8/17 Twilight Nautilus Newport Landing (skunked)

[jplee3]

So if my report on the overnighter to San Clemente a while back wasn't bad enough, this one should top it.

Long story short:
Everyone else caught fish. I didn't (as in, I didn't catch a single fish).

It was frustrating and demoralizing. My buddy caught a couple. The girl to the left of me kept pulling up fish like she was digging gold out of a mine. And all these newbies kept pulling up fish left and right. Many fish were toads too.
I kept getting taps here and there, but no steady pulls and not one single hookset. Except on a rock... luckily I didn't lose my tackle over that.

Everyone was using squid [and catching, besides me]. Lots of baitballs of sardines running around but only the seals seemed to be eating them.

All in all, it sucked. I really don't have the desire to go on anymore twilights just because chances are I'll come home empty-handed, tired, and grumpy as hell.

And to think, I've made all these equipment acquisitions, and seemingly all for nothing. What a waste of time and money... but oddly enough, I still want vengeance. It only gets worse every time I hit the water and skunk out too. After a night like tonight, it's easy to get in the vicious cycle of thinking I'll come home empty-handed from now on. And assuming the worst for every outing.

All I wanted was at least one fish on. JUST ONE! Even if it was a dink... I really could have cared less. Even if I wasn't planning to keep any of the catch. JUST ONE...
I guess I got a little kick out of poking the stupid seal with the tip of my rod when it got a little too close to the boat.

Sorry guys, this is my first time skunking out 100% so I need to let the steam out.

At least we stopped by Alejandro's on the way home for some good ole' Mexican food. California burrito and carne asada taco put me in a happier place. But now that I'm thinking about how I didn't catch anything again, I feel like punching a hole through the wall. Or punching several holes through the wall.

Anyway, time to take a shower. I have a wedding to go to tomorrow and I don't want to be grumpy for that.

[k3vin_kim]

Sorry about that J. hey btw, did you read my report on my twilight trip last night? About how I limited in like 25 minutes? yeah it was great. 2-5 pounders all over the boat. :P

[breeze71]

jplee3.

If you caught fish every time you went out, fishing would probably be a previous hobby. You just have to study what they were doing right and what you were doing wrong. Ask yourself questions on presentation, line types, line thickness, weights, hooks, scents, etc...

Keep your chin up my friend. What puts you down, can only make you stronger.

Breeze~

[JP]

That's why it's called fishing and not catching... Fishing happens. Sometimes your the hot stick, sometimes you just can't get the stink off.

My buddy and I went twilight fishing a week ago. It was my night and I was on! I caught and released over 18 Sand Bass. My buddy who as skilled a fisherman as I caught 1.

Keep at it, it will all come together. If you decided to give up, let me know what type of gear your willing to part with. :wink:

[one_leg]

Too bad, you'll have an epic day in good time.

One_Leg

[IslandBoi]

Dude, that sucks ...

Have you tried the Spitfire out of Redondo or even the So. Cal out of Long Beach, I always come home with something on those boats

[JapanRon]

Hi jplee3,

Are you kidding !! :D :D With others pulling in the fish left and right ..... there is proof right there that catching a fish was NOT what was needed to be addressed on that trip!! Forget the fish ..... did you go through your complete arsnel of stuff and then invented some approach?!

In the end, on a no-fish trip ..... gear don't mean jack, newbies catching fish means nothing, anglers fishing on both sides of you limiting out in 10 minutes is to be shrugged off!

If you've read my reports .......... you know that I am one of the best skunk artists in the business. I think I had 3 consecutive 3/4-day trips I got skunked on a legal fish last year!! Didn't get mad .... just puzzled and reflective on what else I might have done.

Don't know how you delt with it on deck but ...... one sure way to get bit and actually have a chance on a 'skunk day' is to throw your whatever out and (if conditions allow) lean you rod against the rail and just watch it! You'd be surprised at how that breaks the skunk!!

When I see a skunk looming in the distance ... I will start throwing just about everything in my bag of plastics just to satisfy myself that it's pretty much my fate and not being frustrated or bummed to a point it effects my presentation!

If all else fails get mad 'at yourself' for not trying hard enough to get that one fish.

your also-skunked buddy,

JapanRon

[jplee3]

Thanks guys!

Kev, yea I saw the report. WTG! And WTRII (Way To Rub It In :D :D :D :evil: haha jk)

Breeze, you're absolutely right. I was limiting myself to two setups: one at 12lb and the other at (probably much to heavy) 20lb. Maybe the fish were line shy last night. Of course, most of the noobs were catching their fish off rental rods, which were most likely loaded with lighter line? Everyone was using a reverse dropper, which is what I was doing at first... more on that later.

JP, yep. I seem to fish and not catch a whole heckuva lot. It sounds pretty stupid, but I actually can get 'competitive' about it, especially if nothing's biting MY line. Kinda like those people in class who always get A's on their tests, even if everyone else fails, and how you just want to punch them in the face :D jk Funny thing is, I didn't enter the jackpot either last night. Didn't want to put my money to waste. I guess I'm usually right on in terms of not getting involved in the jackpots because I know I'm not gonna catch anything. Hahaha.

one_leg, soon enough. soon enough. I just don't want to have to spend a gargantuan amount of money before being able to have a "good time." :P

IslandBoi, Haven't been out on the spitfire or socal yet. I've heard good things though. Do those boats get crazy crowded though? I don't know how I'd fare on a really crowded moo-moo. The most ppl on the rides I've gone out on has been like 30-35 max.

Ron, thanks for the encouragement. I do skim through your reports... mostly in search of the pictures :D Sorry, I'm just a visual guy who can't read good [or, properly: "well"]:). But overall, I get the gist of them and how you always are switching it up and trying new things (i.e. the pics of all the creative swimbaits :) )
I'm feeling better now, but still disappointed at my lack of achievement. It's a pride thing...
Anyway, re: the reverse dropper loop, I actually started with that but wasn't getting any action so started switching things up as you've hinted towards. But not enough I guess. I did try using a bucktail with a squid strip and got a couple good bites but I apparently don't know how or when to set the hook.
I was getting so tired and frustrated 3/4 of the way through that I just wanted to drop whatever I had in the water and leave it there as opposed to trying new things. Of course, that didn't seem to work either. I guess I need to get into the mentality of trying new things more often when I'm feeling a skunk. The part that sucks though, is when everyone else around you is catching everything, you kinda just want to keep going at it because pride tells you so (sorta like gambling!)!
I guess I just need to consider it 'practice' in times like these... and very expensive practice at that (well, after it all adds up).


EDIT: Actually, one thing I'm sorta happy about is that fact that I didn't birds nest a single time last night! W00t! Hahahaha jk

[IslandBoi]

If you go out on the So Cal. in the am during the week, it's a nice ride, 20-25 if thay, the pm is a little more crowded maybe 30-35

Never tried it on the weekends though, JapanRon might know.

With me going back to work Monday, my weekday trips are gone, and now I have to succomb to those weekend trips with all those fishermen...ARGH

If you can, definately go out on the So. Cal during the week

[JapanRon]

Hi again jplee3,

Can't let it go! Gotta get ya pullin' in the fish. Here's some stuff you might consider.

1) Get a spool of 12 (better) or 15lb-test Seaguar fluorocarbon to use as leader material. Large diameter makes it very durable.

2) Get some Spiderwire 30lb-test braid as a main line. Becoming very castable nowdays. Expensive but you only need half the 300yd spool at a time if even that for local fishing. Put this on a spare reel for use when there are low angler loads.

3) Fish a reaction bait .... instead of bait so you can cover the water-column quicker and more effectively.

4) Going on the Southern Cal ..... get there early enough to get on the stern.

Better luck and increased effectiveness next time!

JapanRon

[MexicanPistachio]

I was on the same boat. It was a bad night as 4 of us caught 3 sandbass and 2 sculpin. What upset me on the trip was that we left 10 min late and after waiting another 10 min to get bait he decides to not get bait and take off. The fishing was slow but it was still a nice night to be out.