08 / 10 Local 3/4-Day Moo-moo Trip To SBJ and Izors

[JapanRon]

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h313/tsurikichi/0810ezine11P1.jpg
http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h313/tsurikichi/0810ezine11P2.jpg

[Tunaslam]

Way to go Ron.

[JapanRon]

Hi Tunaslam,

Thanks. You can imagine how tough it is on an anchored cattleboat hitting spots that have been hammered day in day out with the plastics ONLY routine ...... and 57 degree and falling water temps !! That's a week after the water plummeted from 70 to 58 in 5 days !!

This and last year were insane !! 128 cuda on Tuesday .... 1 yesterday ! ha ha ha

JapanRon

[CastMan]

Ron you have more patience than me so god bless you!!! lol This is why I loathe cattle boats on the weekends since more people equals greater chance of a "jackass" encounter! lol Fishing seems to attract some strange characters! I always worry more about what kind of people I'll be fishing with than I do the actual fishing but I do have plenty of good memories fishing this way. Also lost some nice fish due to inexperienced anglers...you know the kind that refuse to budge from there spot when your working a yellow down the rail!

[JapanRon]

Hi CastMan,

Yes, once you kinda know the routine on a moo-moo, it's a lot easier to take the rough spots ! ha ha ha My tale of my railbuddy was written with a slight smile as that guys is not gonna change and good that others are forewarned !

I am one of these guys that fish ONE spot on the boat, nor do I tolerate some idiot 2-tiering me on a 3/4-Day boat fishing locally !! Obviously, I don't run around every time I see someone hook a fish either. :) I can SEE that the boat is set up so that say ..... just the port mid-ship is bit consistantly .... trip in and trip out ..... this one can understand from knowing the skippers setup habits by .....going weekly for years. I still am happy to take the challenge and fish my spot. That's what the ball and chain graphic on my plastics only insert means ... that I usually have in my reports.

I think guys are surprised when they see I have no problem taking my rod and moving totally out of the corner/spot when someone has either a good or uncontroled fish or a bird that needs unhooked and ends up on the stern starboard corner. Some of the guys giving me the eye then .... I KNOW would just somehow keep on fishing one way or another. To them, I'm making a point .... I move for the situation NOT for some thugish dolte that thinks they ought to get their way and fish where they want, when they want !!

On the strange characters ...... I suspect WE're ALL kinda strange characters by just being the avid anglers we have become !! My club buddies average 60+ (including me) but can act like a bunch of 10 year-olds at times.

Fun times on the boats the majority of the time for sure.

JapanRon

[CastMan]

Well Ron it's been quite a few years for me since I've been on an open party boat but when I did go there used to be something called "rotating" to give everyone a chance at the stern (which used to be the sweet spot, depending on how the captain sets up of course). There were times that the fishing was so good for me where I was that I have voluntarily given up my spot to someone else who wasn't catching fish.

I think that if we all go out there with each other in mind, like one big team for the day, it would be a whole lot better time on these boats! Perhaps it should be common place for the captain or deckhands to give a sort of "plan of attack" speech to the anglers as to fishing etiquette, safety and team work so that everyone does not have the excuse of ignorance. It would I believe at least help to train the younger generation to be courteous and thoughtful towards other anglers while fishing. Oh and the guy that you described Ron, ya I've seen him! He must be 100 years old by now because I have seen him on many different boats at many different places since I was a kid! Ha, ha!!!

[JapanRon]

Hi again CastMan,

Totally agree with you on how it SHOULD be...... alas what you've described is near a lost experience on MANY 1/2 and 3/4 local boats. As I am set in my ways, I get to the landing at 1:30~2:30 am (for first-come-first-serve ticketing landings ONLY) and .... I fish ONLY boats I know do NOT rotate.

As you've noted, you've not been on the boats in a while and the cattleboat culture has changed BIG-TIME ...... so much so that I fear you would just shake your head sadly ....at some operations .... as some folks here who've fished 20 or 30 years on the boats could attest. On some operations, the newbies, the timid, the older folks can be bullied, driven out of their alloted spots, even 2-tier~ed with rods positioned over their shoulders so close they couldn't even strike a fish if they wanted .... and the decks, who depend on some of the 'pushers' to put fish on the cleaning table or getting the JP money one way or another, will say nothing !! Happyly ..... there are still a number of boats/crews ... ranging from some from the 3 landings on the south coast to MDR that have crews that make the moo-moo experience a fun one and run an honest ship. Not fished Channel Island boats to understand thier operations so no thought on how they operate.

Of course, SD is again a toally different culture, with OFTEN larger, cleaner, and more expensive fares ... but still focusing on the regulars getting the primo spots and often hanging on to them.... one way or another. Seen it as a visitor there while doing surveys on certain operations. Kind of a secret shopper !

Still 99% of folks collectively on the boats are there to have a good time and will respect the unspoken 'group' thing while one must simply deal with the occasional 1%. Plenty of trips where it's 100% happy vibes !!

Reading this reply ..... those unfamiliar with my reports might think I'm knocking cattleboats ....... but actually I'm advocating their patronage .... that is being aware of a need to dismiss some operations .... and that there are good boats to find i.e. a couple of home boats with which one can pretty much depend upon a uniform .... good experience from landing, boat, crew, and usual patrons.

Ah yes ...... THAT guy ...... the one where no rules apply ! ha ha ha

Hope to see you on the boat sometime. Just getting out is a treat at times !!

JapanRon

[smokehound]

What a punk. I woulda chewed his head off. I would have said "You're welcome, you bloated clit!"

[murrieta angler]

Some people,
What ya gonna do Ron!?!
Thanks for the report,
Robert
<><

[TUNAVIC]

Keep up the good reports Ron,truly appreciated and I understand everything your saying and concur,look forward to meeting you some day,till then keep up the informative all inclusive posts!

[CastMan]

Ron honestly I don't know what to say. The idea of no rotation is not a big deal on weekday boat where numbers are down but I don't know it sounds like it's turned into greed and favoritism at some landings by what your saying. When I fish I fish hard and I do everything I can to fight the skunk but having to either bully my way in or deal with someone trying to bully me ain't gonna happen. I won't impose myself on someone and someone trying that with me is gonna remember it, let me tell you!

I go to have a great time and hopefully make new friends so hopefully when I do decide to return to an open party boat there will be a bit more comradery (did I spell that right?). Ron if your there that early then perhaps you deserve that spot after all!!! Ha! That is way to early for me my friend! Ha, ha! I'm in San Pedro Ron and I'd hope to see you out there sometimes as well bud!

p.s Getting to the landing that early I think might be a bit dangerous! Be careful Ron, I know how the local ares can be!

[JapanRon]

Hi yet again,

Don't like to sound so negative but when a single landing facility must have a security guard 24-7, a reputation for getting vehicles broken into on even a 1/2-day trip period, truck spares, tools, etc. being stolen regularly in a parking lot removed from the facility and one of their boats having to put a big 3 X 4 foot sign, written in 2 inch letters stating the boat is not responsible for damage or theft of tackle and visiable to everyone that goes anywhere on the boat .... plus all the horror stories ... all I gotta say is ..... it is what it is ! :) My secret to sanity is to choose and patronize boats that I can be pretty sure will provide a fishing evniornment that ..... as you say I can 'have a great time and hopefully make new friends' or at least make a few decent railbuddies and chat with other 'nice' regulars!!

For new folks following this thread and who might think Yikes !!..... be assured there are many good, well maintained boats and or great crews that will provide you with a great trip experience. Some trips are great even with few fish caught but the right bunch of folks !!

1) Find those honest, friendly, and reasonably productive boats and patronize them loyally is the key. Better to be aware there might be difficulties than 'paying their dues' as many of us old timers had to do on the boats. How well I have become aware that the consumers of today are much more proactive and will not put up with that mentality and take flight not to darken a gangplank again.
2) Depending on the level of the experience .... give a boat more than one chance if it shows promise.
3) Know who the crew and skipper is for fair comparison in case you get two wildly different experiences on subsuquent trips or hear/read reports by others.
4) You should also know that the patron mix will vary according to season where Winter will often have a higher rate of regulars and is more laid back... whereas ... the Summer and the big fish-count times will see a big increase in the rate of occasional angler, newbie, as well as the lower-tier meat-hog which at times reaches a high intensity.
5) Go with some buddies so that you've more than just your own perspective.
And ...
6) Oh ya .... and .... ya gotta keep a sense of humor when coming across all of the unintentioned stuff and..... the things newbies (i.e. us when we started) do starting their moo-moo experience.

So CastMan ....... I too look forward to the day we'll meet on the deck of a favorite moo-moo ...... assuredly one that meets the standards we would concur were reasonable and straight-shooting.

JapanRon

[Hooked Up]

Yes JapanRon, a person's patience and sanity can be tested on partyboats! The storie's we could tell. Here is a quick one. While on a partyboat out of 22nd St one trip, I bounced a Barrie over the rail and onto the deck. The man next to me says, hey, your fish is getting my shoes dirty. The guy was wearing what looked like leather slip- ons and dress slacks? My buddy and I looked at each other and started laughing. I told him that he shouldn't of worn those shoes if he didn't want them to get wet or dirty. So the next Cuda I hook I call for the gaff. The deckhand gaff's the fish and flops it on the deck right next to this guy. Now there is Blood And slime everywhere! The look on that guy's face was priceless. Great post as always JapanRon. Thanks :)

[CastMan]

Hooked Up that story is classic! Ha, ha!!! Ya I've seen that guy or at least some of his descendants before!

Well said Ron! I do try and keep as positive as possible and I'm sure I'll be out there sometime.

[JapanRon]

Hi smokehound,

What's funny is .... I could have said something like that but ...... there is no way he could comprehend the meaning of the words or phrase I was using !! Honestly ..... that's some funny stuff !!

JapanRon

[JapanRon]

Hi murrieta angler,

Guess all I can do is share the funnyness of the situation with folks which ...... often puts things back into a more real-world perspective for me too.

JapanRon

[JapanRon]

Hi TUNAVIC,

Thank you for the kind words. Always look forward to your reports or shared info here and elsewhere too.

JapanRon

[JapanRon]

Hi Hooked Up,

Yikes !!!! Actually, I'm guilty of a similar sin ...... confession is good for the soul right ?!

My best railbuddy (red #6 right of me) has the habit of bouncing his Barracuda properly. For those that don't know it's the following .....

1) Fight fish till you can pretty much lay it flat in the water and if gaff is nearby it gets nailed easily
or else
1) Keeping the fishes head just under the water, lower the rod and wind till there's about 3 or 3 1/2 feet between fish and rod tip.
2) Yell, 'comin' over'.
3) Look behind you and if clear ....
4) Take the reel out of gear but thumb the spool HARD before you start the single, smooth, slightly angled towards you ....complete lift of the fish while simultaneously taking one step backwards.
5) Continue lifting the fish till the tail clears the rail and lighten pressure on the spool so the fish is in a controlled fall between yourself and the rail to the deck !! That's a perfect bounce ..... practice makes perfect !

Problem is ..... he lets the fish thrash around on the deck hitting people on both sides while he borrows a pair of dikes, unhooks the fish, gets his rod set back up, winds in the excess line, goes over to open his bag, back then ... sometimes waits for the deck to put the fish in the sack or takes it himself !! This drives me crazy and I whine but alas ... my complaints fall on deaf ears !!

As said ...... whatcha gonna do .....gotta compromise on some stuff !!

JapanRon

[eddiefishtaco]

Cool report dude, you are a graphic artist,
colors, nice pics and fun to read

[JapanRon]

Hi eddiefishtaco,

Thanks ..... not to shabby yourself either !! Been following you and your fishing adventures for a pretty long time now. Keep the faith (contributing to our sport/recreation/lifestyle) and keep 'em comin' !!

JapanRon