Jackpot Jimmy
07-08-2012, 11:29 AM
Friday aboard the Tradition saw some high hopes that surface action would turn on as it did in the few days prior. By the end of the day, we would not be disappointed. Unfortunately, we didn’t see it first thing in the morning. We scanned the bay looking for signs of barracuda, which had shown up mid-week, and found nothing. We stopped on a couple of reefs for a little pick on the bass, but nothing really substantial.
As afternoon loomed, we headed down to the kelp line and tried a few spots for nothing more than a few calicos. Then the sun came out, and conditions really turned on. The calicos were biting the flylined baits really well. Then, some exotics crashed the party.
“Yellows up on the bow guys,” screamed Captain Steven Konrady from the top of the bait tank. “Soak some baits up there. Throw a jig at ‘em.”
The fish were bigger ones, definite “tackle busters.” People broke out the heavy tackle and started fishing hard. It was then we got our first hook-up on one. It was hooked on a jig, and immediately swam toward the kelp. Unfortunately, not long after the hook-up, the fish was lost due to a bent hook on the jig. Important lesson learned – when fishing for yellows, make sure your jigs are equipped with some heavy duty hooks.
The next hook-up didn’t come from the bow, but from the stern. One of our regulars, Robert Westphal, was flylining a sardine along the edge of the kelp on 30 pound line. The fish took him into the kelp, but he was able to muscle it out and bring it to color. The fish was buried in one final stringer just below the surface, and once it was out of there, it was stuck on Captain Konrady’s gaff, and the first yellowtail of 2012 for the Tradition came aboard.
http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/Jackpot-Jimmy/105_0534.jpg
While not one of the "tackle busters" we were seeing, Robert's fish was a solid 15 pounds.
Others continued to fish hard to catch a yellowtail, but there weren’t any more hook-ups, even though we continued to see then boil around the boat. For those that were interested in calicos, there was very good potential for them. They were voraciously eating the rubber lures if placed along a certain lane along the kelp line. I have no doubt they would have eaten a surface iron as well.
With that very exciting afternoon, hopes were high for Saturday’s ¾ day trip on board the Tradition. However, it was only an afternoon bite, so we’d have to find something to fill our time during the morning. We once again looked hard for the barracuda, and today, we found them.
Gar fishing was pretty much full-rack for the first couple of drifts. Any jig that hit the water was bit not long after. Flylined baits yielded an instant bite. A lot of these fish were quality grade – six, seven, and eight pound fish were very common. But it was also a mixed school – several shorts were safely released.
Kevin Kim was out on the boat with his girlfriend, Jang, and she got her very first barracuda. I’m glad to see she was treated to such a great bite early in her fishing experiences.
http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/Jackpot-Jimmy/600249_377173282348676_1324258731_n.jpg
After a round of epic barracuda fishing, we would jump back on the main school and get another great round. By 9am, we had well over 100 fish on the boat. It was then that the fish scattered out, and we had to do a little searching to find the main school again. Steve-O found it and we had a few more great rounds on the gar. The great thing about the morning was that sea lions were not a problem at all.
http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/Jackpot-Jimmy/105_0537.jpg
http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/Jackpot-Jimmy/105_0538.jpg
http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/Jackpot-Jimmy/105_0540.jpg
http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/Jackpot-Jimmy/105_0541.jpg
http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/Jackpot-Jimmy/105_0542.jpg
http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/Jackpot-Jimmy/105_0543.jpg
We had 175 barracuda by late morning when we made a venture down to the kelp in hopes for another afternoon bite. Unfortunately the current was relatively slack compared to the day before, so we didn’t have a repeat of the good calico bite and yellowtail show. A few guys caught some nice bottom grabbers, including a nice sheephead.
http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/Jackpot-Jimmy/105_0535.jpg
And with that, we end two trips of promising fishing and epic fishing aboard the Tradition. The barracuda fishing was excellent and the yellowtail show was a nice surprise. Once the bass fishing bounces back a little more, true summer fishing will finally be here. Great times, great fishing!
I think Kevin or Jang will make a report on Saturday's trip...coming soon!
As afternoon loomed, we headed down to the kelp line and tried a few spots for nothing more than a few calicos. Then the sun came out, and conditions really turned on. The calicos were biting the flylined baits really well. Then, some exotics crashed the party.
“Yellows up on the bow guys,” screamed Captain Steven Konrady from the top of the bait tank. “Soak some baits up there. Throw a jig at ‘em.”
The fish were bigger ones, definite “tackle busters.” People broke out the heavy tackle and started fishing hard. It was then we got our first hook-up on one. It was hooked on a jig, and immediately swam toward the kelp. Unfortunately, not long after the hook-up, the fish was lost due to a bent hook on the jig. Important lesson learned – when fishing for yellows, make sure your jigs are equipped with some heavy duty hooks.
The next hook-up didn’t come from the bow, but from the stern. One of our regulars, Robert Westphal, was flylining a sardine along the edge of the kelp on 30 pound line. The fish took him into the kelp, but he was able to muscle it out and bring it to color. The fish was buried in one final stringer just below the surface, and once it was out of there, it was stuck on Captain Konrady’s gaff, and the first yellowtail of 2012 for the Tradition came aboard.
http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/Jackpot-Jimmy/105_0534.jpg
While not one of the "tackle busters" we were seeing, Robert's fish was a solid 15 pounds.
Others continued to fish hard to catch a yellowtail, but there weren’t any more hook-ups, even though we continued to see then boil around the boat. For those that were interested in calicos, there was very good potential for them. They were voraciously eating the rubber lures if placed along a certain lane along the kelp line. I have no doubt they would have eaten a surface iron as well.
With that very exciting afternoon, hopes were high for Saturday’s ¾ day trip on board the Tradition. However, it was only an afternoon bite, so we’d have to find something to fill our time during the morning. We once again looked hard for the barracuda, and today, we found them.
Gar fishing was pretty much full-rack for the first couple of drifts. Any jig that hit the water was bit not long after. Flylined baits yielded an instant bite. A lot of these fish were quality grade – six, seven, and eight pound fish were very common. But it was also a mixed school – several shorts were safely released.
Kevin Kim was out on the boat with his girlfriend, Jang, and she got her very first barracuda. I’m glad to see she was treated to such a great bite early in her fishing experiences.
http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/Jackpot-Jimmy/600249_377173282348676_1324258731_n.jpg
After a round of epic barracuda fishing, we would jump back on the main school and get another great round. By 9am, we had well over 100 fish on the boat. It was then that the fish scattered out, and we had to do a little searching to find the main school again. Steve-O found it and we had a few more great rounds on the gar. The great thing about the morning was that sea lions were not a problem at all.
http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/Jackpot-Jimmy/105_0537.jpg
http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/Jackpot-Jimmy/105_0538.jpg
http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/Jackpot-Jimmy/105_0540.jpg
http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/Jackpot-Jimmy/105_0541.jpg
http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/Jackpot-Jimmy/105_0542.jpg
http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/Jackpot-Jimmy/105_0543.jpg
We had 175 barracuda by late morning when we made a venture down to the kelp in hopes for another afternoon bite. Unfortunately the current was relatively slack compared to the day before, so we didn’t have a repeat of the good calico bite and yellowtail show. A few guys caught some nice bottom grabbers, including a nice sheephead.
http://i391.photobucket.com/albums/oo358/Jackpot-Jimmy/105_0535.jpg
And with that, we end two trips of promising fishing and epic fishing aboard the Tradition. The barracuda fishing was excellent and the yellowtail show was a nice surprise. Once the bass fishing bounces back a little more, true summer fishing will finally be here. Great times, great fishing!
I think Kevin or Jang will make a report on Saturday's trip...coming soon!