fishmaniac
10-24-2007, 02:35 AM
A buddy and I went on the Patriot out of Newport Landing for a 3/4 day open party fishin' trip. We had a blast!
The short review:
No sleep the night before. Left for Catalina at 7:00am. Puked around 9:00am. Dropped first anchor at around 10:00am. My buddy is first to land a fish - Calico.
I was third with a Sheephead. Then no bites so we moved. Next spot metered some Bonito but seals came around real quick and only a couple were caught.
Another spot near the Casino...same thing. Got my first bonito here! I haven't felt such resistance since puberty! But soon, seals were everywhere, so we move a good 20 min south
and it's Bonito WFO. So much so that 5 or 6 boats (including the Freelance) comes over. During this time, I bring over around 5 Bonito, lost 3 to seals (even hooking
one after he took my bonito, sizzled my drag until he jumped out of the water and shook it off like a fish!), had 3 comeoff at the surface and many more extended "thought I hook setted
firmly enough" deals. We then move to one final place (more bonito) and after catching a couple more, I tried bottom fishing for no love. So we head home
around 2:00pm and I actually win the jackpot on a Bonito! haha... I bag 5 bonito (gave my buddy 3) and 1 sheephead. He landed 1 calico and just 1 bonito.
He lost a gang of them to seals.
It was great to get out on a boat as its been over 7 years!
The long version:
The night before I get my gear ready and realized my heaviest line was 20lb. Since it's been so long since I've gone a party boat, I honestly had no idea what line to pack.
So I ask a question here on this board and get lots of answers. Thanks guys!
So I get to repacking lines and various other preparations and before I know it, 3:00am comes around! :bang: Great...so I get to bed and I can't sleep.
So I decide to load up on coffee and stay up (big mistake).
We get to the landing at 6:30am. Chug down some more coffee and think about slayin'.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/coldboyblue/misc/fishing/oct2007/DSC04433.jpg
The moo moos. There were only 19 peeps. :banana:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/coldboyblue/misc/fishing/oct2007/DSC04432.jpg
The Patriot. We will fish on her again soon!
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/coldboyblue/misc/fishing/oct2007/DSC04431.jpg
At around 6:50 we get to board and we get 2 spots on the stern. No shoving, no rush!
Didn't really matter as with the light load, people moved around all the time.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/coldboyblue/misc/fishing/oct2007/DSC04434.jpg
Here's the Captain. Didn't get his name but was very cool and at least got us on the Bonito action.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/coldboyblue/misc/fishing/oct2007/cappy.jpg
We start to head off on time and it's just a sweet morning.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/coldboyblue/misc/fishing/oct2007/DSC04449.jpg
Bait time! No chovies..just some frozen squid and sardines on steriods!
These sardines were humongous! 7-8" long and about 1.5-2" tall!!
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/coldboyblue/misc/fishing/oct2007/DSC04452.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/coldboyblue/misc/fishing/oct2007/DSC04469.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/coldboyblue/misc/fishing/oct2007/DSC04471.jpg
Minutes later, the Freelance from Davey's Locker comes by for some sardines. They had a huge load!
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/coldboyblue/misc/fishing/oct2007/DSC04456.jpg
After we load up on 30 scoops, we head out and some kayak-fisher bums some sardines and the deckies
ablige with a 1/4 scoop. Wonder how he did that day? I wanna try kayak fishing one day...
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/coldboyblue/misc/fishing/oct2007/DSC04473.jpg
So we leave the harbor and the ride wasn't so bad. "Cool", I thought to myself.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/coldboyblue/misc/fishing/oct2007/DSC04475.jpg
But after 20 mins or so, we run into some choppy, rocky swells! WTF? I thought it's supposed to be calm on the way out and choppy on the way home??
On this trip, it was the direct opposite. It was so easy on the way back! So we head into the galley to sit down and by now, the fact I haven't slept was creeping up.
I lied down and tried to sleep. But I couldn't sleep and I just felt my stomach swish-sloshing around full of liquid!
Uuuuup, dowwwwn, slam, slam slam, uuuuuup, dowwwwn, slam, uuuuup, dowwwwn, slam, slam.... :angry:
After about an hour of this, I sorta fall asleep for a bit ONLY to be waken by a hard "slam". I sit up and instantly feel that urge to puke...as if it's traveling its way up to my mouth. S**T!
I quickly do my best to keep it down and head to the head. As soon as I close the door, urrraaaaagggghhhh...uraaaaagh... then a little more..uuuurrraaagh..urrraaaaagh. urg..urrrg...ug.
After cleaning myself up a bit (and the seat), I head back to my spot and this time really knock out.
My buddy wakes me up a couple times to say "it's time" and on the second "dude, we're here", I get up and see this:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/coldboyblue/misc/fishing/oct2007/DSC04477.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/coldboyblue/misc/fishing/oct2007/DSC04476.jpg
(I don't have very many pics from this point on since I was so busy fishing. Sorry!)
Sweet, it's time to fish! I get my c-rig ready and put on a small 1/2 oz egg with a #1 hook. The cappy was telling us to use very small weights or flyline the sardines.
When we're about to drop anchor, I notice we're all around some huge kelp beds. So I'm thinking I'm going to get wrapped up in this stuff and switch back to a 2oz'er.
After 10 mins of nothing for the entire boat, we moved to slightly less kelpy area about 5 min away. I grab a huge sardine and cast that badboy.
On the sink, I feel a tap (not a tug) so I reel it in to find half a 'dine. "What?" I'm thinking to myself. So I look around and sure enough...a seal.
I rebait and cast again. This time with a slightly smaller, huge sardine. Upto this time, no one's pulling up 'nuttin. My buddy, who's fishin starboard side, pulls up a nice calico.
And then another guy behind me port side pulls up a Sheephead about 14" or so. A few mins go by and wham, fish on! I crank and crank my coffee grinder and pull up a
Sheephead too! First time ever.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/coldboyblue/misc/fishing/oct2007/DSC04478.jpg
We stayed for only about 45min total there and from that point on for 2.5 hours, the captain only searched out Bonito. Another guy caught a YFC, which he kept and off we went.
When we got to our next spot, the cappy's yelling "bonito, starboard side!!", so I cast out my Kroc, make it dance and WHAM! Fish on! I tighten my drag and as I'm winding in
as fast as I could, I realized that my $30 spinning reel was going to have a hard time with these bonito. haha.. Anyway, I get it near the top and view a NICE looking bonito.
When all of a sudden, I see a big brown seal go after my fish!! Nooooooo..crank, crank,..oooooo! MUNCH! Cleanly removed it from the hook. %$^#@@#&$ Dang!
A couple minutes later my buddy brings over the head of a bonito! haha... There were soo many seals, it was unreal. Deckhands flinging sardines and scales everywhere,
people swearing here and there and pretty soon, it was time to move.
We get to the next spot near the Casino and drop anchor.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/coldboyblue/misc/fishing/oct2007/DSC04490.jpg
I chuck out the Kroc and wham! Fish on! This time, it was a wee bit easier to crank in and over comes my first and largest Bonito of the trip.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/coldboyblue/misc/fishing/oct2007/DSC04492.jpg
I take a quick pic and cast again. On the drop, wham! Fish on again! I crank and crank until I pulled up #2 bonito! I cast again and this time I get one on the way in.
But it get's underneath the boat and I hear a "snap". :bang:
Great, there goes a Kroc. I quickly tie another one on and continue. As I'm casting out, I notice the Freelance coming over as well as bunch of PB'ers. Word got out I guess.
Anyway, I hook up another one and as I'm reeling it in, I notice a seal going it near it! It gulps the fish and takes my line for a ride! I loosen the drag, look over at the deckie
and he says, "f-it, reel him in!" haha..yeah right! But I figure, wtf and slowly tighten the drag when the seal jumps up out of the water and shakes off the Kroc!! The Kroc flings
all the way back to the boat and whizzes by the watching anglers n crew and onto the bait tank! I can't believe it flung all the way back to the boat! Glad no one got nailed.
The next 30 min or so was spent catching some more bonito, losing a couple more to seals, catching some macs and listening to my buddy ***** about all the fish he lost to the seals. lol
And he's the one with the conventional reels too. Perhaps cranking them in too fast attacts the dogs? Also some perch and dink calicos were being pulled up.
Too many seals and too many boats later, cappy says "ok guys, reel em in". I had just cast out so I let it sink a bit and start the retrieve when FISH ON! After setting the hook,
I start cranking in and then I hear a "SNAP". Crap. There goes another Kroc. I'm guessing I should have cut off some line and retied the lure after a few fish. Next time...
We get to our last spot and since I have no more Krocs, I tried a 5" Rapala. After catching some macs and a bonito, I switched up and tried some bottom fishing.
I put on a 2oz egg w/ a sardine and casted far out. Open bail, I wait for it to hit bottom (Cap said around 100-130ft) when FISH ON! I reel it in only to see another bonito!
I tied on some more weight and tried again but this time by the boat. I drop it close and wait only to get hit again by a bonito. So I retied a new rig with a 6 oz weight and cast out.
I look at my watch and see that we have about 10 min left. (sux) I waited a few minutes, reeled in my 'dine and cast out a bit farther. Waited a few mins and I hear,
"ok guys, reel em up".
Total tally for me was 8 bonito (never more than 4 in my bag until the last one :D) and 1 sheephead. Buddy got 1 bonito and 1 calico. Don't know why he couldn't get the bonito in.
As soon as we start leaving, a deckie yells "ok guys, jackpot time". He's right next to me so I reach in my bag and pull out my largest bonito. He puts it on the balance and one by one
weighs the other fish. One after another, the other fish are just too light. haha..! And before you know it he says "Going once, going twice.....we have a winner!". Pretty cool. :cool:
Then it was fileting time!
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/coldboyblue/misc/fishing/oct2007/DSC04497.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/coldboyblue/misc/fishing/oct2007/DSC04496.jpg
The ride home was a breeze! Much more smoother than in the morning. On the way, the deckhands talled peoples galley tabs, scrubbed the decks very thoroughly
and rinsed everything off. My hats off to the captain and crew.
Almost home:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/coldboyblue/misc/fishing/oct2007/DSC04508.jpg
Crew decides to have a little fun and bite a bonito eyeball. haha..
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/coldboyblue/misc/fishing/oct2007/DSC04511.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/coldboyblue/misc/fishing/oct2007/DSC04513.jpg
Official count was:
95 bonito
3 calico
2 sheephead
4 perch
1 yfc
Until next time,
Fish on!
The short review:
No sleep the night before. Left for Catalina at 7:00am. Puked around 9:00am. Dropped first anchor at around 10:00am. My buddy is first to land a fish - Calico.
I was third with a Sheephead. Then no bites so we moved. Next spot metered some Bonito but seals came around real quick and only a couple were caught.
Another spot near the Casino...same thing. Got my first bonito here! I haven't felt such resistance since puberty! But soon, seals were everywhere, so we move a good 20 min south
and it's Bonito WFO. So much so that 5 or 6 boats (including the Freelance) comes over. During this time, I bring over around 5 Bonito, lost 3 to seals (even hooking
one after he took my bonito, sizzled my drag until he jumped out of the water and shook it off like a fish!), had 3 comeoff at the surface and many more extended "thought I hook setted
firmly enough" deals. We then move to one final place (more bonito) and after catching a couple more, I tried bottom fishing for no love. So we head home
around 2:00pm and I actually win the jackpot on a Bonito! haha... I bag 5 bonito (gave my buddy 3) and 1 sheephead. He landed 1 calico and just 1 bonito.
He lost a gang of them to seals.
It was great to get out on a boat as its been over 7 years!
The long version:
The night before I get my gear ready and realized my heaviest line was 20lb. Since it's been so long since I've gone a party boat, I honestly had no idea what line to pack.
So I ask a question here on this board and get lots of answers. Thanks guys!
So I get to repacking lines and various other preparations and before I know it, 3:00am comes around! :bang: Great...so I get to bed and I can't sleep.
So I decide to load up on coffee and stay up (big mistake).
We get to the landing at 6:30am. Chug down some more coffee and think about slayin'.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/coldboyblue/misc/fishing/oct2007/DSC04433.jpg
The moo moos. There were only 19 peeps. :banana:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/coldboyblue/misc/fishing/oct2007/DSC04432.jpg
The Patriot. We will fish on her again soon!
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/coldboyblue/misc/fishing/oct2007/DSC04431.jpg
At around 6:50 we get to board and we get 2 spots on the stern. No shoving, no rush!
Didn't really matter as with the light load, people moved around all the time.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/coldboyblue/misc/fishing/oct2007/DSC04434.jpg
Here's the Captain. Didn't get his name but was very cool and at least got us on the Bonito action.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/coldboyblue/misc/fishing/oct2007/cappy.jpg
We start to head off on time and it's just a sweet morning.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/coldboyblue/misc/fishing/oct2007/DSC04449.jpg
Bait time! No chovies..just some frozen squid and sardines on steriods!
These sardines were humongous! 7-8" long and about 1.5-2" tall!!
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/coldboyblue/misc/fishing/oct2007/DSC04452.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/coldboyblue/misc/fishing/oct2007/DSC04469.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/coldboyblue/misc/fishing/oct2007/DSC04471.jpg
Minutes later, the Freelance from Davey's Locker comes by for some sardines. They had a huge load!
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/coldboyblue/misc/fishing/oct2007/DSC04456.jpg
After we load up on 30 scoops, we head out and some kayak-fisher bums some sardines and the deckies
ablige with a 1/4 scoop. Wonder how he did that day? I wanna try kayak fishing one day...
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/coldboyblue/misc/fishing/oct2007/DSC04473.jpg
So we leave the harbor and the ride wasn't so bad. "Cool", I thought to myself.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/coldboyblue/misc/fishing/oct2007/DSC04475.jpg
But after 20 mins or so, we run into some choppy, rocky swells! WTF? I thought it's supposed to be calm on the way out and choppy on the way home??
On this trip, it was the direct opposite. It was so easy on the way back! So we head into the galley to sit down and by now, the fact I haven't slept was creeping up.
I lied down and tried to sleep. But I couldn't sleep and I just felt my stomach swish-sloshing around full of liquid!
Uuuuup, dowwwwn, slam, slam slam, uuuuuup, dowwwwn, slam, uuuuup, dowwwwn, slam, slam.... :angry:
After about an hour of this, I sorta fall asleep for a bit ONLY to be waken by a hard "slam". I sit up and instantly feel that urge to puke...as if it's traveling its way up to my mouth. S**T!
I quickly do my best to keep it down and head to the head. As soon as I close the door, urrraaaaagggghhhh...uraaaaagh... then a little more..uuuurrraaagh..urrraaaaagh. urg..urrrg...ug.
After cleaning myself up a bit (and the seat), I head back to my spot and this time really knock out.
My buddy wakes me up a couple times to say "it's time" and on the second "dude, we're here", I get up and see this:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/coldboyblue/misc/fishing/oct2007/DSC04477.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/coldboyblue/misc/fishing/oct2007/DSC04476.jpg
(I don't have very many pics from this point on since I was so busy fishing. Sorry!)
Sweet, it's time to fish! I get my c-rig ready and put on a small 1/2 oz egg with a #1 hook. The cappy was telling us to use very small weights or flyline the sardines.
When we're about to drop anchor, I notice we're all around some huge kelp beds. So I'm thinking I'm going to get wrapped up in this stuff and switch back to a 2oz'er.
After 10 mins of nothing for the entire boat, we moved to slightly less kelpy area about 5 min away. I grab a huge sardine and cast that badboy.
On the sink, I feel a tap (not a tug) so I reel it in to find half a 'dine. "What?" I'm thinking to myself. So I look around and sure enough...a seal.
I rebait and cast again. This time with a slightly smaller, huge sardine. Upto this time, no one's pulling up 'nuttin. My buddy, who's fishin starboard side, pulls up a nice calico.
And then another guy behind me port side pulls up a Sheephead about 14" or so. A few mins go by and wham, fish on! I crank and crank my coffee grinder and pull up a
Sheephead too! First time ever.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/coldboyblue/misc/fishing/oct2007/DSC04478.jpg
We stayed for only about 45min total there and from that point on for 2.5 hours, the captain only searched out Bonito. Another guy caught a YFC, which he kept and off we went.
When we got to our next spot, the cappy's yelling "bonito, starboard side!!", so I cast out my Kroc, make it dance and WHAM! Fish on! I tighten my drag and as I'm winding in
as fast as I could, I realized that my $30 spinning reel was going to have a hard time with these bonito. haha.. Anyway, I get it near the top and view a NICE looking bonito.
When all of a sudden, I see a big brown seal go after my fish!! Nooooooo..crank, crank,..oooooo! MUNCH! Cleanly removed it from the hook. %$^#@@#&$ Dang!
A couple minutes later my buddy brings over the head of a bonito! haha... There were soo many seals, it was unreal. Deckhands flinging sardines and scales everywhere,
people swearing here and there and pretty soon, it was time to move.
We get to the next spot near the Casino and drop anchor.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/coldboyblue/misc/fishing/oct2007/DSC04490.jpg
I chuck out the Kroc and wham! Fish on! This time, it was a wee bit easier to crank in and over comes my first and largest Bonito of the trip.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/coldboyblue/misc/fishing/oct2007/DSC04492.jpg
I take a quick pic and cast again. On the drop, wham! Fish on again! I crank and crank until I pulled up #2 bonito! I cast again and this time I get one on the way in.
But it get's underneath the boat and I hear a "snap". :bang:
Great, there goes a Kroc. I quickly tie another one on and continue. As I'm casting out, I notice the Freelance coming over as well as bunch of PB'ers. Word got out I guess.
Anyway, I hook up another one and as I'm reeling it in, I notice a seal going it near it! It gulps the fish and takes my line for a ride! I loosen the drag, look over at the deckie
and he says, "f-it, reel him in!" haha..yeah right! But I figure, wtf and slowly tighten the drag when the seal jumps up out of the water and shakes off the Kroc!! The Kroc flings
all the way back to the boat and whizzes by the watching anglers n crew and onto the bait tank! I can't believe it flung all the way back to the boat! Glad no one got nailed.
The next 30 min or so was spent catching some more bonito, losing a couple more to seals, catching some macs and listening to my buddy ***** about all the fish he lost to the seals. lol
And he's the one with the conventional reels too. Perhaps cranking them in too fast attacts the dogs? Also some perch and dink calicos were being pulled up.
Too many seals and too many boats later, cappy says "ok guys, reel em in". I had just cast out so I let it sink a bit and start the retrieve when FISH ON! After setting the hook,
I start cranking in and then I hear a "SNAP". Crap. There goes another Kroc. I'm guessing I should have cut off some line and retied the lure after a few fish. Next time...
We get to our last spot and since I have no more Krocs, I tried a 5" Rapala. After catching some macs and a bonito, I switched up and tried some bottom fishing.
I put on a 2oz egg w/ a sardine and casted far out. Open bail, I wait for it to hit bottom (Cap said around 100-130ft) when FISH ON! I reel it in only to see another bonito!
I tied on some more weight and tried again but this time by the boat. I drop it close and wait only to get hit again by a bonito. So I retied a new rig with a 6 oz weight and cast out.
I look at my watch and see that we have about 10 min left. (sux) I waited a few minutes, reeled in my 'dine and cast out a bit farther. Waited a few mins and I hear,
"ok guys, reel em up".
Total tally for me was 8 bonito (never more than 4 in my bag until the last one :D) and 1 sheephead. Buddy got 1 bonito and 1 calico. Don't know why he couldn't get the bonito in.
As soon as we start leaving, a deckie yells "ok guys, jackpot time". He's right next to me so I reach in my bag and pull out my largest bonito. He puts it on the balance and one by one
weighs the other fish. One after another, the other fish are just too light. haha..! And before you know it he says "Going once, going twice.....we have a winner!". Pretty cool. :cool:
Then it was fileting time!
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/coldboyblue/misc/fishing/oct2007/DSC04497.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/coldboyblue/misc/fishing/oct2007/DSC04496.jpg
The ride home was a breeze! Much more smoother than in the morning. On the way, the deckhands talled peoples galley tabs, scrubbed the decks very thoroughly
and rinsed everything off. My hats off to the captain and crew.
Almost home:
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/coldboyblue/misc/fishing/oct2007/DSC04508.jpg
Crew decides to have a little fun and bite a bonito eyeball. haha..
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/coldboyblue/misc/fishing/oct2007/DSC04511.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y29/coldboyblue/misc/fishing/oct2007/DSC04513.jpg
Official count was:
95 bonito
3 calico
2 sheephead
4 perch
1 yfc
Until next time,
Fish on!