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surf204z
07-31-2007, 01:50 PM
My good buddy and I headed over to Catalina Sunday evening in his new 19 foot C-Dory. We left out of Davies around 5:30pm and as soon as we got out of the breakwall we saw an overturned jetski with 3 girls in the water. We contacted harbor patrol and hung out until help arrived. The girls didn't have a clue and should not of been out there. Help arrived as the girls were drifting closer and closer to the breakwall. We had done are good deed and we were now on our way!!

The drive over with the sunset in the background

http://fishingnetwork.net/images/tmp2/DriveOver.jpg :lol:

We made it over in about two hours and got a nice mooring inside Avalon Harbor.

img]http://fishingnetwork.net/images/tmp2/moonlightmooring.jpg[/img]

We decided to pump up our ghetto dingy and get a bite to eat.

http://fishingnetwork.net/images/tmp2/pumpraft.jpg

After dinner and a drink, we called it a night and got some decent rest before heading out Monday morning. We headed to the backside to explore a little. We were going to be Free Diving primarily and our target was YELLOWTAIL. The water on the backside was not going to be good today for Free Diving. The water was green and there was some swell. It was nice checking out some spots that we had never been to and just enjoying the solitude. We stopped at Little Harbor and Catalina Harbor to have a look see. I threw some Iron for no luck at a couple spots on the backside.

A lot of the boats at Cat. Harbor looked like they had been there for some time. This is a lot different scene than Avalon. No glass bottom boat rides here!!

http://fishingnetwork.net/images/tmp2/CatalinaHarbor.jpg

We continued the rest of the way around the West End and set up for our first dive somewhere between Black Rock and Arrow Point. The water was nice and the visibility was Fair - Good. Maybe 30 feet. The Navajo gets in the water first and I soon follow. 15 minutes into the dive he yells for some help. I kick over and he has a nice Yellowtail thrashing about and he his trying to keep it out of the kelp. I dive down grab a hold and subdue the fish with my knife. The Navajo kicks it back to the boat and I hang out for another 20 minutes hoping for another Breezer to come through. No luck.

Captain Navajo with his Yellow....

http://fishingnetwork.net/images/tmp2/navajoyellowtail.jpg

Dive #2 was around the Indian Rock area. 5 minutes into the dive we see 5-8 Yellowtail come through the area but a little out of our range. We don't take any shots and continue up current in hopes of finding more. Unfortuantely, we did not spot anymore Yellowtail the rest of the day. If I would of known that, I would of taken a shot at one of the ones we saw earlier.....Thats how it goes sometimes.

We set up around Lion Head for a little fishing and for the Navajo to take a little nap. The fishing sucked. I did manage to land this beautiful Guitar Fish on a piece of cut squid.

http://fishingnetwork.net/images/tmp2/guitarfish.jpg

I threw a lot of iron (mint and wounded soldier) but got no takers. We saw tons of Calicos on every dive, a fair amount of barracuda, average to below average amounts of baitfish, and various perch by the truckload.

We decided to dive the Rock Quarry area before we headed home. No Yellowtail.

I was feeling left out on the action and took a shot at a Barracuda.

http://fishingnetwork.net/images/tmp2/barracudashot.jpg

All in all it was a great day out on the salt.

Captain Navajo on the ride home....

http://fishingnetwork.net/images/tmp2/navdrivehome.jpg

Saying goodbye to the ISLAND

[img]http://fishingnetwork.net/images/tmp2/islandgoodbye.jpg[/img












:cry: :P [/b]

Baseballer44
07-31-2007, 01:56 PM
Nice pics! Atleast you got one yellowtail. If thats the way to catch them in Cat, I might have to invest in some spearfishing gear. 8) Nice guitar

ReelSkunkH8ter
07-31-2007, 02:54 PM
Nice yellow!!

while I was looking at the pictures , i was thinking ..it would be interesting to see a free-diver with spear vs east coast barracuda!!

Congrats and applaud the patience to stay and see those girls through.

Baseballer44
07-31-2007, 03:12 PM
Hey I got a question for you guys. How deep of water are you in when you see the yellows and cudas, and how coles to the surface are they?

Just trying to get some good inside scoop. 8)

surf204z
07-31-2007, 05:27 PM
Baseballer44,

The key to nabbing a Yellowtail along the island is to stay just outside of the kelp line. Usually, we are in about 60-100 feet of water. If you are inside of the kelp or right along it, you are not out far enough. The Yellows will breeze through generally in about 80 feet of water and when you see a lot of baitfish it is a good time to stop and look for one to come through.

Surf204z

surf204z
07-31-2007, 05:31 PM
Baseballer44,

I forgot your second question. How deep. All ranges I am sure but generally this time of year, in this setting, they are pretty close to the surface. We are not diving deep for these guys and the one my buddy took on this trip he nailed from the surface. The same kind of goes when we dive the Paddies between Catalina and the Mainland.

Baseballer44
07-31-2007, 05:37 PM
Thanks a lot surf204z. I just cant get enough of the tips. :wink:

k3vin_kim
07-31-2007, 05:43 PM
Screw the fishing!!! What about the 3 chicks?!?!!?? Man if it were me, I would have demanded... payment... for saving their lives.

Oh... what's that? you don't have your wallet on you? It's okay... you can just rest your soar little head down on my lap...

you ladies are drenched... look at you~! here, let's get you out of those wet little bikini's...

fishincrzygrl
07-31-2007, 06:50 PM
thats awesome. i would love to try spearfishing sometime. thanks for the report. good job out there.

Greg Madrigal
07-31-2007, 06:54 PM
Great report. Looks like a fun trip regardless. ! yellow is better than NO yellows! :D

GM