Tunaslam
06-16-2013, 08:10 AM
Knowing that work, family obligations, and vacation over the next three weeks would keep me off the water, at least in Southern California, perhaps not in Costa Rica, I needed one more fishing fix on Saturday, before I hang up the rods for an extended time period.
Fishing with Jeff on his 24’Skipjack, the “Kolamono”, Sat. 6-15-13, I returned to the scene of the crime that occurred Wed. I arrived at Jeff’s house at 5:30 pm in La Mirada and we headed to Davies Launch ramp in Los Alamitos. We stopped at Nachos for a half scoop of Live Squid for insurance purposes, little did we know it was definitely not needed?
Our beginning destination was the backside of the island, near Silver Canyon where we anticipated the squid to float. We arrived at the Island at 8:40 pm and there about 6 to 10 other boats scattered from Church Rock to west of the Vees.
We began our task of finding promising looking marks for squid. There was a scratch here and there, but nothing to get excited about. We drifted with the light out and picked at a few, yet nothing to anchor up on. So we moved further west and found a likely mark. Within seconds a rather large white shadow appeared from below. Jeff dropped the anchor and I already had used the big net to scoop up about a dozen squid. Jeff pulled the Crowder out and holy Moses, the squid appeared in mass. I kicked myself for not taking a picture; however, we were way too busy for that.
The first set on the Crowder stuffed the first bait tank and the second crowd the other bait tank. The third filled the cooler and we were done. We actually over did it, too much in each bait tank as 60 % died, yet that still left more than enough live to fish with and way too much fresh dead to chum with.
My gosh, it was lights out early 9:30 pm. Jeff stayed up to take it all in, but I crashed after a very busy week. Interesting enough, even hours after the squid light was turned off, the anchor light held the squid near the boat. The seals appreciated the assistance in providing an easy dinner?
We both set out gear for the night/morning potential bite. I woke up at 4am, if a healthy desire to pee. The lines out were all slack, except for my jig outfit. I reeled one up and it contained a small pug nosed shark, which I didn’t recognize? The lines were in major Fubar condition, prompting complete re-rigging on all. I woke up Jeff and we turned on the deck light to re setup our gear. The white shadow of squid still surrounded the boat. We also were surrounded by seals and huge Riso Porpoise enjoying the feast.
Grey light came and went for nothing. No Bass, no Barracuda, no Mud Marlin and of course no White Seabass. Jeff pulled anchor and we decided to drift through the area. At 6am Jeff gets bit by the right kind. It sounded immediately and then made a run for the surface, oh no, not a Mud Marlin. Nope, shortly thereafter, after a trip to the bow and then back, the beautiful sight of Silver appeared. I gaffed the Ghost and then my dropper Loop outfit went off. The drag was screaming out, albeit all on the surface. Whew then it sounded, although I have had Bat Rays do that too. No this time it was another Ghost. I worked it to the boat and it made one last run, I pumped it to the boat, and just as Jeff went to stick it, a giant seal grabbed it and that was that! Even on 50 pound I couldn’t recover the fish ad eventually broke off, as we watched the seal slap the WSB on the surface a 100 yards out.
A picture of Jeff’s Ghost, a 30 pounder:
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Jeff/100_2615680x510_zps075af21b.jpg
Three hours later, and two false alarms with Rays, that was all we had to show for our efforts. Conditions were very different from Wednesday’s trip. The current ran away from the island, instead of in. The Bass and Barracuda were not biting, although we did catch two Barracuda and this one Calico Bass in four hours:
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Jeff/100_2618680x510_zps8d593a90.jpg
Jeff made a move and we tried a number of other areas. We got bit by a few Calico Bass. All released to fight another day. Low tide at 9:30 meant we were in slack tide. The wind picked up, and everything changed quickly. We returned to the area that produced on Wed. and now the drift was into the island, albeit at a very rapid pace. Things still didn’t seem fishy? Then we caught a few more Barracuda and some Calico Bass. Jeff gets hammered and Ghost number two is hooked. A great fight and I stick the fish, a bit bigger model at 35 pounds:
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Jeff/100_2620680x510_zps3c1b9153.jpg
Since the limit for WSB increased to three each today, we could continue fishing for them. The wind kicked up another notch, and the bite simply died, nothing. The drift was really too rapid, so we anchored up. Still nothing bit at all. Hung in there until noon, when we pulled anchor and headed east stopping on meter marks all the way to Church Rock. Still nothing, so we anchored at seal rock and cleaned the two White Seabass:
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Jeff/100_2621510x680_zpse69edde4.jpg
Jeff likes to remind everyone that on his boat a Banana is not unlucky? Personally I don’t like to tempt fate, and refrain from bringing one on board, although really I don’t eat them anyhow, way too fattening!
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Jeff/100_2623680x510_zps61da675b.jpg
The wind was blowing a good 12 to 15 knots and we set a course for home at 1:45 pm. The ride back was surprisingly comfortable, with the wind dying after we cleared the island. We arrived back at the dock at 3:00pm.
Two trips to Catalina the Ghosts bit. Right on Captain, fine job. I obviously used up all my Karma on Wednesday’s trip? Thanks so much for the invite Jeff, can’t wait for our next adventure together in three weeks. Hope it’s for Tuna?
Hook up! Cory
Fishing with Jeff on his 24’Skipjack, the “Kolamono”, Sat. 6-15-13, I returned to the scene of the crime that occurred Wed. I arrived at Jeff’s house at 5:30 pm in La Mirada and we headed to Davies Launch ramp in Los Alamitos. We stopped at Nachos for a half scoop of Live Squid for insurance purposes, little did we know it was definitely not needed?
Our beginning destination was the backside of the island, near Silver Canyon where we anticipated the squid to float. We arrived at the Island at 8:40 pm and there about 6 to 10 other boats scattered from Church Rock to west of the Vees.
We began our task of finding promising looking marks for squid. There was a scratch here and there, but nothing to get excited about. We drifted with the light out and picked at a few, yet nothing to anchor up on. So we moved further west and found a likely mark. Within seconds a rather large white shadow appeared from below. Jeff dropped the anchor and I already had used the big net to scoop up about a dozen squid. Jeff pulled the Crowder out and holy Moses, the squid appeared in mass. I kicked myself for not taking a picture; however, we were way too busy for that.
The first set on the Crowder stuffed the first bait tank and the second crowd the other bait tank. The third filled the cooler and we were done. We actually over did it, too much in each bait tank as 60 % died, yet that still left more than enough live to fish with and way too much fresh dead to chum with.
My gosh, it was lights out early 9:30 pm. Jeff stayed up to take it all in, but I crashed after a very busy week. Interesting enough, even hours after the squid light was turned off, the anchor light held the squid near the boat. The seals appreciated the assistance in providing an easy dinner?
We both set out gear for the night/morning potential bite. I woke up at 4am, if a healthy desire to pee. The lines out were all slack, except for my jig outfit. I reeled one up and it contained a small pug nosed shark, which I didn’t recognize? The lines were in major Fubar condition, prompting complete re-rigging on all. I woke up Jeff and we turned on the deck light to re setup our gear. The white shadow of squid still surrounded the boat. We also were surrounded by seals and huge Riso Porpoise enjoying the feast.
Grey light came and went for nothing. No Bass, no Barracuda, no Mud Marlin and of course no White Seabass. Jeff pulled anchor and we decided to drift through the area. At 6am Jeff gets bit by the right kind. It sounded immediately and then made a run for the surface, oh no, not a Mud Marlin. Nope, shortly thereafter, after a trip to the bow and then back, the beautiful sight of Silver appeared. I gaffed the Ghost and then my dropper Loop outfit went off. The drag was screaming out, albeit all on the surface. Whew then it sounded, although I have had Bat Rays do that too. No this time it was another Ghost. I worked it to the boat and it made one last run, I pumped it to the boat, and just as Jeff went to stick it, a giant seal grabbed it and that was that! Even on 50 pound I couldn’t recover the fish ad eventually broke off, as we watched the seal slap the WSB on the surface a 100 yards out.
A picture of Jeff’s Ghost, a 30 pounder:
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Jeff/100_2615680x510_zps075af21b.jpg
Three hours later, and two false alarms with Rays, that was all we had to show for our efforts. Conditions were very different from Wednesday’s trip. The current ran away from the island, instead of in. The Bass and Barracuda were not biting, although we did catch two Barracuda and this one Calico Bass in four hours:
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Jeff/100_2618680x510_zps8d593a90.jpg
Jeff made a move and we tried a number of other areas. We got bit by a few Calico Bass. All released to fight another day. Low tide at 9:30 meant we were in slack tide. The wind picked up, and everything changed quickly. We returned to the area that produced on Wed. and now the drift was into the island, albeit at a very rapid pace. Things still didn’t seem fishy? Then we caught a few more Barracuda and some Calico Bass. Jeff gets hammered and Ghost number two is hooked. A great fight and I stick the fish, a bit bigger model at 35 pounds:
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Jeff/100_2620680x510_zps3c1b9153.jpg
Since the limit for WSB increased to three each today, we could continue fishing for them. The wind kicked up another notch, and the bite simply died, nothing. The drift was really too rapid, so we anchored up. Still nothing bit at all. Hung in there until noon, when we pulled anchor and headed east stopping on meter marks all the way to Church Rock. Still nothing, so we anchored at seal rock and cleaned the two White Seabass:
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Jeff/100_2621510x680_zpse69edde4.jpg
Jeff likes to remind everyone that on his boat a Banana is not unlucky? Personally I don’t like to tempt fate, and refrain from bringing one on board, although really I don’t eat them anyhow, way too fattening!
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Jeff/100_2623680x510_zps61da675b.jpg
The wind was blowing a good 12 to 15 knots and we set a course for home at 1:45 pm. The ride back was surprisingly comfortable, with the wind dying after we cleared the island. We arrived back at the dock at 3:00pm.
Two trips to Catalina the Ghosts bit. Right on Captain, fine job. I obviously used up all my Karma on Wednesday’s trip? Thanks so much for the invite Jeff, can’t wait for our next adventure together in three weeks. Hope it’s for Tuna?
Hook up! Cory