Tunaslam
04-21-2011, 10:01 AM
Fishing Wednesday, 04-20-11 with Lal, on his private boat: “Rubber Ducky”. I met Lal at his house in Cerritos at 4am. Loaded my gear and off to San Diego. On the way down we got a good dose of April showers. Arrived Shelter Island at 6am.We launched a little later, stopped at EB for a sweet scoop of perfect sized sardines, and cleared the harbor at 6:20am. The seas were calm, but a little lumpy, allowing us to go 25 knots until about midway to North Island. The larger swells, combined with about six knots of wind, slowed us down to 20 and then within three miles of Pukey Point, we were down to 18 knots.
We reached Pukey Point a little after 7:00 am. We were all alone, until another private boater arrived a bit later. Conditions were good: water temps at 61.6 degrees, very clear with a grayish blue tint, not much of a swell. We slow trolled Sardines around the Point, up the weather side partway, and then down the Lee side partway. Areas we have caught fish in years past. There were excellent meter marks of bait over the high spots. There were no working birds, which was not a good sign. Never metered any Yellowtail, or saw any boils.
I had hoped to find out where the San Diego had caught their Tails on Tuesday, but did not find any before I had to hit the sack at 10pm. Looked again at 3:30am and still didn’t see an update. Turns out it didn’t matter as the Sand Diego struck out for the day. We did know that it was a late bite after 1pm, which allowed us to not worry much until later in the day.
After an hour we made a move to the Middle Grounds. Conditions were similar to Pukey, 61.4 degree water, clear, but on the greener side, a bit more lump. A ton of birds were diving and crashing on the weather side of the Middle Grounds. A couple of other private boaters were also working the area, didn’t see any hook ups, and no one responded to our hail of asking if anything had been caught? Off in the distance we saw the San Diego head down to Ribbon Kelp and then turned around and came right by us. They did a few circles around the working birds and then moved on down South Island to South Kelp and then all the way to the Rockpile. The Malahini arrived shortly later and also continued on to South Kelp.
We again both slow trolled sardines and drifted over some nice pinnacles in the area. Leaving the fly lined sardines in the rod holders, Lal threw out a plastic, and I Yo Yoed a scrambled egg CP105. We both caught Lingcod and Reds on the first drift, released the Lings, kept the Reds. It was a fast drift, so we reset up again, the birds were still working all around us, but no signs of Yellowtail anywhere. Another Lingcod, another small Red, and a Sugar Bass, added to the count, all released on this drift.
Made one more drift for nada, so we decided to go find the San Diego, to make sure we weren’t missing anything. Took a quick look at South part of the Island, didn’t look like anything was happening there, no encouraging signs. Ran by south kelp, also no action was seen. Ran down to the Rockpile’s high spot. A few private boaters were drifting, while way outside to the west was the Sand Diego, I guess fishing deep water Rockfish? The Malahini was further south, but was just beginning to pull the anchor.
We made a few drifts through the area, some small marks on the meter over a few pinnacles, but no biters. The Rockpile simply looked washed out, although water temps were also 61.5. At 10 am it started capping. The San Diego headed north and so did the Malahini. Given the conditions we joined them on the trek north. The San Diego set up way out on the Westside of South Kelp, looked to be deep water Rockfishing again? It was the last we saw of them! The Malahini made several stops in the Middle Grounds and moved on to North Island.
A number of times the sun came out and made it pleasant, with jackets off, however, there were squalls off in the distance with obvious rain. The clouds came and went, but no rain for us.
Coming up the lee side of South Island, we took another look at the Ribbon Kelp area, nothing. Stopped in the Middle Grounds, and made a drift. We both caught a Calico Bass on our plastics while soaking sardines. No birds, no signs, and worsening conditions. It was after high noon, winds were easily 15 knots, with the swells building. Saw the Malahini pull into Pukey Point, after stopping mid island on the lee side for a short time.
A private boater in a Parker answered our hail after slow trolling right by us in the Middle Grounds. They claimed to have metered Yellowtail, but no biters. We never once saw a meter mark that resembled any Yellowtail, although they sure should have been there?
We decided to take one last look at Pukey Point. Water temps were now up to 62.2 degrees, water still looked very clear. The only birds were working the chum line set by the Malahini. We drifted and slow trolled sardines until 2pm, when conditions got to the point where it was time to head for the barn. The Malahini had long since left after setting up anchor several times in different locations.
Got beat up going back to Point Loma, could only run 12 to 14 knots, fortunately did not get wet, as the Ducky is a dry boat unless the spray from the wind is really bad. On the Trailer at 3:20pm, back in Cerritos at 6pm, with I guess only a tail between our legs? That’s fishing! This year, so far is sure hit and miss? Gad we both wanted to catch something that pulled back and were drooling for some Hamachi Sashimi, darn!
Thanks Lal, next time we’ll get them?
Hook up!
Cory
We reached Pukey Point a little after 7:00 am. We were all alone, until another private boater arrived a bit later. Conditions were good: water temps at 61.6 degrees, very clear with a grayish blue tint, not much of a swell. We slow trolled Sardines around the Point, up the weather side partway, and then down the Lee side partway. Areas we have caught fish in years past. There were excellent meter marks of bait over the high spots. There were no working birds, which was not a good sign. Never metered any Yellowtail, or saw any boils.
I had hoped to find out where the San Diego had caught their Tails on Tuesday, but did not find any before I had to hit the sack at 10pm. Looked again at 3:30am and still didn’t see an update. Turns out it didn’t matter as the Sand Diego struck out for the day. We did know that it was a late bite after 1pm, which allowed us to not worry much until later in the day.
After an hour we made a move to the Middle Grounds. Conditions were similar to Pukey, 61.4 degree water, clear, but on the greener side, a bit more lump. A ton of birds were diving and crashing on the weather side of the Middle Grounds. A couple of other private boaters were also working the area, didn’t see any hook ups, and no one responded to our hail of asking if anything had been caught? Off in the distance we saw the San Diego head down to Ribbon Kelp and then turned around and came right by us. They did a few circles around the working birds and then moved on down South Island to South Kelp and then all the way to the Rockpile. The Malahini arrived shortly later and also continued on to South Kelp.
We again both slow trolled sardines and drifted over some nice pinnacles in the area. Leaving the fly lined sardines in the rod holders, Lal threw out a plastic, and I Yo Yoed a scrambled egg CP105. We both caught Lingcod and Reds on the first drift, released the Lings, kept the Reds. It was a fast drift, so we reset up again, the birds were still working all around us, but no signs of Yellowtail anywhere. Another Lingcod, another small Red, and a Sugar Bass, added to the count, all released on this drift.
Made one more drift for nada, so we decided to go find the San Diego, to make sure we weren’t missing anything. Took a quick look at South part of the Island, didn’t look like anything was happening there, no encouraging signs. Ran by south kelp, also no action was seen. Ran down to the Rockpile’s high spot. A few private boaters were drifting, while way outside to the west was the Sand Diego, I guess fishing deep water Rockfish? The Malahini was further south, but was just beginning to pull the anchor.
We made a few drifts through the area, some small marks on the meter over a few pinnacles, but no biters. The Rockpile simply looked washed out, although water temps were also 61.5. At 10 am it started capping. The San Diego headed north and so did the Malahini. Given the conditions we joined them on the trek north. The San Diego set up way out on the Westside of South Kelp, looked to be deep water Rockfishing again? It was the last we saw of them! The Malahini made several stops in the Middle Grounds and moved on to North Island.
A number of times the sun came out and made it pleasant, with jackets off, however, there were squalls off in the distance with obvious rain. The clouds came and went, but no rain for us.
Coming up the lee side of South Island, we took another look at the Ribbon Kelp area, nothing. Stopped in the Middle Grounds, and made a drift. We both caught a Calico Bass on our plastics while soaking sardines. No birds, no signs, and worsening conditions. It was after high noon, winds were easily 15 knots, with the swells building. Saw the Malahini pull into Pukey Point, after stopping mid island on the lee side for a short time.
A private boater in a Parker answered our hail after slow trolling right by us in the Middle Grounds. They claimed to have metered Yellowtail, but no biters. We never once saw a meter mark that resembled any Yellowtail, although they sure should have been there?
We decided to take one last look at Pukey Point. Water temps were now up to 62.2 degrees, water still looked very clear. The only birds were working the chum line set by the Malahini. We drifted and slow trolled sardines until 2pm, when conditions got to the point where it was time to head for the barn. The Malahini had long since left after setting up anchor several times in different locations.
Got beat up going back to Point Loma, could only run 12 to 14 knots, fortunately did not get wet, as the Ducky is a dry boat unless the spray from the wind is really bad. On the Trailer at 3:20pm, back in Cerritos at 6pm, with I guess only a tail between our legs? That’s fishing! This year, so far is sure hit and miss? Gad we both wanted to catch something that pulled back and were drooling for some Hamachi Sashimi, darn!
Thanks Lal, next time we’ll get them?
Hook up!
Cory