Rookie on an overnight trip

[bigCBall]

Hi All,
I'm relatively new to the game. I've gone out of Newport Harbor a few times as a kid (8-9yrs old) and havent until recently (now mid-30s) gone back out fishing the high seas. Obviously, i'm very inexperienced, but I am having fun being out there whether i catch anything or not. That being said, i was looking into going on an overnight trip (out of Long Beach) and would appreciate any advice.

Would it be a waste of money and time going?
What sort of tackle do i need to bring? Is this provided?

Thanks!

[BALLERONBUDGET]

Geez. No responses???? A decent medium stick shud do the trick. Maybe a torium 30/saltist 30 also fair reels that don't break the bank $$ 30lb mono is good to start off also. Leads pair of each torpedoes 2 4 6 8 10 12 oz. slider egg sinkers 1/2 to 1oz. Hooks diff sizes 1. 2 4 6. Depends on siZe of bait basically. Irons if u can throw them well. Facebook ocean angler from corona!! Great guy and cheapest lead around! Not the $4 each that the shops charge.

Big Spin cast reels if u need. Most guys bring average of atleast 4 rods each!!!!! Some more or less.

I've seen jackpot winners on rental poles next to guys who hv $500 combos. !! It's mainly luck and fun regardless


Good luck. My 2cents

[webmaster]

Right now is a great time to go. Lots of stuff is biting, it shouldn't be hard to catch something. Best tip is to pay attention to the guy who is catching the most and do / use what he is doing. Baller hit it on the tackle, also ask the guys at the landing as they usually know what is working at the time.

[jaggerbub]

Just keep your line in front of you when fishing. No angles, no tangles. You'll make more friends that way, and most importantly, you won't be "that guy" everyone stays away from.

[bigCBall]

Thanks for the feedback. I have an old Penn Jigmaster Reel that was recently serviced (used to be my grandfather's) with 30 pound braid and mono on top. I also recently bought a used custom rod 20-50 (i think it was custom since it says GraStar and has someones name below) which i was told is a very versatile rod. Am i at a disadvantage if i show up with just the one rig? Maybe i get some snap swivels and rings and tie a bunch of setups ahead of time... I'll add Ocean Angler on FB. thanks for the advice!

I was recently on a 1/2 day at NPH and there were tangles all around me, and under me - thankfully i wasn't involved with them or the one causing them!

I do appreciate the feedback! Glad to hear that it's not frowned upon for someone with my experience to go out.

[Jhondayang]

I just got back from an overnight trip to Catalina yesterday out of daveys locker. We were on the Thunderbird and killed it. Total yellowtail was 194. One big *** halibut, some sheephead, a good amount of calico's and bonitas. There was also a few barracudas caught but a couple inches short and released. My setup ranged from my 850 dollar setup, to a daiwa swimbait Rod with a Cardiff. My son used a okuma cedros Rod with a okuma Citrix 364, 65 pound spectra braid and a 5 foot leader of 20 pound red label flouro. He killed it yesterday. The rods I was going back and forth to was on a daiwa swimbait Rod 2-10 oz with a Cardiff reel. I didn't use that one too much. But the Rod I used the most and caught fish on was on a okuma makaira Rod with a okuma Citrix 364 reel, 65 pound braid with 15 pound test black water. Hopefully this will give you some ideas on what to bring. The hook sizes we used were 1/0-2/0 live bait hooks with a 1/4 and sometimes 1/2 oz egg sinker. Have fun.

[Glenn]

Personally, I would not want to go on any trip with only one rig just in case something breaks or you get that backlash from hell. Good luck out there!

[bigCBall]

Thank you Glen! I hadn't thought about the potential for equipment failure... if that happened, it would certainly be an expensive waste of a trip. I would certainly sit in the galley and drink all the beer on the boat.

[BALLERONBUDGET]

yeah... .u might be able to bum a hook or two off the guy next to u... but to borrow his rods or sinkers/irons etc.... he'll be like this MUTHA!!! or atleast buy him a brew or offer a burger etc.. in exchange for simple tackle....

gud luck

[ChuyDawg]

If you have not gone out, yet.
I am planning to go on the First String out of H & M Landing in San Diego.
It leaves Friday July 1 at 8pm and returns Saturday July 2 at 7pm.
You are welcome to go.
I can tell you that for any overnight trip you will need the following
Rod - 30-60 lb range (Don't matter the brand cause you are just starting)
Reel - anything within the range for 30-40 lb line capacity
Spinning or Conventional
Line - put braided line on your reel for about 80-90% of its capacity (called Backing) and then put Mono or Flouro (Mono = better stretch / Flouro = less visible)
Hooks - any pack of hooks is good to start, Walmart, big 5 or even Sport Chalet or Sport Authority which are having closing sales.
Weights - 1/2 oz is the favorite, this is really to help the live bait get deeper faster. 1/4 oz or 3/4 work just as well.

Brand/Mark/style does not really matter when you are starting.
Preferably use a spinning combo as a starter set and keep practicing with a conventional combo until your comfortable with how to cast with it.
Last thing you want to do is have a set up, that you are not familiar with, give you any kind of failure (backlash, lock up, or stiffen up) in the middle of a wide open bite.
Practice A LOT, before you go out.
Go to a pier and cast and retrieve several times to get use to your set up.

Now, once you get your set up down.

When you are on the boat always ask the Deckhand to adjust your drag. That will be the best thing you do.
Ask them for assistance, they are employees of the boat and if they help you catch fish, that will result in you having a memorable moment and want to come back, which means more money for them.
If the Deckhand helps you, Tip them, anything you can afford. They remember the tippers.
Before you go to the landing, call a few days ahead. Tell them the boat and the day you are going on, ask what they recommend you take (lb test on the line, weights to use, color of jigs to take), again this is their business and they want you to succeed because that means more business if they make it successful to you.

Live bait selection,
Take your time while in between stops to hang out at the bait tank and observe the bait.
Look for healthy bait, no blood spots, swimming fast and being active.
In the other end, don't select slow, bloody looking (red gills, eyes or fins), deformed (bent spine or broken fin) bait
The better the bait quality, the better swimming action, the better health will get you bit more often.

Cast out your bait. Let it run, follow your line and keep it in front of you, move with your line. Go over the next line or under, based on the angle your line is going.

Once you get a few minutes of your bait swimming around (I check hook ups, roughly 2 or 3 hook ups) reel it back in and select another bait.

When switching your bait out, feel the line to make sure you don't feel abrasions or knicks.
this will be the weak spots in the line, if there is any, cut your line and retie the hook.

Knots,
I use the Trilene. you can use the San Diego knot, blood knot, or even google any offshore knots.
Best thing here is practice the knot and get it down to a second nature type of tying.
you do not want to spend time tying a knot when the bite is on.

Overall you need to do some homework and practice to get what you are doing down to a science.
it is really overall simple but you do need to practice it all.

San Diego is worth the drive to get on an overnight trip there because they are closer to Mexican waters and that is usually where the better fish are.

Just my opinion,
Chuy in Lakewood

[bigCBall]

Thank you everyone for your input. I have decided to wait until next year before doing the overnight. By then I'll have a 2nd and maybe 3rd setup. This leaves me to slay the fish on the extended 3/4 and regular 3/4 trips (with some twilight mixed in).

Thanks again for all the input. I'll see you on the water soon.

[Jhondayang]

I'm going out on the thunderbird Wednesday night out of daveys locker if interested.

[ChuyDawg]

I'm going out on the thunderbird Wednesday night out of daveys locker if interested.
Jeff is an awesome Captain!!!
He fishes with sandals...
He will put you on the fish, Catching them is on you but, he will always put you on fish.

[Jhondayang]

Indeed. Jeff is a great captain. Unfortunately the thunderbird is down. So we will be on the aggressor tonight. Hopefully this boat is good.

[ChuyDawg]

Indeed. Jeff is a great captain. Unfortunately the thunderbird is down. So we will be on the aggressor tonight. Hopefully this boat is good.

Yes, his Generator was needing to be replaced, he is back up and running now.