A Perfect Day!

Jim Carlisle and I arrived at Ventura Harbor Village late Friday afternoon April 11 for our first LARRC charter on the Pacific Dawn. Light Santa Ana winds were blowing across the harbor and the boat was still out. We met up with fellow club members Al Scow and Tom Carlisle for a fresh fish dinner at one of the many restaurants lining the harbor. The boat’s new location is great because of the convenience of many shops and restaurants. There isn’t a landing office so passengers just check in on the boat now instead of a landing office.

We boarded the boat and handed out goody bags of Berkley Gulp and Berkley Visors (courtesy of Berkley). The boat departed around 10 p.m. Since the weather was greasy calm, Pat made the decision to make the long run to San Miguel Island. Everyone appreciated the extra effort to burn the extra fuel necessary to get there even with the ever increasing fuel costs. Thanks Pat! The over night trip out to the island was so calm it felt like we were still in the harbor when we awoke the next morning.

I got up at 5:30 a.m. along with a handful of other anglers and began fishing. Standing on the bow watching the sun come up over the mainland and glisten across flat calm seas was a beautiful start to a great day of fishing.

Captain Pat Cavanaugh set us up in a drift where the water was only 100 feet deep. The drift was quite slow as there was no wind and very little current. Pat instructed us to be selective since we were shallow enough to successfully release any rockfish we didn’t want to keep. He said to fish like were fishing sand bass, cast out and work your lure back across the bottom – so we did. Out came the jigs and leadheads with plastics, while the gangions were put away for the most part. These fish really wanted the plastics.

It was obvious early on that the lingcod were on the chew. Al Scow quickly took the lead on lings and let us know it. We caught up with him even though he claims he caught more counting his releases. The lingcod fishing was so much fun even the Captain felt compelled to cast out a line from the wheelhouse window and catch one. Boat limits on lings came quickly. Jim Carlisle had the biggest lingcod weighing in at 19 lbs.

The reds were biting as well as the lings and so were the chuckleheads making easy rock fish limits for the boat. Some other interesting critters were in the catch as well. Several whitefish, sheepshead and giant cabazon were caught (I had 2 of the cabazon and 1 sheepshead). The Carlisle brothers each caught a starfish and Jim’s guest, Bill Haub took jackpot with a 22 lb. sheepshead. I fished the entire day using a 3 ounce leadhead and the Berkley 6 inch Gulp Grub. No bait needed, the Gulp was a killer. I went through 3 bags of Gulp Grubs but they were worth it.

By noon we had full limits of lingcod in the fish hold and our sacks were full of rockfish and it was time to put away the gear and relax.

A few quick group photos were taken then we sat down to rockfish enchiladas, beans and rice.

After lunch it was nap time. While we slept the crew processed our fish and handed us bags of beautiful fillets when we returned to dock.

It was a perfect day!

Captain Pat Cavanaugh is also running Open Party trips for those interested. Just book through his website http://www.pacificdawn.com/ or call him at (800) 708-8523. You won’t be sorry.