Wednesday, December 13, 2023

REDFISH ON THE BLACKFISH!

I got a special invite to go fishing for rockfish with Steve on the Blackfish owned and operated by Mitch Christensen and Michael Harkins.  The Blackfish is a 38-foot Cabo Yacht, run as a 6-Pak fishing charter boat, operating out of Davey’s Locker in Newport Beach.  Jim Carlisle and Keith (Steve’s friend) also accepted Steve’s invitation.  Fumio and Jeff were too busy with holiday commitments to join us.  Steve was looking for one more person to go so I brought Shig Kondo along as my guest.

Departure time was 5 am Monday December 11th.  We were fortunate to have both owners for our charter.  Mitch informed us that we would head straight to San Clemente Island and fish 400 to 500 feet deep.  The plan was to catch our limits of rock fish then fish for calico bass or halibut.  Sounded great to us so we settled into the salon for the 2.5 hour trip.

Most of us napped until the sun came up. Our weather was cool with wispy high clouds which made for a beautiful sunrise.  The seas were calm as we traveled at a speed of about 22 knots, arriving just before 8 am.  Mike had set up our gear for us while we slept so we would be ready to fish as soon as we arrived.  Very nice to have someone knowledgeable rig my tackle for me.  

 


As the engines slowed, I willed my body to carry me out on deck where I expected to be greeted with cold weather.  What a pleasant surprise that there was no wind and just the cool air outside.

We each grabbed a rod, already baited with squid, and upon the Captain’s instructions, we dropped our rigs to the bottom.  It seemed to take forever to reach the bottom but when we did, we were greeted with very aggressive big fish that shook the line all the way up.  It took me 7 minutes to bring my fish up but it was worth it.  I had one very large Vermillion rock fish.  Mine wasn’t the only one either.  Everyone brought up big reds.



Mitch did a great job keeping us on that spot long enough for us to catch nearly limits of reds before they quit biting.  Mitch took us to a couple other spots for us to finish out boat limits.  Then it was decision time – stay at Clemente and fish the kelp line for calicos or head to Catalina for halibut.  Halibut fishing won the vote.

 





Before heading to Catalina, we received a bucket of fresh dead squid from a light boat, and a generous gift of live sardines from the Eldorado.  Then we settled in for the hour or so ride to Catalina.  Along the way we had lunch – sandwiches courtesy of Steve and rice balls courtesy of Shig’s wife, Yuko.






 

The weather continued to get better until we were fishing in shirt sleeves instead of our jackets.  As we approached Catalina, Mike got us all rigged up with 20-pound fluorocarbon halibut leaders. The leader had a small J hook on top, a small treble trap hook attached to it and 1/2 to 3/4 ounce slider on the top. 

 



Mitch worked the boat in shallow waters (10 feet deep at times) close to the island searching for biting fish.  We drifted over several areas until we reached one that wanted to bite.  It must have been a “time of day thing” because they just didn’t bite until late in the day.  Once they started to bite, we picked up 6 legal halibut and released several shorts.  I wasn’t lucky enough to catch a halibut but Shig, Steve, Jim and Keith all caught legal halibut.

With the last halibut hitting the deck, the clock indicated it was time to return home.  Mitch kicked up the engines and Mike pulled out the fish and filet board.  It was a little over an hour trip home.  Mike had just finished fileting our catch when we entered the harbor.  It was getting dark and the harbor was buzzing with people celebrating the season. Boats were all decorated in holiday cheer ready to board their passengers for the nightly boat parade.

 


Once docked, we unloaded our gear and  I stood by the gear at the top of the docks while everyone else got the cars.  Mitch put the fish in a cart and brought it up to the top of the dock where I was waiting.  It was crowded with cars and people waiting to board one of the cruise ships so it took a while for the cars to reach the dock.  Eventually we got all our fish and tackle in our cars and were on our way home. 

It was a fantastic trip!  One of my best trips for big reds.  Kudos to our two captains, Mitch and Mike.  They were professional, personable and did a great job.  Thank you Steve for putting the trip together and inviting me along.  

This trip also had special meaning for me because I got to fish with Shig again.  My first fishing trip was thirty years ago on Shig’s fishing charter boat named the New Hustler II. I didn’t catch a fish.  Over the next few years, Shig was kind enough to teach me how to fish and to respect the fish we caught.  I had no idea which fish were edible, what they were called nor how to filet and cook them.  I’m very grateful for his kindness.  I’ve had many years of fishing joy since then thanks to Shig.

 

Friday, October 06, 2023

Rail Time Tuna Fest!

We gathered at Peter’s Landing to board the Rail Time for our last charter of the year.  Chartermaster Jeff invited Cathy, Jim, Brian, Randy and me to join him.  At the last minute, Jim felt he should drop off the trip due to a slight fever and a couple water leaks remaining after having his home had been repiped.  Gary said Jake and Andy would be tied up the rest of the year bringing their owner’s new 80 foot boat up from Cabo and outfitting it for fishing.  Instead, Eric would be assisting Gary.

 


After loading gear and food, we departed around 6:30 pm heading for the bait receiver first.  Gary advised we set up our 30- and 40-pound outfits with #2 or #4 hooks to fish for school size tuna.  Cathy brought trays of BBQ chicken, ribs, tri-tip and potato salad for day two’s dinner.  Jeff brought pizza for departure night’s dinner and Brian brought tri-tip sliders to eat anytime.  Needless to say, we were loaded with good food for the trip.

 


After picking up some lively, although small, sardines, we were headed to Catalina Island to harvest some live flying fish.  I set up my gear, including the big tackle for balloon fishing, then crawled into my bunk.  I slept so well I didn’t even hear Eric and Gary scooping flyers.

When I awoke the next morning, we were past San Clemente Island on our way to Tanner Bank where the big tuna had been in previous days. I knew our location courtesy of the “Find my iPhone” app.  I usually consult iSailer for our location but I had forgotten to set it up on my new iPhone. 


I had just gotten myself a cup of coffee and some banana nut bread for breakfast when Gary came down for some coffee himself.  It was still dark and Gary said he had already metered 5 or 6 schools of fish.  As the sun came up, the seas were calm and the skies clear which made searching for tuna easier. 

It wasn’t long until Gary found the school he wanted to stop on.  He and Eric put out live flying fish on two 130-pound outfits then told me he was putting my rod out with a live flying fish under the helium balloon.  I was happy with this as that was the setup I used the last trip to catch two big bluefin:  Penn 50SW reel with 130# fluorocarbon top shot crimped to a 4X Mustad 8/8 hook.  

The first school was uncooperative, so we pulled our baits in.  My flying fish had been cut in half leaving just the head and wings.  A couple of other outfits were tangled with each other.  We set everything up again when Gary found another school.  This one was more cooperative.

Gary’s friend John was fishing close to us and had just hooked a tuna on a flylined flyer.  Gary said “Jan, jiggle your bait” John just hooked a fish.  I was in the back of the boat “jiggling my bait” and I noticed everyone else was inside or on the bow when I saw my balloon going down.  I started winding fast and my line came tight. I was on!  I left the rod in the rod holder until the fish finished its long run and I had crew around me in case something unusual happens. 

I fought this fish a little differently than is typical.  I decided not to stress out the fish in order to preserve the quality of the fish for eating so I spent most the fight just hand-lining the line back onto the reel an inch at a time.  The fish never took another long run and eventually came to gaff on the starboard bow.  We walked to the stern and my fish was pulled through the gate onto the deck.  Gary says “there’s another two.”  Meaning a 200-pound fish.  However, the measurements on the fish, estimated it’s weight at 195.8.  Big enough to have plenty of fat to be tasty.

 





While I was pulling on my fish, Jeff hooked and landed a nice bluefin estimated to be 130 to 150 pounds.  That was a good beginning.  We continued fishing in the same area until Eric made a few calls to other captains in his group and learned they had moved to another area.  Gary kicked up the engines and we headed there.  Once we arrived and set out the flyers, the action began.  Cathy, Randy and Brian hooked big tuna.  Cathy and Brian’s fish were mean and fought hard.  Brian brought his to gaff on the Starboard bow and when it saw the boat took another run.  Brian got it back in position to be gaffed and the fish spit the hook.  Gary counted it as a released fish.

Cathy fought her fish hard and got it to gaff.  Her fish was pulled through the back gate and when on deck, we all knew Cathy had succeeded in her goal to land her 30th 200-pound tuna.  Congratulations Cathy for your perseverance which brought you success.

 


Randy finessed his fish to gaff shortly after Cathy’s fish hit the deck.  When taped, his fish hit 215 pounds a little larger than Cathy’s at 201.  By then, the sun was going down and the fish had quit biting so Gary pointed the boat towards Pyramid cove for a peaceful night’s sleep.







 
On our way to the island, we enjoyed ribs, chicken, potato salad and coleslaw for dinner.  Either mango ice cream bars or ice cream sandwiches (left from our last trip) made a great dessert.  Then it was bedtime for me.




I awoke the next morning when Gary started the engines.  I was shocked to see it was 6:10 am and the day had dawned.  No one was up yet.  I’ve never been on the boat and had everyone sleep that late.  I guess we were all tired.

View from my Bunk at 6:10 am!




Gary said to get your 25- and 30-pound outfits ready because we’re going looking for fish under kelp paddies and porpoise schools.  We had a fun day chasing tuna under porpoise schools.  The outfit that worked the best was 25-pound fluorocarbon tied to a #4 mutu hook. 

Brian hooked up first and his yellowfin tuna drug him around the boat several times before it held still long enough to get a gaff in it.  Jeff and Brian landed a couple bluefin tuna and Cathy, Jeff and Randy each caught a yellowfin tuna.  Cathy’s fish was 45 pounds and Jeff’s was 48 pounds.  Tough fish for light line.

Jeff’s yellowfin was the last fish to hit the deck and by then it was 2:30 pm and time to head home.  Eric and Gary of pulled a couple fish out of the hold at a time for Eric to fillet. Once those were filleted and bagged, the bags of filets were put in the hold and more fish pulled out to fillet. With over 800 pounds of fish to fillet, Jeff and I helped.  I bagged the filets and Jeff sealed the bags.  It took almost three hours to process all the fish even with two of the fish left whole for Brian to take home.







Thanks goes to Gary again for putting us on fish and we appreciate all of Eric’s help and especially his intel on where the big fish had moved.  Thanks again to Jeff for including me on his charters.  They are my favorite fishing trips. 



Tuesday, September 26, 2023

My Blue Heaven!

Our Rail Time departure was 6:30 PM after losing Cathy Needleman and Andy.  Andy was in Cabo with his Mirage boss trying to work out insurance issues on the new 80-foot boat.  Cathy had to fly to San Francisco to be with her daughter who was in the ER with an unidentified infection.  We were really going to miss them.  The remainder of our group, Captain Gary, Jake (his only crew member) and anglers Jeff, Steve, Jim, Rick Uribe and me.  After stowing gear, we had a pizza dinner (courtesy of Rick) while loading up on sardines at the receiver. Gary's plan was to fish smaller bluefin tuna first then go trophy hunting. He advised us to set up a 40-pound test rod with a #2 circle or “j” hook.

 

It was a leisurely ride to Catalina Island where Jake scooped Flyers to add to our bait supply.  When the tanks were topped off with flyers, Gary tucked the boat into a cove so he and Jake could catch a few hours of sleep before heading out to the bluefin grounds.  I slept soundly and didn’t even hear the engines start when the boat headed out on the path towards bluefin tuna.

The next morning, I reluctantly got out of my bunk. Gradually the others did the same.  Soon the boat was filled with smells of freshly brewed coffee and toasted bagels (courtesy of Cathy who had the bagels delivered to my home when she had to drop off the trip).  Everyone agreed that the bagels were very good. 





The weather was pleasant with scattered clouds, sun breaking through and reasonably calm seas with just enough surface chop to make our lines less visible to the fish below.

 



Gary came down and said, “change of plans.”  He said to get our 40-pound outfits and our big fish gear ready.  Both the big tuna and smaller tuna were mixed in the same schools.

As we were rolling up to the first school of bluefin, Jake came down and started chumming.  Gary said “ these are small ones.”  Go ahead and bait up and let them go!  Great Sardines!  Mine raced away from the boat then picked up more speed when it was picked up by a bluefin.  Another burst of speed then Bing!  Yep, it was the “J” hook that got bit off.  I know better than to use a “J” hook on bluefin.  I rerigged with a #2 Mutu circle hook.  The school didn’t stay with us though so Gary kept looking around.

We were relaxed and we all just wanted to bring home enough fish for a couple days of fresh sashimi.  None of us wanted to bring fish home for the freezer.  We just wanted to have fun.  I love fishing with this group.  Everyone is calm, courteous and generous.  Some charters are very competitive and high strung but not this group.  I’m very appreciative of that.

Gary kept searching for the right school – one that wanted to bite and one that would stay with the boat.  Around 8:45 am he found a cooperative school.  As we baited up with sardines, Jake started chumming then Gary said “let them go.” As we let our sardines run away from the boat, Gary said “Jake;  let’s get the flyers out.”  I liked the sound of that.

My rod was set up with 130# fluorocarbon and a 9/0 Mustad xxx circle hook.  Gary and Jake put my rod out with a live flying fish on a helium balloon.  Live flyers were flylined on two other rods.  We were all set.  Suddenly I heard Jake say “the balloon is bit.”  It took me a moment to realize that it was my rod that was bit.  

I quickly shed my jacket, put on my gloves and strapped into my harness.  This fish took one long run straight out on the ocean surface, as if it were going to jump, but it just stayed out there on the surface.  It acted very much like a large shark or a big black seabass and there was no tail beat.  What had I hooked?  Whatever it was, I was getting a good workout.  For the next 30 minutes, this fish took me for a stroll around the boat several times.  My rod was heavy and really loaded up so that I needed Jake to help me in and out of my harness each time we changed positions on the boat.  

Another 10 minutes passed going round and round the boat, each time bringing the fish a few feet closer to the boat until finally the fish started to sink down ever so slightly.  At that point, I thought I saw a feint tail beat and was hopeful there was a gamefish at the other end of my line.  It was another 10 minutes before I got the fish within gaff range at the Starboard bow.  The first swing of the gaff hit but caused the fish to blow up and pop the gaff out.  I had to pull on it for another 3 or 4 rounds before the two gaffs were firmly imbedded in the fish’s head.  I looked over the rail and was thrilled to see a bluefin tuna. 

I followed Jake, Gary and my fish to the stern where they put another gaff in the fish, opened the back door and pulled the fish in.  It was a fat fish and Gary thought it would be over the “two” mark.  After the fish settled down on the deck, Gary taped the fish.  Then he taped it again and Jim did the calculations.  290 pounds!  I was truly shocked it was that big.  I knew it was heavy but it didn’t fight.

 








Sometime while I was fighting my fish Sheepie and Rick hooked fish on 40# test and Jeff hooked one on a flyer.  Sheepie's came in shortly after mine.  It was smaller.  Rick landed his next.  It was a decent fish - 80 to 100#'s.

I went next to Jeff and noticed his fish was way out on the surface like mine had been.  He had been fighting it for a while too.  It looked like a heavy fish.  Jeff made good progress and was getting the fish to move closer to the boat when it suddenly shot to the surface, shook its head and spit the circle hook.  That was a devastating loss as it acted every bit as large as mine.  It’s very unusual for a fish to spit the hook from a live flyer like that. Bummer!

 




The wind came up and the water became choppy.  Gary was headed to Pyramid Cove when he heard that the cove was closed so we fished schools of fish closer to the island.  By day’s end, Rick and Jim had each caught another a nice tuna on 40#.  That made 5 tuna for the day.

As dark approached, Gary headed back into the island and found a nice place for us to have dinner.  Jim had been tasked with picking up the ribs Cathy had ordered for the trip.  They were a hit, as was the pasta and salad Jeff brought to add to the meal.  Jim supplied ice cream sandwiches for dessert. 

I was exhausted and hit the bunk early.  I never heard the boat move while replenishing the live flyer supply nor settling into the cove for the night. 

The second morning dawned much as the previous morning.  The water had calmed down from the previous afternoon. Skies were still overcast but the temperature was pleasant.

When we reached a school of fish, Gary advised 30 or 40 pound line as these were smaller fish.  We had decided to release most of our fish this day as we already had more than any one of us wanted to take home.  In fact, we all just wanted a portion of the big fish because of its size and fat content.

This was a very fun day.  I don’t know who hooked fish first or in what order.  I know I landed a fish early on.  I also know that in the morning, Sheepie was fishing 20 pound test at times ensuring a released fish.  Jim was using light line as well preferring to break them off before finishing the fight.  He got spooled on 30#! I know that Sheepie, Jim and Rick each fought one fish to the boat before releasing it.  I released two that way and Gary fought one on 40 pound that took him around the boat a couple times and refused to break off.  These were the 60 to 100 pound fish.

I also hooked a nice fish that spooled me right down to the knot on 40-pound fluorocarbon.  I don’t know why it didn’t break off, but when I finally got it to the boat, we stuck it. 

Then we hit a school of big fish.  Out went the flyers again and we all got bit except Sheepie who said “No thanks.”  We decided to keep just one more fish.  We were all pulling on big ones.  I think Gary decided we would keep my fish and release the others which were all 150 pound plus fish.  This fish had more fight in it than the previous day’s fish but didn’t take as long to land.  When it hit the deck, Gary said:  That’s another 200 pounder!  Then he told us he was giving the school to his friend who needed fish and we would find another.  Last I heard, he had landed three fish out of our school.


 





What a day! We had released 6 fish and landed 2 in the morning and released 3 big fish and landed 1 big fish in the afternoon!  We had 7 fish in the hold to be processed.  At that point, Jim suggested that I call Shig and have him come to the boat to pick up fish.

It was time to head home so we took down our gear then helped Jake with the fish processing.  Jake filleted all the fish while Jeff, Steve and I bagged it.  We made sure everyone got a big chunk of the big fish including Jake and Gary.





 

This trip was especially sweet for me as I was truly afraid I couldn’t pull on a big fish anymore.  I surprised myself by landing two fish over 200 pounds in a harness plus fighting 4 other fish on 40 pound tackle without the aid of my harness.

We were later than usual returning to dock, arriving around 7:30 pm.  Shig was waiting and helped me carry my gear to the car.  We loaded up the back of his pickup truck with bags of fillets.  He planned to share with all his family and friends.  I took one bag that still ended up being too much for us.


That big tuna had lots of fat throughout the different parts of the fish.  To me, it tasted better than any other fish I’ve eaten.  We’ve had it 3 days in a row now and would have it again tonight if we weren’t attending an evening event.