South of Dana Point 7/24/11 WFO Cuda and more

[klocked]

I received a txt from Eddie around 5pm on Saturday asking me if I was doing anything
Sunday. I txt him back with a "nothing". I had planned on taking it easy after an all day
skunk, I mean assult in the surf that day with my fellow SWAT members.

Another txt from Eddie... "Dana point 0400?"
Hmm, I'm so tired....
A txt back to Eddie... "Let me see if my parents will watch lil' John" (aka: heck yeah!)
I really enjoy fishing aboard the Hesbros with Eddie and Rich but it doesn't happen very
often, so I feel lucky when I get the chance.

Later on that day, Eddie made it a point to tell me that he asked a few other people
FIRST, that couldn't make it. So I guess I was his last choice. Now I feel really lucky!
and kinda weird. I guess I dont sing as well as Robert or Steve do!

First stop after launching was the bait barge where we picked up a scoop of dines.
Most were very healthy and about 6-8"

We get close to our 1st spot and put out two trolling rigs. One rig trolled a Rapala and
the other a bucktail. It didn't take long to hook up on the troll with double hook ups
and 2 slimers came over the rail.

Troll Shot....


Looking off in the distance in the direction we were travelling, we could see the cuda
boiling. Going to be a slay day! We trolled some more until we got into the thicker school. Eddie set us up on a drift right through the middle of the cuda and it was game on. We started off flylining dines and the cuda were just smashing them. It seemed kind of hard to get a hook into the slimers as most of the time our baits came back completely shreaded or bit in half.

I think Eddie and Rich got a couple each and I got 1 while flylining. The good old LC's
came out to play after a while and it was game on and a fish on every cast for what
seemed like hours.

Here are the 2 LC's I brought with me for the cuda. They each served their purpose in
the past landing me several halibut a few years ago. I brought them out of retirement
for this mission...


Little, big and huge logs came over the rail. One of them went 4' with a diameter of 8".
The action was furious and unfortunately no cameras came out.

I caught a mac on the LC and threw him in the bait tank(more on that later)

At one point I started casting out and reeling in fast until I could see my lure and the fish that were following it. If the fish were small, I did my best to keep the lure away from them and if they were big, I let them eat it! It was fun to watch them smash the LC right in front of me!

After the slime bite fizzled, we tried a different spot and made a few drifts through the kelp. In the kelp we found the calicos somewhat suspended in the water column and they too were willing to come up and attack our LC's. None were of legal size but it was fun to watch 4-5 Calicos coming up from different directions to eat the lure. I spotted a lone WSB about 4' in the kelp. There were some Sandies in the mix too. Not many pics of them either as the action was too fun to pick up the camera.




Eddie set us up for a few halibut drifts through out the day which resulted in a bunch of tail smoked dines with the butts not quite making it up to the hook. Each time, when we had a bite, we would let them eat it a bit longer. If we had set up with stingers there might have been some success but it was nearing the end of the day.

On the last halibut drift of the day, with 5-6 beat up deans and 3-4 lively ones left in the tank, I decided to put the mac on the hook and leave the dines to Eddie and Rich, as they were having more success with them than I was.

I remembered seeing that WSB and the guy at the bait dock mentioned some firecracker
yellows being caught in the area. I sent the mac down to the bottom and was wondering if a WSB could even eat a 9" mac. I know a YT can.... whoa!! clicker is going off in short
bursts, nah! it's just hung up on kelp again... zzzzzzZZzzzz goes the clicker some more...
That doesnt sound like its hung up! Rich says to me "think you got something there?"

I set the hook after a few more seconds and ZZZzZzzzzzzzZZZZzzZzzZzz and more ZZz
zzzZZZzZzZZzzzZzzZzzzZzZZZZzzzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZwhoa!!!!! zzzzzzz ZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz oh crap!! ZZzzZzZZzzzZZzZz and more ZZZZZZzZzzzzzzZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ holy!! ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzZZZZ WTH!!! this isnt a halibut ZZZZZZZZzzzzZZZZZ
ZZZZZzZZZzZzzzzzzZZZZzzzZZZZZZz It aint a YT or a WSB either!! ZZZZZZZZZZZ
ZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzZ Eddie says "let me check your drag" ZZZZZZZZZZzzzzzzzzzZ
ZZZZZzZzzzzzZZZzzzZZZzZzZ "ok" ZZZzZzZZZZZzZZZZZZ ZZZ zzz zz z z ZZZZZZ
ZZZzz zz z z z z now it's time to pump and wind!! Color!! it's a thresher! It sees the boat and a huge explosion of water goes everywhere! ZZZZzzzZZZZzzzZZzZzzzz etc...... Pump and reel...... ZZZZzZzzzzz etc... pump and reel.....

Thresher bendo...




A long while later, the shark is at the boat, on it's side and not moving at all. While we're watching it to see what it's going to do, there's a cloud of blood forming in the water. The shark still hasn't moved a muscle. Eddie grabbed the tail then both Eddie and Rich hoisted the beast into the boat. Blood was just pouring out of the sharks gills and mouth.




I was setup with 25lb mono at the hook. The shark ate the whole mackeral and got hooked in the gut. His stomach was pulled into his mouth. Why he didn't saw me off during the first few moments of the fight, I dont know. I wasn't out to catch and kill any sharks but for those of you that have a soft spot in your heart for these beautiful creatures like I do, I will think about what happened and how to avoid it in the future.

Cleaning station..



Eddie and Rich, thanks again for inviting me! Had a blast as always!
I'll try and brush up on my singing!

Sunset pics...

[murrieta angler]

HOLY SHI!!!!!!!!
A thresher shark, what a nice suprise when fishing for WSB or YT's.
It's a beautiful fish and a moment you won't forget John.
Wish I could have been there with you guys.
Nice looking fish all around.
Great report,
Robert
<><



p.s. I will be holding singing lessons next week, c-ya there...

[JapanRon]

Hi klocked,

Nice run on the cuda !!

Great report .... thanks,

JapanRon

[Wingnut]

Hey Eddie... I can Karaoke with the best of them!
Wow, what fantastic surprise catch. Enjoy the bounty as it was gift from Poseidon.
Those LC's looked like they been to hell and back, lol
See ya in a couple of weeks John.

[bones]

Very nice report and pics John. Your report was great read.What a enjoyable day for you guys on the water. I'll take nonstop action and lots of laughs over one of the reports where the guys hunt all day long for the ever so elusive blue fin tuna or the ghosts that have been spotty as well. Sometimes you have to adjust your expectations and attitude to make it a great day on the water and you guys did an awesome job. The slime sticks have been on the chew recently and it looks like some of the migratory sand bass are still around as well. I've been itching to get on some of that constant action myself.....I'm very jealous dude!
I had my first threasher shark feast last year. We marinated the steaks in soy sauce and brown sugar for 30 minutes and then BBQ'd them.
They were awesome!
We actually used the cuda meat for some very good ceviche too....Damn....I'm hungry now LOL
As I read your report I started to smile and by the end I was grinning from ear to ear. Thanks for sharing your day with Eddie and Rich !
Now get your feet back on the sand soldier....... The enemy needs to be slayed!
Talk to ya soon Bro....

Mike

[TUNAVIC]

Very cool report,nice pics also,as far as the Thresher goes,I too have caught fish I wished I could have released,but for whatever reason,deep hooked, dead,or not able to revive,I've had to keep if legal,I just make sure they don't go to waste,and there put to good use ie eaten! Even if you try your best,circle hooks, artificial s,ect,your gonna kill a fish now and then,as long as you appreciate the resource and put it to good use,no worries,jmo.

[marzocchi]

Perfect eating size thresher. Not too big, not too small.

[KID CREOLE]

klocked,

Don't sweat not being able to release the t shark, you tried and it was hurt, it happens. Great to see releasing the threshers was your intention. There are many people who target and kill these pups as often as they can because it's legal

[DockRat]

WTG John/Eddie, nice pics.

Perfect eating size thresher. Not too big, not too small.

Too small to be 'Perfect eating size'
If you compare the main body (gills to start of tail) to John's arm or the 12" rod holder,
that puts it at less than 3' of meat.
But gut hooked, who wouldn't steak it out.
That's some good eats there.
DR

[stepchild]

wtg on the great day of fishing and catching....i hear thresher steaks are delish