How to catch big calico bass?

[Catalina CD]

I'm fairly new to saltwater fishing. Moved out to Catalina Island 4 years ago, and finally have a boat to fish with. Been catching a lot of small calico's, and can't seem to find the big ones. I know they are around because I hear others catching them, but they are not willing to say how (islanders are very protective regarding fishing around here). Any tips would be appreciated. Thanks.:Big Grin:

[Ifishtoolittle]

You're a catch and release guy right? No take-o on the calicios?

[stepchild]

big bait = big fish

[ghetto dad]

good luck man....and yea...please release the big calicos.....

have fun man

GD

[Catalina CD]

Yes, I do release the real big ones. However, I do like to keep a couple mid-sized ones (12"-15") for dinner. What do you recommend for bait for bigger calico's? Can they be caught by simply using squid, or do you have to use a bait fish? Any artificial lures that work well?

[stepchild]

Yes, I do release the real big ones. However, I do like to keep a couple mid-sized ones (12"-15") for dinner. What do you recommend for bait for bigger calico's? Can they be caught by simply using squid, or do you have to use a bait fish? Any artificial lures that work well?

war baits,3/4-1 1/2 once,4-6 big hammers,,and go to work...

[Troutcz swimbait]

Sling a MC slug into the kelp pocketts ,that should get you a toad.It works for me.

[lovefofish]

toast SLEDGE HAMMER/ 2ounce warbaits slayer head, burnt

[Ifishtoolittle]

Okay, no one is really giving you specifics and I'm a little too tired to help you out so here's info from another site. Oh, people are going to hate me for this. :LOL:

http://www.bdoutdoors.com/article/fishing/calico-bass-fishing-tips/4

Not exactly how to catch bigger bass, but I'll make a follow up post.

[DockRat]

You're a catch and release guy right? No take-o on the calicios?

I don't understand your C&R on Calicos ? This is not some City Park Lake were talking about. The So Cal Calico population is very healthy and Catalina has no shortage of them. If someone wants to eat some Calicos especially a Island resident more power to them.

If anyone wants to help the Calico, WSB, Bait and all the other species that live in the kelp then
RELEASE ALL SHEEPHEAD Sheephead eat Sea Urchins.
Urchins eat the Kelp Holdfast Root and DESTROY KELP BEDS!
MORE SHEEPHEAD = MORE KELP = MORE CALICOS.
Places like N PV have too many Urchins. The kelp beds should be twice a big.

MLPA No Take zones at areas where Urchin Divers Harvest can have a reverse affect than what the Kelp Huggers want.
I talked to a Urchin Diver that had 300 lbs of big live 5" urchins he got in 3 hours at Pt Vicente.

When MLPA takes affect he wont be able to harvest in the 'No Take Zone' so the urchins will multiply and eat more kelp hold root and could turn a MLPA No Take Zone into a MLPA DEAD ZONE.

http://i153.photobucket.com/albums/s207/happykelp/kelp.jpg
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d12/Devildd78/kelp_forest_15_4.jpg
http://i150.photobucket.com/albums/s88/drunkentiger765/sm2.jpg BAD PIC !!!
http://i286.photobucket.com/albums/ll95/lswms/sheephead.jpg GOOD PIC !!!

I don't care much about a dead 5 lb Calico but
Dead Sheephead really Turns My Stomach :Angry:

More Kelp Improves Offshore Paddy Fishing Too. More Kelp = More Paddy's
Saving PBers TONS of gas money in search of Paddy's.

Calico is a great eating fish especially when fresh.
It is the Sand Bass that I would pass on. You sound like a converted to salt LMB guy.


Sling a MC slug into the kelp pocketts ,that should get you a toad.It works for me.

At the Fred Hall Show Brandonfish and I saw Jimmy Decker showing his Toad Calico method. He uses a YT or WSB Kelp Cutter setup. 60 lb Braid, short flouro leaded and a
8" Slug with a huge 4/0 hook Leadhead with the tip buried as a weedless setup.

Then he said he rips it out there and reels fast so it will skip over the top of the kelp to draw attention. Then when it hits a open pocket in the kelp he lets it sink and says the Big ones attack it.

MC Slug

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff78/Jesstuna/MomandGemsBasspic014.jpg
DR

[DockRat]

Okay, no one is really giving you specifics and I'm a little too tired to help you out so here's info from another site. Oh, people are going to hate me for this. :LOL:
.bdoutdoors.com/article/
.

http://i304.photobucket.com/albums/nn190/kenziesmama_photos/SWTE.jpg Lol
DR

[ghetto dad]

DR...come on....you KNOW ( or at least I thought you did) that the Calico Bass population is NOT as healthy as it used to be....back in the day, you could catch 3-6 lb calicos all day on the Candy Bar.....i started fishing the Islands at about the age of 12....till now....it has declined dramatically from where it used to be, especially on the larger ones....

anyways...good luck with the bass fishin bro...


GD

[smokehound]

Bigger lures+ bigger hooks = bigger fish. Far fewer hookups, but quality goes up vastly.

[Ifishtoolittle]

I don't understand your C&R on Calicos ? This is not some City Park Lake were talking about. The So Cal Calico population is very healthy and Catalina has no shortage of them. If someone wants to eat some Calicos especially a Island resident more power to them.

If anyone wants to help the Calico, WSB, Bait and all the other species that live in the kelp then
RELEASE ALL SHEEPHEAD Sheephead eat Sea Urchins.
Urchins eat the Kelp Holdfast Root and DESTROY KELP BEDS!
MORE SHEEPHEAD = MORE KELP = MORE CALICOS.
Places like N PV have too many Urchins. The kelp beds should be twice a big.

MLPA No Take zones at areas where Urchin Divers Harvest can have a reverse affect than what the Kelp Huggers want.
I talked to a Urchin Diver that had 300 lbs of big live 5" urchins he got in 3 hours at Pt Vicente.

When MLPA takes affect he wont be able to harvest in the 'No Take Zone' so the urchins will multiply and eat more kelp hold root and could turn a MLPA No Take Zone into a MLPA DEAD ZONE.



I'm like a fricken hippie when it comes to the lives of fish. Honestly, I don't like to see anyone take any fish unless absolutely necessary and even then it shouldn't be the oldest and largest one of bunch. But that's just me.

[Ifishtoolittle]

Okay Catalina CD, here's my crack at trying to put you one bigger Quelicos.

First off, I must inform you that I'm not much of a Calico fisherman and all the stuff I'm about to tell you is just stuff I've heard from my uncles, watched from vids, and some brief observations from my Moo Moo outings.

As everyone here is saying use larger size lures you know those 9" sledge hammers, large MC slugs, hell why not even a freshwater trout swimbait. I've also been speculating about using this technique but I get literally zero chance at ever trying this. Most people who fish for Calicos tend to use either live/dead bait or swimbaits both are very good at snagging up kelp if not weedless. Thus, my solution for that is to acquire a large creature type plastic perhaps in the 6"+ range, T-rig it or use a weedless jig head. The reason for this is that instead of being limited to fishing the edges or pockets of a kelp line now you can throw right into it where the big boys probably hang out, again this is just me assuming crap. With this lure set-up I would say use a heavy rod something in the 15-40 range X-heavy action, 40-50lb topshot of Flurocarbon with 65lb spectra, that way you can pull the calico out of the kelp.

Also, when you catch smaller calicos try stomach pumping them note what their feeding on, and maybe up the size of your lure that resembles the forage.

In closing, my post is cluttered, and just try using techniques that are out of the norm, fish in the most unusual areas, and think like the a Calico. This is how I see it when it comes to fish they're like people they respond to changes in conditions, they have preferred foods, and they like to hang out in specific areas. Big calico= lazier, smarter, experienced, and fights a hell of a lot harder than its smaller counterparts.

Here's a result of me chucking a live squid into the thickest kelp line at San Nic.

http://i661.photobucket.com/albums/uu337/Ifishtoolittle/DSCF0092.jpg

[ghetto dad]

very nice reply IFTL!!

you also might want to try to throw Tady 45 Mint Green over the kelp that is "layed down" this is by far my favorite way to catch Calicos....other than throwing Spanish Macs and Green Macs in the kelp for them

PLEASE RELEASE LARGER BASS...thanks

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i292/ghettodad/Tide%20change%209%208%2009/SDC10322-1.jpg

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i292/ghettodad/tide%20change%209%207%2009/SDC10317-1.jpg

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i292/ghettodad/Tide%20change%209%208%2009/SDC10324-1-2.jpg

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i292/ghettodad/tide%20change%208%2031%2009/SDC10278-1.jpg

ALL FISH RELEASED!

ive caught MANNNNNYYYYYY big bass with the iron over the years...

good luck

[smokehound]

Paralabrax fish grow super slowly.. a ten-year old fish is only 10-12 inches long!