08-23-2010 San Clemente Islands - yellowtail fail!
Webmaster Jeff hits me up a couple weeks in advance saying that there's an open time window in pyramid cove where the fishing should be good! I say I'm down and wait anxiously. Reading reports like the one from Russ just gets the excitement really going! Home guard yellows! w00t!
The day finally rolls around and we head out from Los Al to some less than ideal conditions. By the time I get to SCI its dark and I'm soaked to the bone. Turns out my snowboarding jacket isn't as water proof as I thought. Doesn't matter though, we're here!
We had already bought bait so we didn't have to bother making it, but we turned on the squid light to see how the squid were floating and also to see if we can get a yellow to the light. It was close to a full moon and I've heard the yellows bite during the night during a moon like this. The squid were floating decently at best, with schools of 15-30 pieces coming by every few minutes or so. Its a good thing we bought bait or else it would have took us a few hours to make it.
Jeff calls it a night but I decide to stay up and fish to see if I can get me a yellow before the sun comes up. It turns out the clicker on my avet wasn't working too well, (turned out to be my frame wasn't screwed on tight enough. easy fix.) so I ended up casting my line out and coiling the line around two of my fingers. This way I can fall asleep and still know if I get bit!!
Well I knock out for probably close to an hour or so? before I feel the line tugging on my fingers. I instantly wake up and throw the reel into gear and set the hook. FISH ON!!!
I automatically think bat ray. Instincts tell me bat ray. History tells me bat ray. My new title of bat ray king tells me... its a bat ray. Wait. Was that a head shake? I think it was a head shake. There it is again! Its a fish!
My hearts pumping! Feels like its a decent sized yellowtail. The fish makes a few runs and I see color!
This is the funniest looking yellowtail I've EVER SEEN!!!
(Picture taken in the morning)
a big fat WSB! I'll take that!
I wake up Jeff, "Hey dude, I just caught a WSB."
Jeff instantly gets up and tosses his line out. But turns out that that was the only sea bass that came to play.
We both knock out after an hour or so of no hits.
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We both wake up earlier than expected. Its pyramid cove near gray light! How can we not?? Every morning homeguard yellows have been running through here!!
We look out to see the entire LA/OC overnighter and 2 day fleet out here. We also see the Samurai, the voyager, and one more San Diego boat that I don't remember the name of. There were quite a few private boaters as well that decided to brave the choppy weather. It was a mini parking lot with all the boats clumped up together! Everybody is up and waiting for the A.M bite to commence!
We wait. We wait some more.
The sun rises.
This is actually the first sunrise over water I've ever seen. I kinda thought my first sunrise would be a little more romantic... Not that I don't mind your company Jeff haha!
Now its time for the bite to really start!
We wait. we wait some more. we wait wait wait. It seems like they just may not roll through this morning...
Finally my clicker screams! ZZZZZZZZ!!! I set the hook. I feel the weight its a big something whatever it is!
Soon into the fight I look up. EVERY SINGLE PERSON on EVERY SINGLE BOAT is staring at me!
I'm the hope of the Pyramid Cove morning bite!!!
So much pressure on my shoulders!! Its a longer fight as this thing is surely a big creature! Heavy heavy runs. Could be a BIG yellowtail?? Its staying down and doesn't want to come up.
After I bring it closer to the surface I get a visual. The UGLIEST BROWNEST yellowtail I've ever seen. It even has a stinger!
The people see that it was in fact a bat ray and not a yellow, and I could literally feel the disappointment from their boats. As soon as I bring it up The Fury takes off and the freedom fires up its engines as well.
The hope of pyramid cove has let them down! Bat ray king strikes again!
We decide to stick it out a little longer.
We wait wait wait.
The only thing to show for it is yet, another bat ray. Big ole sucker at what looks like 80 lbs. Totally tired me out for the upcoming Big yellowtail!. ?
We wait for as long as we could. Eating some awesome omelets and burgers while we wait.
We make a move within the cove. And we catch some lunch guests!!
We coulda whacked these things all day, but we were on a mission today. The yellowtail.
We decide to check front side of the island to see if we can find the schoolies.
We drive over but we're stopped by the navy. They tell us we can't cross here til 4pm due to 50 caliber machine gun training on the front side.
You don't have to tell us twice. a hit from a 50 caliber would ruin anybody's day!
We go back to the cove side and Jeff finds us a spot that looks promising in 90 feet of water.
Jeff starts cooking up more burgers and just as my burger is ready I get hooked up pretty instantly and I definitely feel headshakes on this one. This one ain't no batray! Color!
Another really funny looking yellowtail!!!
A little smaller than the first one but I'll take this white sea bass any day!
I gorge myself on a fabulous burger!
Cheeseburger with mushrooms and grilled onions. Drool...
Hats off to the chef!
Yaiyahh the keilani has got a stove now!
Other than one other hookup that spit the hook, things slowed down here. Just then I get ripped on one, no TWO of my poles!
Clicker screams on both of them. I hook set into one and Jeff into the other. DOUBLE HOOK UP!!!!
Has to be something that schools. Yellowtail right? OH yeaaa feeels heavy.
It seems like we're tangled up. The lines are aimed at each other and each time mine pulls, his does too. OH no, double hookup but we're tangled!
Don't lose it. Don't lose it. Jeff says, "I'm just going to keep light pressure! You bring yours in first!"
It wasn't long before we got our lines to the surface to see the greediest bat ray in the world with 2 hooks in its mouth.
How in the world did a double hook up yellowtail turn into a double hooked bat ray? yeaaa Bat ray king for sure!
We stay a little longer and then make one last move into our first spot we anchored. Toss out our lines and we wait. We got about an hour left before we gotta head out and the winds howling like no other.
I see the slightest taps on my pole and I wind up. Pressure? Could just be my 6 ounce weight. I set the hook for the heck of it and ZZZZ!! Fish on!!!!
Definitely felt head shakes on this one!!
I won't get tricked again! I know its a seabass again and not a yellow.
I pump pump. Feels like a smaller sea bass this time.
Bring it to color and I see .... brown.?
Awww man bat ray strikes again... wait. noooo. Its a HALIBUT!!!!
We bring it on board. My Personal best Hali! Its not too much to brag about but hey, its my PERSONAL best!!
Now with full ice chests and the wind going crazy at our back, its time to head back in and call it a day.
The yellows didn't show up at all. None of the boats got a single yellow, nor a white sea bass for that matter. But we were lucky enough to get the sea bass.
We don't know why the yellows didn't show, maybe the moon played a factor. The FURY which was on a 2 day trip, had 9 yellowtail the night before, but zero on the day we were there. Also the FREEDOM and the TORONADO had posted yellows the day before, but got nothing the day we were there.
We were lucky to have gotten on the sea bass! and once again, Thanks to the skipper, always working hard to put us on fish!
TIGHT LINES!
-EARG
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Originally Posted by jiggaman
