Tunaslam
03-16-2014, 11:56 AM
On Sat.-03-15-14, I went fishing with Dave Robinson, on his 28’ Farallon “Hooked”, with friends Kevin, Ron and Enrique. We left Dave’s slip in Newport Harbor at 5:15 am Saturday morning. Our destination was San Clemente Island, to the East End continuing on to Pyramid Head, China Point and further backside of the Island?
This was my first attempt to go fishing after my “Launch Ramp Follies” exactly five weeks ago when I took a bad fall at low tide walking down the ramp in the slime and the mud to drive John’s 25’ Parker out of the water, after fishing for local Bass. I tore my quad muscle and hyper extended the knee. I am awaiting an MRI next week to determine the extent of the damage, as the swelling has not yet totally subsided? While walking, I look like Peg Leg Pete, and cannot put all my weight on it, as it buckles when doing so!
As we exited the harbor we found the seas to be very calm, as forecasted; the skies were clear. With Sunrise still an hour away, there was not much of a chance for pictures.
We cruised to the Island at a slow speed until visibility improved with grey light, and then kicked it up to 23 knots. We reached Pyramid at 8:15 am with a bit of a washing machine swell, and winds barely capping. We were surprised to find water temps at 64+ degrees.
Dave set us up on a waypoint that he had found to yield some nice Reds. It was a rapid drift with good scope out. However, the bites were almost instant upon hitting bottom. I got slammed as I was using my usual 8oz. Burnt Orange Jax Jig with a Shrimp Fly tied 18 inches above the lure.
I looked back and all five of us were bent again. I came up with a double on the Bocaccio. We caught several Boccaccio, a Whitefish, a Santa Maria, and Captain Dave caught our lone Red on this drift.
A second drop by all resulted in a duplicate performance by me, while Kevin and Dave caught Reds, while Ron also caught a Bocaccio. It was a nice start to the day; however the wind was building, so Dave elected to run up the backside to see if this area of the island was calmer?
One of my average sized Bocaccio caught, most were released:
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Dave-SCI/100_3147680x510_zps5f5431ca.jpg
Kevin with a nice Red:
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Dave-SCI/IMG_2032506x680_zps97ed0950.jpg
Captain Dave with a big Red:
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Dave-SCI/IMG_2047655x587_zps62c9f9db.jpg
Although it remained wide open on the Bocaccio for me, everyone else caught a great mix of Santa Marias, a few Starries, Green Stripes, more Reds and Whitefish. We worked a good part of the backside of the Island for mostly a slow pick until about 11am when Dave found a better group of Reds hanging up off the bottom about 7 to 8 cranks or 20 feet off the bottom.
Enrique with a nice Red:
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Dave-SCI/IMG_2491680x639_zpscc7cefe3.jpg
Another Red for Kevin:
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Dave-SCI/100_3150680x610_zpsa2b7374b.jpg
The majority of the Reds were being caught on the Lucanus lures, so I made a switch to a knock off combination and it was game on.
Finally I am on the board with a Red:
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Dave-SCI/100_3142680x5102_zpsc92e297b.jpg
My next drop resulted in a nice Red and Santa Maria combo. Then I caught a couple more Bocaccio. Dave made a move to another spot nearby. The wind began to pick up and the scope out increased. I went back to old reliable and after hitting bottom I Yo Yoed several times and then did a slow wind up getting thumped after about ten cranks up. I set the hook and it was dead weight. I figured I had another big bucket mouth, with a wide open grin dragging the water as I wound up. Oh my gosh it, was a decent sized Lingcod, that never shook its head or did anything to announce its presence?
My 10-12 pound Lingcod:
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Dave-SCI/100_3146680x378_zpsc2034f2d.jpg
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Dave-SCI/100_3145680x464_zps37b216f2.jpg
As the wind built, Dave ran us back up the island and stopped on a bit shallower spots. It was a very fast drift; however the fish were still on the chew. Ron was really scoped out and got slammed. It was feeling like a big whitefish and sure enough:
Ron with a huge Whitefish:
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Dave-SCI/100_3152680x510_zps34b16530.jpg
A nice Red and Santa Maria combo catch for me on a double knockoff Lucanus special:
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Dave-SCI/100_3095680x412_zps9a4c49a7.jpg
Another Red for Enrique:
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Dave-SCI/100_3144646x680_zps48f9fa0b.jpg
The wind was blowing 15 to 20 knots by now, and we hit limits of Rockfish kept, so it was time to call it a day at 2:40pm. It was a rough ride home and anchored to clean fish outside the harbor and we hit the dock at 6:30 pm.
Thanks Dave, for another great day of fishing at the Island you absolutely own for big Reds and assorted Rockfish.
Hook up! Cory
This was my first attempt to go fishing after my “Launch Ramp Follies” exactly five weeks ago when I took a bad fall at low tide walking down the ramp in the slime and the mud to drive John’s 25’ Parker out of the water, after fishing for local Bass. I tore my quad muscle and hyper extended the knee. I am awaiting an MRI next week to determine the extent of the damage, as the swelling has not yet totally subsided? While walking, I look like Peg Leg Pete, and cannot put all my weight on it, as it buckles when doing so!
As we exited the harbor we found the seas to be very calm, as forecasted; the skies were clear. With Sunrise still an hour away, there was not much of a chance for pictures.
We cruised to the Island at a slow speed until visibility improved with grey light, and then kicked it up to 23 knots. We reached Pyramid at 8:15 am with a bit of a washing machine swell, and winds barely capping. We were surprised to find water temps at 64+ degrees.
Dave set us up on a waypoint that he had found to yield some nice Reds. It was a rapid drift with good scope out. However, the bites were almost instant upon hitting bottom. I got slammed as I was using my usual 8oz. Burnt Orange Jax Jig with a Shrimp Fly tied 18 inches above the lure.
I looked back and all five of us were bent again. I came up with a double on the Bocaccio. We caught several Boccaccio, a Whitefish, a Santa Maria, and Captain Dave caught our lone Red on this drift.
A second drop by all resulted in a duplicate performance by me, while Kevin and Dave caught Reds, while Ron also caught a Bocaccio. It was a nice start to the day; however the wind was building, so Dave elected to run up the backside to see if this area of the island was calmer?
One of my average sized Bocaccio caught, most were released:
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Dave-SCI/100_3147680x510_zps5f5431ca.jpg
Kevin with a nice Red:
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Dave-SCI/IMG_2032506x680_zps97ed0950.jpg
Captain Dave with a big Red:
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Dave-SCI/IMG_2047655x587_zps62c9f9db.jpg
Although it remained wide open on the Bocaccio for me, everyone else caught a great mix of Santa Marias, a few Starries, Green Stripes, more Reds and Whitefish. We worked a good part of the backside of the Island for mostly a slow pick until about 11am when Dave found a better group of Reds hanging up off the bottom about 7 to 8 cranks or 20 feet off the bottom.
Enrique with a nice Red:
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Dave-SCI/IMG_2491680x639_zpscc7cefe3.jpg
Another Red for Kevin:
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Dave-SCI/100_3150680x610_zpsa2b7374b.jpg
The majority of the Reds were being caught on the Lucanus lures, so I made a switch to a knock off combination and it was game on.
Finally I am on the board with a Red:
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Dave-SCI/100_3142680x5102_zpsc92e297b.jpg
My next drop resulted in a nice Red and Santa Maria combo. Then I caught a couple more Bocaccio. Dave made a move to another spot nearby. The wind began to pick up and the scope out increased. I went back to old reliable and after hitting bottom I Yo Yoed several times and then did a slow wind up getting thumped after about ten cranks up. I set the hook and it was dead weight. I figured I had another big bucket mouth, with a wide open grin dragging the water as I wound up. Oh my gosh it, was a decent sized Lingcod, that never shook its head or did anything to announce its presence?
My 10-12 pound Lingcod:
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Dave-SCI/100_3146680x378_zpsc2034f2d.jpg
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Dave-SCI/100_3145680x464_zps37b216f2.jpg
As the wind built, Dave ran us back up the island and stopped on a bit shallower spots. It was a very fast drift; however the fish were still on the chew. Ron was really scoped out and got slammed. It was feeling like a big whitefish and sure enough:
Ron with a huge Whitefish:
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Dave-SCI/100_3152680x510_zps34b16530.jpg
A nice Red and Santa Maria combo catch for me on a double knockoff Lucanus special:
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Dave-SCI/100_3095680x412_zps9a4c49a7.jpg
Another Red for Enrique:
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Dave-SCI/100_3144646x680_zps48f9fa0b.jpg
The wind was blowing 15 to 20 knots by now, and we hit limits of Rockfish kept, so it was time to call it a day at 2:40pm. It was a rough ride home and anchored to clean fish outside the harbor and we hit the dock at 6:30 pm.
Thanks Dave, for another great day of fishing at the Island you absolutely own for big Reds and assorted Rockfish.
Hook up! Cory