Bassfan
11-07-2013, 06:05 PM
Took a day off and hit Castaic Thursday for a day planned for just bait fishing. Had the first boat in line and had a little time to talk to TO and Dave in line. Launched and went right to the area I had in mind and proceeded to drop anchors. As usual I didn’t end up where I intended and there was a breeze with gusts sending me even further off my spot. As much as I don’t like anchoring, I decided to set up in the depth I wanted and give it a try before another shot at re-anchoring for position. Any time I was in 50 to 70 feet I was OK with trying to fish there.
As soon as the first sardine got down it was game on and it really didn’t really stop until I quit fishing around 1:30 after running out of bait. Unfortunately most of the day’s action was bait stealing super dinks and smaller schoolies but there were some better fish that came along every now and then. If I went 5 minutes without a bite at any time during the entire day, I could assume my bait was stolen when I wasn’t looking.
I thought I brought too many sardines when I left home but I was blowing through 3 ½ lbs. fast fishing alone.
After a while I tried to slow down the action so I could re-tie after snagging the bottom a few times or when I wanted to eat so I put on a tail piece with no guts but they still hit that almost as fast and managed to slip double-hooked tails off the hook like butter. I needed striper repellant to keep them from bothering me but if I dropped bait I got hit.
They stole most of the 3 ½ lbs. of bait but I did manage to land 27 in the process including a few large, a few medium-large and several of the 1 ½ lb smaller ones.
The biggest fish of the day came during one of my “Slow down Mr. Stripey” periods when, at Dave’s suggestion I tried a sardine head. I never use the head but as I saw bait running low I thought why not and it should give me some time to re-tie the 2nd rod. To my surprise the rod with the head went big time bendo and after a good fight I got my first fish on a sardine head.
It was a good choice to take a day off today.
http://i1277.photobucket.com/albums/y492/p846713/11-7-13003_zps43b005e5.jpg (http://s1277.photobucket.com/user/p846713/media/11-7-13003_zps43b005e5.jpg.html)
http://i1277.photobucket.com/albums/y492/p846713/11-7-13001_zpsb466c1f1.jpg (http://s1277.photobucket.com/user/p846713/media/11-7-13001_zpsb466c1f1.jpg.html)
As soon as the first sardine got down it was game on and it really didn’t really stop until I quit fishing around 1:30 after running out of bait. Unfortunately most of the day’s action was bait stealing super dinks and smaller schoolies but there were some better fish that came along every now and then. If I went 5 minutes without a bite at any time during the entire day, I could assume my bait was stolen when I wasn’t looking.
I thought I brought too many sardines when I left home but I was blowing through 3 ½ lbs. fast fishing alone.
After a while I tried to slow down the action so I could re-tie after snagging the bottom a few times or when I wanted to eat so I put on a tail piece with no guts but they still hit that almost as fast and managed to slip double-hooked tails off the hook like butter. I needed striper repellant to keep them from bothering me but if I dropped bait I got hit.
They stole most of the 3 ½ lbs. of bait but I did manage to land 27 in the process including a few large, a few medium-large and several of the 1 ½ lb smaller ones.
The biggest fish of the day came during one of my “Slow down Mr. Stripey” periods when, at Dave’s suggestion I tried a sardine head. I never use the head but as I saw bait running low I thought why not and it should give me some time to re-tie the 2nd rod. To my surprise the rod with the head went big time bendo and after a good fight I got my first fish on a sardine head.
It was a good choice to take a day off today.
http://i1277.photobucket.com/albums/y492/p846713/11-7-13003_zps43b005e5.jpg (http://s1277.photobucket.com/user/p846713/media/11-7-13003_zps43b005e5.jpg.html)
http://i1277.photobucket.com/albums/y492/p846713/11-7-13001_zpsb466c1f1.jpg (http://s1277.photobucket.com/user/p846713/media/11-7-13001_zpsb466c1f1.jpg.html)