for them. Great people, and his son had a blast catching a bunch of blue perch!
http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/Jackpot-Jimmy/012-20.jpg
This kid had a blast today and ended up with a pretty nice day on perch, calicos, sheephead, and whitefish. He even caught a nice surfperch that gave live birth right in the bait well.
http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/Jackpot-Jimmy/013-17.jpg
Another angler who had a great day on the various species caught.
http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/Jackpot-Jimmy/015-14.jpg