Deceiver
10-06-2007, 04:39 PM
Late report, but better late than never.
I was out in a rental skiff on Friday. All they had at the bait barge were 7-8" sardines. Took them as it was all they had. Wind was up early and I heard that the 3/4 day Long Beach boats were turning back from their Catalina runs to fish inside...too shotty out to make the crossing I guess. Made some wind-driven drifts by the bait barge for lots of short biters...baits were chewed up to about the 1/3-1/2 way mark inspite of letting them chew. Got two to stick, both fish were White seabass. Landed the first, about 20-21". Had the second to the boat when "Bobo" showed up...fish freaked and took off under the boat..."POP"...bye bye Sebastian. Got tired of getting blown :shock: and moved into the harbor...more sheltered. Found three 4" sardines in the tank. All three were bit on the drift, all three were hook-ups. Two to the boat and farmed one. Both nice Spotties. Also found some small (4-5") Spanish macks in the tank. Got a good bite on one of the smaller models...let him eat for what felt like a decade, swing, BIG bendo! Wound up my biggest Spottie to date...guessing 3 lbs...which means 2.5lbs at best! :P Out of bait...except for a few big sardines, so I try the plastic. It was hard to maintain bottom contact with the fast drift on the small leadheads I had. Switched to a Carolina rig and "shad" colored worms. Got another 6 small Spotties in about as many drifts...eel grass beds was the ticket. Called it a day to avoid the full day rental fee.
I was out in a rental skiff on Friday. All they had at the bait barge were 7-8" sardines. Took them as it was all they had. Wind was up early and I heard that the 3/4 day Long Beach boats were turning back from their Catalina runs to fish inside...too shotty out to make the crossing I guess. Made some wind-driven drifts by the bait barge for lots of short biters...baits were chewed up to about the 1/3-1/2 way mark inspite of letting them chew. Got two to stick, both fish were White seabass. Landed the first, about 20-21". Had the second to the boat when "Bobo" showed up...fish freaked and took off under the boat..."POP"...bye bye Sebastian. Got tired of getting blown :shock: and moved into the harbor...more sheltered. Found three 4" sardines in the tank. All three were bit on the drift, all three were hook-ups. Two to the boat and farmed one. Both nice Spotties. Also found some small (4-5") Spanish macks in the tank. Got a good bite on one of the smaller models...let him eat for what felt like a decade, swing, BIG bendo! Wound up my biggest Spottie to date...guessing 3 lbs...which means 2.5lbs at best! :P Out of bait...except for a few big sardines, so I try the plastic. It was hard to maintain bottom contact with the fast drift on the small leadheads I had. Switched to a Carolina rig and "shad" colored worms. Got another 6 small Spotties in about as many drifts...eel grass beds was the ticket. Called it a day to avoid the full day rental fee.