Tunaslam
11-15-2012, 10:18 AM
Fishing Wednesday 11-14-12, with Bill Fisher, on his 18’ Trophy, “Toad Hall”. I left my work in San Bernardino at 3:10pm; arriving at Bill’s Trailer residence on a cliff overlooking the water, some 10 miles south of Rosarito at 6:15pm Tuesday evening., after stopping at Charley’s, a close by restaurant, for a couple of fish and shrimp tacos to go.
I enjoyed some Merlot wine with my Tacos, while Bill was sipping on a Bud, as we discussed the next day’s fishing possibilities. The weather was forecasted to be calm all day and we were most likely going to start at the Finger Bank.
We could not get the Laker Game, as Bill has Direct TV, and nothing else in sports was appealing, so we channel surfed for most of the evening. Lights went out at 9:00 pm with a 5:00am rise and shine call. We woke up to a tiny breeze and mostly grease calm seas. Just past grey light we arrived in Las Salinas, where Bill slips his boat. We exited the harbor around 6:00am, into Lake Pacifica conditions. There was an extremely high tide.
We were fishing by 6:30 am and the first fish on was hooked at 6:31am, as Bill and I both caught Salmon Groupers on our first few drops, and then added a couple Green Stripes, Starries and Santa Marias. On our next spot, we both caught Copper Rockfish. Unlike our previous trip, the deep water fishing was excellent.
Bill moved us about a quarter mile to a little over 300 feet in depth, rising to 280 and dropping off to over 400. Bill hit bottom and was slammed on his Shimano Butterfly Jig. Bill hollers no doubt that it is a Lingcod, with violent head shakes. I was also hammered when I hit bottom and brought up a double on the Lingcod, both about 24 inches and released. I went and found the Gaff, as Bill states he sees the fish and its good size. Yep it was a nice Lingcod about 30” in length, with a deep brown color. A solid head shot and Ling is on the deck:
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Bill-Las%20Salinas-11-14-12/000_0006680x510.jpg
I drop back down and thought I had hooked the bottom. Then the rod tip begins to bob and weave, and I pull the Ling off the bottom, out of its cave. Whew! Bill is ready with the gaff and my Lingcod is Blue in color and 31”.
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Bill-Las%20Salinas-11-14-12/000_0004680x510.jpg
Bill moves us back up to the spot. We both hit bottom and we both have our Jigs inhaled. It was Lingcod fest. I kept my second Ling at 27” and Bill released his, about the same size. Throughout the day we ended up releasing about a dozen lings each, with many in the 24 to 27” size.
My second Lingcod:
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Bill-Las%20Salinas-11-14-12/000_0002680x510.jpg
After several hours of great fishing, we headed south toward Salsapuedes to fish the shallower spots under 150 feet with Plastics and Mega Bait Lures. The weather remained sensational all day. We caught 20 or more Bocaccio, each. We also caught Johnny Bass, Green Spots, Starries, Barber Poles, Chocolate Rockfish, and a limit of Reds. The Majority of our fish caught in the shallows were released safely.
A picture of one of my Reds caught on a 5” MC Red Flake Plastic:
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Bill-Las%20Salinas-11-14-12/000_0008680x510.jpg
The fishing was off the charts and I went through a bunch of Plastics chewed to pieces. We caught a few Calico Bass and no Sand Bass today, kind of strange, given how good the fishing was? Here is my only Calico Bass caught:
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Bill-Las%20Salinas-11-14-12/000_0010680x510.jpg
At 2:00 pm we headed north and hit a few more spots along the way, and they were still biting. We called it a day at 3pm. The ride back was as pleasant as it gets, since it is generally uphill, not today, like a pancake.
A few more pictures:
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Bill-Las%20Salinas-11-14-12/000_0005680x510.jpg
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Bill-Las%20Salinas-11-14-12/000_0001680x510.jpg
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Bill-Las%20Salinas-11-14-12/000_0007680x510.jpg
Cleaned the fish we kept outside the harbor, and found the harbor at a minus tide level and gad we got stuck in the mud. With some help from a local in a wetsuit the boat was hand towed off the sand burr and pulled back out towards the mouth, and then following a different route, which was being dredged, we made it back to the dock.
The day’s catch:
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Bill-Las%20Salinas-11-14-12/000_0011680x510.jpg
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Bill-Las%20Salinas-11-14-12/000_0012680x510.jpg
It was now nearly 5pm when we returned to Bill’s and I immediately loaded my gear into my truck, before beginning the long journey home to Diamond Bar. Picked up a few more fish and shrimp tacos from Charley’s for dinner.
Otay Mesa was said to be a 10 to 15 minute wait at the border, which took me 32 minutes in the ready lane. With kind traffic I made good time driving home and pulled into my driveway in Diamond Bar at 8:30 pm.
Bill another amazing trip, and as always I had a blast, thanks so much for the invite, and fabulous hospitality. Another fun day on the big pond!
Hook up!
Cory
I enjoyed some Merlot wine with my Tacos, while Bill was sipping on a Bud, as we discussed the next day’s fishing possibilities. The weather was forecasted to be calm all day and we were most likely going to start at the Finger Bank.
We could not get the Laker Game, as Bill has Direct TV, and nothing else in sports was appealing, so we channel surfed for most of the evening. Lights went out at 9:00 pm with a 5:00am rise and shine call. We woke up to a tiny breeze and mostly grease calm seas. Just past grey light we arrived in Las Salinas, where Bill slips his boat. We exited the harbor around 6:00am, into Lake Pacifica conditions. There was an extremely high tide.
We were fishing by 6:30 am and the first fish on was hooked at 6:31am, as Bill and I both caught Salmon Groupers on our first few drops, and then added a couple Green Stripes, Starries and Santa Marias. On our next spot, we both caught Copper Rockfish. Unlike our previous trip, the deep water fishing was excellent.
Bill moved us about a quarter mile to a little over 300 feet in depth, rising to 280 and dropping off to over 400. Bill hit bottom and was slammed on his Shimano Butterfly Jig. Bill hollers no doubt that it is a Lingcod, with violent head shakes. I was also hammered when I hit bottom and brought up a double on the Lingcod, both about 24 inches and released. I went and found the Gaff, as Bill states he sees the fish and its good size. Yep it was a nice Lingcod about 30” in length, with a deep brown color. A solid head shot and Ling is on the deck:
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Bill-Las%20Salinas-11-14-12/000_0006680x510.jpg
I drop back down and thought I had hooked the bottom. Then the rod tip begins to bob and weave, and I pull the Ling off the bottom, out of its cave. Whew! Bill is ready with the gaff and my Lingcod is Blue in color and 31”.
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Bill-Las%20Salinas-11-14-12/000_0004680x510.jpg
Bill moves us back up to the spot. We both hit bottom and we both have our Jigs inhaled. It was Lingcod fest. I kept my second Ling at 27” and Bill released his, about the same size. Throughout the day we ended up releasing about a dozen lings each, with many in the 24 to 27” size.
My second Lingcod:
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Bill-Las%20Salinas-11-14-12/000_0002680x510.jpg
After several hours of great fishing, we headed south toward Salsapuedes to fish the shallower spots under 150 feet with Plastics and Mega Bait Lures. The weather remained sensational all day. We caught 20 or more Bocaccio, each. We also caught Johnny Bass, Green Spots, Starries, Barber Poles, Chocolate Rockfish, and a limit of Reds. The Majority of our fish caught in the shallows were released safely.
A picture of one of my Reds caught on a 5” MC Red Flake Plastic:
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Bill-Las%20Salinas-11-14-12/000_0008680x510.jpg
The fishing was off the charts and I went through a bunch of Plastics chewed to pieces. We caught a few Calico Bass and no Sand Bass today, kind of strange, given how good the fishing was? Here is my only Calico Bass caught:
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Bill-Las%20Salinas-11-14-12/000_0010680x510.jpg
At 2:00 pm we headed north and hit a few more spots along the way, and they were still biting. We called it a day at 3pm. The ride back was as pleasant as it gets, since it is generally uphill, not today, like a pancake.
A few more pictures:
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Bill-Las%20Salinas-11-14-12/000_0005680x510.jpg
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Bill-Las%20Salinas-11-14-12/000_0001680x510.jpg
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Bill-Las%20Salinas-11-14-12/000_0007680x510.jpg
Cleaned the fish we kept outside the harbor, and found the harbor at a minus tide level and gad we got stuck in the mud. With some help from a local in a wetsuit the boat was hand towed off the sand burr and pulled back out towards the mouth, and then following a different route, which was being dredged, we made it back to the dock.
The day’s catch:
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Bill-Las%20Salinas-11-14-12/000_0011680x510.jpg
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Bill-Las%20Salinas-11-14-12/000_0012680x510.jpg
It was now nearly 5pm when we returned to Bill’s and I immediately loaded my gear into my truck, before beginning the long journey home to Diamond Bar. Picked up a few more fish and shrimp tacos from Charley’s for dinner.
Otay Mesa was said to be a 10 to 15 minute wait at the border, which took me 32 minutes in the ready lane. With kind traffic I made good time driving home and pulled into my driveway in Diamond Bar at 8:30 pm.
Bill another amazing trip, and as always I had a blast, thanks so much for the invite, and fabulous hospitality. Another fun day on the big pond!
Hook up!
Cory