Islander Kayak Trip

Friday, April 15th, Tim Boyer's Dana Point Jet Ski and Kayak Center (DPJSKC) sponsored a charter aboard the Islander, one of the long range vessels operating out of Fisherman's Landing in San Diego. There were fourteen of us assembling our gear and loading our kayaks for the drive to San Diego. Tim loaded 5 kayaks on his truck including my little Hobie Sportfish, the smallest kayak in Hobie's Mirage Drive line. Jim picked me up on the way and I loaded the rest of my gear in his vehicle.

When we arrived at the landing, we lined up our kayaks on the dock for the crew to load and put the rest of our gear on the deck and in our staterooms. Then it was time for dinner - a nice fish dinner at Mitch's Seafood.

When we returned from dinner, the kayaks were already loaded.

Around 9 pm, we pulled away from the dock and headed to the bait receivers. After loading bait, Captain John Conniff gave us the safety speech and informed us that the Navy had opened all San Clemente Island allowing us to fish the Pyramid Cove area. The island had been scheduled to be closed where we wanted to fish. John told us that when we got to the island they would anchor up and drop us in the water. He said to work our way down current. They would move the boat down current later to would pick us up.

After the Captain finished, Tim welcomed everyone on the charter and held a raffle for great prizes - Reel Cleaning Kits, Gift Cards to Bass Pro Shops, etc. plus DPJSKC hats, rod tethers and stickers for everyone. Thanks Tim!

I called it a night early. The ride was a little bumpy due to the 15 to 20 knot winds we headed into. I got up at 3:30 am and we were still traveling. There was a full moon out shining across the sea and the seas had smoothed out. I set up my kayak so it was ready to launch when we got to the island. Chef Rick had posted the menu for the day in the galley. He was up early and ready to serve a gourmet French Toast breakfast at 5:30 am.

Captain John got the anchor down in Pyramid Cove (San Clemente Island) about 6 am. The crew began launching the kayaks at 6:15 - before the sun was up. I was second in the water.

I peddled around until my bait tank was primed then came back to the boat for crew to load my tank with lively sardine. I took off and headed down current to fish. I started out fishing a sardine on a reverse dropper loop using 30# Berkley Big Game and a Mustad 3/0 offset hook (92677). 

The water temperature was 61 degrees with calm, glassy seas. As soon as the sun came up, the air temperature rose quickly until it was a hot day requiring lots of sunscreen. What a change from last week's 30 degree air temps fishing at Santa Rosa Island. A bald eagle flew right over me.  What a beautiful morning.

The bass fishing was slow. I only had a few bites from small bass - too small to get the hook in it's mouth. An hour or so after all the kayaks were in the water, I heard some screaming up current from me. I couldn't tell if someone was in trouble or if a trophy fish had been landed until a voice over the radio asked the crew to bring the skiff to pick up his 20 pound halibut. Tom said the halibut was too big for him to peddle it back to the big boat. Shortly after that, one of the divers surfaced close to me hoisting a halibut he had speared.

I switched over to halibut fishing and left the kelp line heading to the beach area. I bounced my sinker along the bottom, fishing in 15 feet of water slow trolling a sardine. I varied my speed from .3 to .8 mph. Suddenly it felt like I snagged the bottom. I spun my kayak around and looked down to see a halibut connected to my line. I took my time letting the halibut run when he wanted to while getting my gaff ready. I maneuvered my kayak so the halibut was on my right side and when the fish surfaced, I put the rod in my left hand and slowly lead the halibut into gaff range and with my right hand, stuck him with the gaff. A head shot at that. I set my rod down, grabbed the gaff with my left hand and used my right to open the game clip and slide it through the fish's gill up through its' mouth and closed the clip. I decided to take the fish back to the boat so it could be cooled down quickly preserving the quality.

Captain John came around in the skiff letting us know lunch would be served until 1 pm and that we should all be back on the boat by then as the boat was making a move around to the front side of the island. By this time the battery in my bait tank was dead (6 hours is not bad) so I would be fishing squid or plastics the rest the day.  All the kayaks were loaded back on the boat and we had a short ride around the island.

The kayaks were launched again and we headed off. The front side of the island gets deep quickly and there weren't any flat sandy beaches to fish so back to bass fishing. The rest the afternoon I tried squid on a leadhead working my way down current. I succeeded in feeding the blue perch most of my bait. I caught one sheepshead, small junk fish but no bass.  Jim did better – he’s a good bass fisherman.

Traveling down current, I encountered a huge bait ball of sardines that must have been a mile in diameter. The seals were chasing them around except for the albino seal I saw sitting on the shore.

The Captain moved the boat down current around 3 in the afternoon. By then, the wind had come up and so had the swell. By 6 pm, the swells were coming in sets and the seas became less friendly. I headed back to the boat calling it a day. I considered 12 hours on the water traveling 13 miles a full day.

I put my gear away, took a shower and we settled in for jackpot weigh-in and fish tales. I think Jacks tale was the best. Not only did Jack catch 5 rays, he had two on at once. Congratulations Jack! Jim lost a big fish to the kelp late in the day - he says it was either a big, big calico or a white seabass. Bummer. Tim brought back whitefish and sheepshead. Other anglers caught bass, whitefish and sheepshead too, but no one caught yellowtail or seabass this trip. Three halibuts were the big fish of the trip - Tom's weighed 20 lbs.; mine was second at 13 lbs. None of the halibut anglers were in the jackpot.

Time for dinner! Pour the wine! And here's the feast! Chef Rick does a great job, not only with the taste of the food but the presentation as well. Passengers gathered on the back deck for cigar smoking and reminiscing about the day until it was time to get some shuteye.

Sunday morning at 5:30 am, we unloaded the boat, packed up our vehicles and slipped out of the parking lot while Day at the Docks was getting set up. Another great trip goes in the books and I still have a fresh halibut dinner to look forward to.  Jim does as well as I gave him half of my fish. Fish is always better fresh and when shared with friends.

The Islander is a quality operation with knowledgeable owners and crew and they are extremely proficient at handling the kayak mothership trips.  I look forward to Dana Point Jet Ski and Kayak Center’s next charter on the Islander.

Kayak Tuesday 4-12-11

Just read last week's report minus catching the mackerel, add wind and choppy seas and you have this week's report. Didn't see last week's report, you didn't miss anything as I didn't catch anything. This seems to be a habit lately.

There were about six of us heading out this morning. Most of us fished the beach first. The water was still cold - 58 to 59 degrees and green. It was an outgoing tide and I fished in as little water as 6 feet at times. After a couple hours dragging a squid around on a dropper loop, we headed out to the pipe. By this time the wind and swell had come up with a 1.3 mph current.

I metered fish and loads of bait but nothing wanted to bite for me. Tim and Jack had a little better luck each catching a sandbass and Wayne caught a 10 inch calico. I entertained myself with the wildlife above the water. I had a small bird swim over as if to hitch a ride. The pelicans are always putting on a show as well.  Stand-up paddle boarders are interesting to watch too.

 

We headed in around one in the afternoon at which time the sun made an appearance. Perhaps when the water warms up, the fishing will improve.

Santa Rosa Island

Los Angeles Rod and Reel Club had their first trip of the year on the Pacific Dawn now operating out of Ventura Sportfishing during the winter.  We departed Friday April 8th around 9:30 in the evening heading into 15 to 20 knot winds.  The predictions were for the wind to come down but increasing again Saturday afternoon – just the window needed for us to get out fishing.  The winds did return in the afternoon Saturday and we returned to harbor with it blowing 30 knots.  The following trip report and most of the photos courtesy of Jim Carlisle.

Man was it cold at Santa Rosa Island yesterday morning.  30 degrees wind chill at daylight…..Brrrrr.

One good halibut for Ger plus 37# and 23# white seabass.  Rick caught the big one and shared it with Jan, Al, Roland and I so good eats tonight.

The 23 pounder was caught by 12 year old Nick which was cool to see.  Lots of barracuda around in the cold water so good sign of things to come.

We made plenty of squid but the seabass and halibut wanted sardines….weird.  They also didn’t bite until after breakfast  well after a few of us froze our butts off fishing from the dark thru gray light when they are supposed to bite.

Rockfishing was way off though, maybe the wind did us in, but the quality surface fish made the day.

Another good trip with Pat, plus the great service of Man Dog Mike, Ryan Cavanaugh, and Jeremy Fleck on deck.

Nice day.