plumbertom
08-30-2007, 01:53 PM
Fishing Channel Islands 8/29
My friend Joe and I left for Channel Islands Sport fishing about 9pm Tuesday for our free ride on-board the Pacific Islander for a overnight trip that was chartered by my son-in-laws office. This is the same trip that was canceled by the landing last month.
We got to the landing and signed in then we were obliged to wait until 10 minutes before the scheduled 11pm departure time before boarding. What's up with that? Are they afraid your gong to get a few extra minutes on-board time?
All the other charters I've been on will let you board and put your gear away when you arrive if the boat is ready. Instead we got to watch the crew stand around and shoot the s#!t.
Talking to the boat captain, he said it was his intention to make bait (squid) when we got to the Islands about 3am and then move in for a try at some WSB and maybe some Halibuts on the fin bait, then round out the day with rockfish.
The best laid plans of mice and men, things didn't go quite like that.
The seas were choppy going out and of course we were headed straight into it, this forced the boat to slow down so our crossing was not only a rough ride it took a lot longer to get there. When we arrived at the squid grounds at 5am there was little time to make squid before sunrise even though they put out the lights and I jigged along with 8 others. There was a current blowing below the boat that was unbelievable took 8 oz weights to get to the bottom and when you did you were a long way from being below the lights. So no squid for us meant rockfish was the main target.
By 6am the boat was underway and heading for the first stop, I didn't expect it to take 2-1/2 hours to find it, first drop wasn't until after 8:30am.
Now, I don't know the Pacific Islander as I never been on it before but that boat did not seem to lay to the wind in a manner that was conducive to rockfishing. Each time they would set up for the drop the boat would drift in such a way that the lines would be running along the rail instead away from it, result, massive tangles on every stop.
Never the less, there were plenty of willing bottom grabbers to be caught even though they were for the most part on the small size. I did catch one very nice Copper Rockfish in my full limit but I didn't catch any fish outside the rockfish bag limit. On the boat rockfish limits were the rule and there was one legal Ling Cod taken along with a couple of Sheepshead, one of which took the jackpot at about 10lbs.
At 2pm the boat captain called an end to the fishing and started back.
For an over night trip it seemed like he cut it short by a couple of hours. Not everyone had filled their limit by then and you are now allowed to fish for the Boat limit.
After the 4 hour ride back to the harbor I felt they could have easily stayed out for two more hours instead of offering no more fishing time on an overnight-er than on a full day trip.
A drive home exhausted and pack the fish away in the 'fridge for the morning.
Overall the trip was good, the crew worked hard to try and keep up with the tangled lines and getting the fish in the bags, trying to help those that were inexperienced and just being as helpful as possible.
And after all it was a free boat ride for me.
My friend Joe and I left for Channel Islands Sport fishing about 9pm Tuesday for our free ride on-board the Pacific Islander for a overnight trip that was chartered by my son-in-laws office. This is the same trip that was canceled by the landing last month.
We got to the landing and signed in then we were obliged to wait until 10 minutes before the scheduled 11pm departure time before boarding. What's up with that? Are they afraid your gong to get a few extra minutes on-board time?
All the other charters I've been on will let you board and put your gear away when you arrive if the boat is ready. Instead we got to watch the crew stand around and shoot the s#!t.
Talking to the boat captain, he said it was his intention to make bait (squid) when we got to the Islands about 3am and then move in for a try at some WSB and maybe some Halibuts on the fin bait, then round out the day with rockfish.
The best laid plans of mice and men, things didn't go quite like that.
The seas were choppy going out and of course we were headed straight into it, this forced the boat to slow down so our crossing was not only a rough ride it took a lot longer to get there. When we arrived at the squid grounds at 5am there was little time to make squid before sunrise even though they put out the lights and I jigged along with 8 others. There was a current blowing below the boat that was unbelievable took 8 oz weights to get to the bottom and when you did you were a long way from being below the lights. So no squid for us meant rockfish was the main target.
By 6am the boat was underway and heading for the first stop, I didn't expect it to take 2-1/2 hours to find it, first drop wasn't until after 8:30am.
Now, I don't know the Pacific Islander as I never been on it before but that boat did not seem to lay to the wind in a manner that was conducive to rockfishing. Each time they would set up for the drop the boat would drift in such a way that the lines would be running along the rail instead away from it, result, massive tangles on every stop.
Never the less, there were plenty of willing bottom grabbers to be caught even though they were for the most part on the small size. I did catch one very nice Copper Rockfish in my full limit but I didn't catch any fish outside the rockfish bag limit. On the boat rockfish limits were the rule and there was one legal Ling Cod taken along with a couple of Sheepshead, one of which took the jackpot at about 10lbs.
At 2pm the boat captain called an end to the fishing and started back.
For an over night trip it seemed like he cut it short by a couple of hours. Not everyone had filled their limit by then and you are now allowed to fish for the Boat limit.
After the 4 hour ride back to the harbor I felt they could have easily stayed out for two more hours instead of offering no more fishing time on an overnight-er than on a full day trip.
A drive home exhausted and pack the fish away in the 'fridge for the morning.
Overall the trip was good, the crew worked hard to try and keep up with the tangled lines and getting the fish in the bags, trying to help those that were inexperienced and just being as helpful as possible.
And after all it was a free boat ride for me.