E.A.R.G.
08-04-2010, 05:50 PM
I wake up monday morning to see a text from webmaster Jeff.
"want to fish the islands?"
Immediately I call him up and tell him I'm gonna buy some supplies and head on over!
Got the sandwiches (which eventually turn into man-wiches once we put the cheese and bacon on em!) and snacks (still amazed and what can be sold for 99cents!) and headed over.
Got to the launch ramp and launched around 2 to some pretty snotty conditions. Long beach had no bait so we headed straight for Catalina.
We got to Catalina and made a few calls to some squid boats but found out there was no squid on the island and Lance, the owner of a squid boat in Catalina, said he wouldn't be making any that night either. We had 9 pounds of frozen with us, and making squid at Catalina had been pretty tough for us as of late, so we opted to head straight for San Clemente Islands.
Had some pretty snotty conditions to Clemente, and by the time we made it over I was pretty soaked but I didn't mind. First time at San Clemente Islands and itching to catch my first yellowtail ever!
We pulled up along a cove on the backside next to a couple other private boaters and a couple squid boats. While we were finding a spot to anchor we see one of the private boaters stick a gaff down. At first we got all excited thinking we're going to hit a nice evening yellow bite, but it turned out to be a halibut on the other end of the gaff.
Anywhos, we anchor up at a spot in the cove right about 8pm. We toss out some frozen squid trying to get an evening bite going. Jeff's clicker starts screaming and he hooks up. Turns out to be a nice 15inch 2-3lb calico. He says, "This is average Clemente Calico," which gets me all excited because all I ever catch at Catalina are the 11.5 inch calicos, which have been named "Eric's calicos"
Aside from a couple other clicker screams that resulted in bat rays, some being HUGE mud marlins, the night was pretty uneventful.
We tossed out the squid light trying to make some live bait. We found the clemente squid float alot better than the Catalina squid, and within a couple hours of "whack a mole" trying to catch squid darting by, we had around 150 pieces of nice live squid ranging from littly 1.5 inchers to big ol'e candy 8 inch squid. I called it a night around 1 a.m.
I woke up at 5:30 am to grey light and Jeff already fishing. Nothing had been going on, no birds crashing, no other hook ups. Jeff had said this cove had been producing big ole yellowtail in the A.M., so we'd stick it out here for a few to try to get something to bite.
just then... ZZZZZ clicker screams and Jeff's first to hook up. We're thinking big big yellow, this thing is staying down and doesn't want to come up. He's fighting this thing and we're passing the pole around the anchor line trying to keep this sucker clear. Just when we think its giving up it takes another run. We're thinking BIG BIG yellow. When this thing hits the surface it turns out to be a bat ray!! ARGHH. Jeff- King of the batrays strikes again!
Then its my turn for the clicker and I hook up. Instantly I could tell its a batray, but its another huge mother trucker!
After a semi-long arm burning back aching battle we have batray number 2 up for the day. Now both of us have aching backs and sore arms. This definitely gives the big yellows an advantage now that both of us have fought and landed 100lb grade batrays.
3rd clicker scream and its Jeff's again. This one DEFINITELY didn't look like a batray at all. Staying down and fighting like.. A HALIBUT. Once again, we're thinking big big hali. But sad to say, this one ended up cutting the line. We checked the line. clean cut. Whatever it was, it wasn't a batray, and it had teeth!
All poles are out again. My rod is next with the clicker. ZZZZZ!!! It screams I instantly hit the reel into gear and I feel it load up. I crank on it reel fast (circle hook) and the line starts screaming. ZZZZ!!!! Feels super heavy and I'm thinking another big big bat ray. But wait. Did I just feel a headshake? Could it be? I don't want to jinx it, but I think I definitely felt a headshake. Then a strong run right and around the anchor line. I pass the pole to Jeff on the bow and he frees the fish. Just then the fish takes a huge run and Jeff looks at me with dead serious eyes, "This is a big fish!" and passes the pole back to me. Pressures on now! First possible yellow I've ever hooked into in my life. A Ton of thoughts are running into my head: Don't lose this fish. Is this a batray? Please don't be a batray. Did I tie a good topshot knot? This fish is running hard and running strong and It doesn't want to give up.
http://i422.photobucket.com/albums/pp304/ericchungw/clemente/NewImage.jpg
Action Shot
http://i422.photobucket.com/albums/pp304/ericchungw/clemente/4.jpg
Just when I think its coming up, it takes another long run.
http://i422.photobucket.com/albums/pp304/ericchungw/clemente/2.jpg
Some of these runs were SOOO wicked. All I could do was just hold on the pole while that thing swam for the deep.
Eventually the fish comes close enough for me to get a visual.
"I SEE COLOR AND IT AIN'T NO BATRAY!.... YELLOWTAIL!!!!"
Just then it takes another run ZZZZZ!!! and goes deep again.
I'm wondering, is this thing ever going to get in? I'm on 25 lb test and this thing is definitely putting the line to the test!! Think- remember batray training. Batray training. Batray training. Slow and steady. Let the boat do the work. Let it tire out. Short pumps. Short pumps.
Eventually the fish gets close enough and Jeff sticks it right in the head. THUMP!! As the fish hits the deck and its all jubilation as I see my first yellowtail EVER bleeding on the deck of the Keilani.
http://i422.photobucket.com/albums/pp304/ericchungw/clemente/5.jpg
First and PB (obviously) Yellowtail for me!!! Last week was my first Seabass ever on the Keilani and one week later I get my first yellow. Thank you Skipper!!!
By this time my arms super sore and my backs killing me but I'm all smiles. I'm thinking, wow. First yellowtail ever, what a trip!
But wait. Webmaster says its not over. We gotta go over to the front side and hit the afternoon schoolie bite!!!
We head straight for the front side and do a couple drifts. The next 6-8 fish were calico bass for me... 11.5 inch calico bass. Jeff swears they followed me from Catalina because the Clemente calicos are bigger. They must have followed me. It was pretty funny stuff.
Then we see some flying fish jumping out of the water and some bait boils. Webmaster says, "those flying fish aren't jumping for nothing" and then SPLASH!! BIG BIG BOIL. the right kind!!
We head closer in and anchor up. Jeff and I toss out our flylined squid. I've got one squid under a ballon fishing further back. Jeff's line gets ripped. Turns out to be a bonito. My flyline gets ripped and its another bonito. I'm thinking, darn, were all those boils bonito boils back there?
Then Jeff's line gets ripped and it looks small. Maybe mackerel? The pole was doing that rapid twitch things from mackerel trying to swim against your drag. Webmaster says, "I don't know... it bit like a bonito.." Then all of a sudden ZZZZZZ!!! The fish starts taking off!! "RIGHT KIND RIGHT KIND!" he yells out.
The fish does 3-4 SOLID SOLID runs before Webmaster sticks it with the gaff and lands it on deck. I tried to gaff it at first, but my noobie self failed. (I guess all that practice gaffing on mackerel and blue perch didn't pay off! haha. Next time i'll get the gaff right!)
http://i422.photobucket.com/albums/pp304/ericchungw/clemente/8.jpg
NICE yellowtail for webmaster.
We toss our lines out and my flyline gets tap tap tap.. ZZZ! I hook up. Sheepshead! Nice 14 incher. I'm trying to get the hook out when all of a sudden my line with the balloon starts SCREAMING. ZZZZZZZ!!!!!! and everything I learn goes right out the window!!
I pick up the pole and turn the clicker off, which creates an instant backlash in the spool! Then without thinking I stop the now furiously spinning spool with my THUMB!!! I was on a circle hook so that's all it needed for the fish to hook! I throw the reel in gear and FISH ON!! Yellowtail !!!
A shorter fight and Jeff sticks the metal into the head and THUMP! Yellowtail number 3 on deck!!!
http://i422.photobucket.com/albums/pp304/ericchungw/clemente/7.jpg
Another round of high fives and our lines are back out. With no love for another hour or so, we decide to do a quick move down the line. No love there. So we decide to do a troll. As we're trolling we see another boat hook up and as they leave, we take their spot.
I toss out my fly line squid and it starts taking line. I set into gear and ZZZZ!!! Oh yeaahh. Right kind.
I'm on 20lb line now and we see a seal come swimming over. Shiitake mushrooms!! Jeff tosses a bonito over and success! The seal takes the bonito and goes away. Then another seal seeing an easy meal comes running over to my yellowtail. We toss out our last bonito and pray that no more seals come. And Jeff sticks the metal and THUMP!! One burn blistered thumb and yellowtail 4 hits the deck for the Keilani!!!
http://i422.photobucket.com/albums/pp304/ericchungw/clemente/6.jpg
My 2 smaller models
We try for about another half hour without bites so we decide to head over to catalina during the afternoon lull here and maybe get an evening bite in at Catalina. We fished catalina for about a half hour while eating our last man-wiches and head back over snotty weather to the mainland.
First ever yellowtail and 3 at that! Including 1 pig. This all after 1 week from my first Sea bass. Thank you Skipper Jeff!! I guess that's why they call him webmaster!
Tight lines!!!
"want to fish the islands?"
Immediately I call him up and tell him I'm gonna buy some supplies and head on over!
Got the sandwiches (which eventually turn into man-wiches once we put the cheese and bacon on em!) and snacks (still amazed and what can be sold for 99cents!) and headed over.
Got to the launch ramp and launched around 2 to some pretty snotty conditions. Long beach had no bait so we headed straight for Catalina.
We got to Catalina and made a few calls to some squid boats but found out there was no squid on the island and Lance, the owner of a squid boat in Catalina, said he wouldn't be making any that night either. We had 9 pounds of frozen with us, and making squid at Catalina had been pretty tough for us as of late, so we opted to head straight for San Clemente Islands.
Had some pretty snotty conditions to Clemente, and by the time we made it over I was pretty soaked but I didn't mind. First time at San Clemente Islands and itching to catch my first yellowtail ever!
We pulled up along a cove on the backside next to a couple other private boaters and a couple squid boats. While we were finding a spot to anchor we see one of the private boaters stick a gaff down. At first we got all excited thinking we're going to hit a nice evening yellow bite, but it turned out to be a halibut on the other end of the gaff.
Anywhos, we anchor up at a spot in the cove right about 8pm. We toss out some frozen squid trying to get an evening bite going. Jeff's clicker starts screaming and he hooks up. Turns out to be a nice 15inch 2-3lb calico. He says, "This is average Clemente Calico," which gets me all excited because all I ever catch at Catalina are the 11.5 inch calicos, which have been named "Eric's calicos"
Aside from a couple other clicker screams that resulted in bat rays, some being HUGE mud marlins, the night was pretty uneventful.
We tossed out the squid light trying to make some live bait. We found the clemente squid float alot better than the Catalina squid, and within a couple hours of "whack a mole" trying to catch squid darting by, we had around 150 pieces of nice live squid ranging from littly 1.5 inchers to big ol'e candy 8 inch squid. I called it a night around 1 a.m.
I woke up at 5:30 am to grey light and Jeff already fishing. Nothing had been going on, no birds crashing, no other hook ups. Jeff had said this cove had been producing big ole yellowtail in the A.M., so we'd stick it out here for a few to try to get something to bite.
just then... ZZZZZ clicker screams and Jeff's first to hook up. We're thinking big big yellow, this thing is staying down and doesn't want to come up. He's fighting this thing and we're passing the pole around the anchor line trying to keep this sucker clear. Just when we think its giving up it takes another run. We're thinking BIG BIG yellow. When this thing hits the surface it turns out to be a bat ray!! ARGHH. Jeff- King of the batrays strikes again!
Then its my turn for the clicker and I hook up. Instantly I could tell its a batray, but its another huge mother trucker!
After a semi-long arm burning back aching battle we have batray number 2 up for the day. Now both of us have aching backs and sore arms. This definitely gives the big yellows an advantage now that both of us have fought and landed 100lb grade batrays.
3rd clicker scream and its Jeff's again. This one DEFINITELY didn't look like a batray at all. Staying down and fighting like.. A HALIBUT. Once again, we're thinking big big hali. But sad to say, this one ended up cutting the line. We checked the line. clean cut. Whatever it was, it wasn't a batray, and it had teeth!
All poles are out again. My rod is next with the clicker. ZZZZZ!!! It screams I instantly hit the reel into gear and I feel it load up. I crank on it reel fast (circle hook) and the line starts screaming. ZZZZ!!!! Feels super heavy and I'm thinking another big big bat ray. But wait. Did I just feel a headshake? Could it be? I don't want to jinx it, but I think I definitely felt a headshake. Then a strong run right and around the anchor line. I pass the pole to Jeff on the bow and he frees the fish. Just then the fish takes a huge run and Jeff looks at me with dead serious eyes, "This is a big fish!" and passes the pole back to me. Pressures on now! First possible yellow I've ever hooked into in my life. A Ton of thoughts are running into my head: Don't lose this fish. Is this a batray? Please don't be a batray. Did I tie a good topshot knot? This fish is running hard and running strong and It doesn't want to give up.
http://i422.photobucket.com/albums/pp304/ericchungw/clemente/NewImage.jpg
Action Shot
http://i422.photobucket.com/albums/pp304/ericchungw/clemente/4.jpg
Just when I think its coming up, it takes another long run.
http://i422.photobucket.com/albums/pp304/ericchungw/clemente/2.jpg
Some of these runs were SOOO wicked. All I could do was just hold on the pole while that thing swam for the deep.
Eventually the fish comes close enough for me to get a visual.
"I SEE COLOR AND IT AIN'T NO BATRAY!.... YELLOWTAIL!!!!"
Just then it takes another run ZZZZZ!!! and goes deep again.
I'm wondering, is this thing ever going to get in? I'm on 25 lb test and this thing is definitely putting the line to the test!! Think- remember batray training. Batray training. Batray training. Slow and steady. Let the boat do the work. Let it tire out. Short pumps. Short pumps.
Eventually the fish gets close enough and Jeff sticks it right in the head. THUMP!! As the fish hits the deck and its all jubilation as I see my first yellowtail EVER bleeding on the deck of the Keilani.
http://i422.photobucket.com/albums/pp304/ericchungw/clemente/5.jpg
First and PB (obviously) Yellowtail for me!!! Last week was my first Seabass ever on the Keilani and one week later I get my first yellow. Thank you Skipper!!!
By this time my arms super sore and my backs killing me but I'm all smiles. I'm thinking, wow. First yellowtail ever, what a trip!
But wait. Webmaster says its not over. We gotta go over to the front side and hit the afternoon schoolie bite!!!
We head straight for the front side and do a couple drifts. The next 6-8 fish were calico bass for me... 11.5 inch calico bass. Jeff swears they followed me from Catalina because the Clemente calicos are bigger. They must have followed me. It was pretty funny stuff.
Then we see some flying fish jumping out of the water and some bait boils. Webmaster says, "those flying fish aren't jumping for nothing" and then SPLASH!! BIG BIG BOIL. the right kind!!
We head closer in and anchor up. Jeff and I toss out our flylined squid. I've got one squid under a ballon fishing further back. Jeff's line gets ripped. Turns out to be a bonito. My flyline gets ripped and its another bonito. I'm thinking, darn, were all those boils bonito boils back there?
Then Jeff's line gets ripped and it looks small. Maybe mackerel? The pole was doing that rapid twitch things from mackerel trying to swim against your drag. Webmaster says, "I don't know... it bit like a bonito.." Then all of a sudden ZZZZZZ!!! The fish starts taking off!! "RIGHT KIND RIGHT KIND!" he yells out.
The fish does 3-4 SOLID SOLID runs before Webmaster sticks it with the gaff and lands it on deck. I tried to gaff it at first, but my noobie self failed. (I guess all that practice gaffing on mackerel and blue perch didn't pay off! haha. Next time i'll get the gaff right!)
http://i422.photobucket.com/albums/pp304/ericchungw/clemente/8.jpg
NICE yellowtail for webmaster.
We toss our lines out and my flyline gets tap tap tap.. ZZZ! I hook up. Sheepshead! Nice 14 incher. I'm trying to get the hook out when all of a sudden my line with the balloon starts SCREAMING. ZZZZZZZ!!!!!! and everything I learn goes right out the window!!
I pick up the pole and turn the clicker off, which creates an instant backlash in the spool! Then without thinking I stop the now furiously spinning spool with my THUMB!!! I was on a circle hook so that's all it needed for the fish to hook! I throw the reel in gear and FISH ON!! Yellowtail !!!
A shorter fight and Jeff sticks the metal into the head and THUMP! Yellowtail number 3 on deck!!!
http://i422.photobucket.com/albums/pp304/ericchungw/clemente/7.jpg
Another round of high fives and our lines are back out. With no love for another hour or so, we decide to do a quick move down the line. No love there. So we decide to do a troll. As we're trolling we see another boat hook up and as they leave, we take their spot.
I toss out my fly line squid and it starts taking line. I set into gear and ZZZZ!!! Oh yeaahh. Right kind.
I'm on 20lb line now and we see a seal come swimming over. Shiitake mushrooms!! Jeff tosses a bonito over and success! The seal takes the bonito and goes away. Then another seal seeing an easy meal comes running over to my yellowtail. We toss out our last bonito and pray that no more seals come. And Jeff sticks the metal and THUMP!! One burn blistered thumb and yellowtail 4 hits the deck for the Keilani!!!
http://i422.photobucket.com/albums/pp304/ericchungw/clemente/6.jpg
My 2 smaller models
We try for about another half hour without bites so we decide to head over to catalina during the afternoon lull here and maybe get an evening bite in at Catalina. We fished catalina for about a half hour while eating our last man-wiches and head back over snotty weather to the mainland.
First ever yellowtail and 3 at that! Including 1 pig. This all after 1 week from my first Sea bass. Thank you Skipper Jeff!! I guess that's why they call him webmaster!
Tight lines!!!