Tunaslam
03-20-2014, 06:07 PM
On Wed.-03-19-14, I went fishing with Dave Robinson, on his 28’ Farallon “Hooked”, with friends Stan, Jim and John. 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?
As we exited the harbor we found the seas to be very calm, as forecasted; the skies were cloudy. We cruised to the Island at a medium speed until visibility improved with grey light, and then kicked it up to 23 knots. We reached Pyramid at 8:05 am with incredible looking conditions. Then the Navy called and told us to vacate the area, yikes! So we headed back to the front of the island and headed toward the west end.
We didn’t hear the bombing of the Island until 1pm, why?
Dave set us up in fairly shallow water, 180’ to see if the big Whitefish or Coppers wanted to play? We caught a few of both Coppers and Whitefish, with way too many Bocaccio infesting the area. So we made a move to deeper water. Unfortunately the Bocaccio are like flies on the West End? We did catch some nice size Coppers, a couple of decent sized Starries and Santa Marias and Two medium sized Reds.
Unlike Saturday, of course spending time in a completely different area, the Reds were MIA until 11:30 am, where Dave found a few Reds mixed in with the ever present Bocaccio? We worked the deeper water until 1:30 pm, when Dave decided another try at the shallow water might pay dividends.
By this time we had 21 Reds in the count and a dozen Coppers to go with a mixed bag of assorted other Rockfish to get close to limits for the five of us for kept fish. Captain Dave caught our only Lingcod, about 6 pounds, or 26 inches. Everyone in the group were camera shy, so the only picture I took was of this colorful Cabazon:
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Dave-SCI/100_3153_zpse7890560.jpg
Some of the Reds were 4 to 5 lbs. with an average size of 3+ pounds. Stan caught one Copper that was easily five pounds. The shallow water late in the day produced some Sheephead to 2 pounds, most released, 8 to 10 Whitefish to 3 pounds, and assorted Rockfish, most released. It was fun fishing on light tackle.
The wind was still blowing all of 5 to 6 knots by now, and we ran home in gentle seas at 26+ knots reaching Newport Beach in 1 hr. 45 minutes. Cleaned fish outside the harbor, and docked at 6pm. Another fantastic weather and fishing day in what is still considered winter, with spring tomorrow? Eat your hearts out Chicago.
Thanks Dave, for another great day of fishing at the Island you absolutely know how to get on the fish.
Hook up! Cory
As we exited the harbor we found the seas to be very calm, as forecasted; the skies were cloudy. We cruised to the Island at a medium speed until visibility improved with grey light, and then kicked it up to 23 knots. We reached Pyramid at 8:05 am with incredible looking conditions. Then the Navy called and told us to vacate the area, yikes! So we headed back to the front of the island and headed toward the west end.
We didn’t hear the bombing of the Island until 1pm, why?
Dave set us up in fairly shallow water, 180’ to see if the big Whitefish or Coppers wanted to play? We caught a few of both Coppers and Whitefish, with way too many Bocaccio infesting the area. So we made a move to deeper water. Unfortunately the Bocaccio are like flies on the West End? We did catch some nice size Coppers, a couple of decent sized Starries and Santa Marias and Two medium sized Reds.
Unlike Saturday, of course spending time in a completely different area, the Reds were MIA until 11:30 am, where Dave found a few Reds mixed in with the ever present Bocaccio? We worked the deeper water until 1:30 pm, when Dave decided another try at the shallow water might pay dividends.
By this time we had 21 Reds in the count and a dozen Coppers to go with a mixed bag of assorted other Rockfish to get close to limits for the five of us for kept fish. Captain Dave caught our only Lingcod, about 6 pounds, or 26 inches. Everyone in the group were camera shy, so the only picture I took was of this colorful Cabazon:
http://i1091.photobucket.com/albums/i394/tunaslam/Dave-SCI/100_3153_zpse7890560.jpg
Some of the Reds were 4 to 5 lbs. with an average size of 3+ pounds. Stan caught one Copper that was easily five pounds. The shallow water late in the day produced some Sheephead to 2 pounds, most released, 8 to 10 Whitefish to 3 pounds, and assorted Rockfish, most released. It was fun fishing on light tackle.
The wind was still blowing all of 5 to 6 knots by now, and we ran home in gentle seas at 26+ knots reaching Newport Beach in 1 hr. 45 minutes. Cleaned fish outside the harbor, and docked at 6pm. Another fantastic weather and fishing day in what is still considered winter, with spring tomorrow? Eat your hearts out Chicago.
Thanks Dave, for another great day of fishing at the Island you absolutely know how to get on the fish.
Hook up! Cory