Rail Time Seabass

Jeff Chuang chartered the 6-Pack boat "Rail Time" for a white seabass adventure.  He invited Al Scow, Jim and Tom Carlisle, Steve and me to share the adventure with him.  The trip was originally scheduled to leave Monday night, but due to the weather it was rescheduled and we departed at 6 pm Tuesday night.  

Our first stop was the bait receiver for a tank of sardines and mackerel.  

Next stop, west end of Catalina Island to make squid.  We dozed in our bunks while the crew worked hard netting enough squid for the next day's fishing.  Weather was still windy so our Captain and Rail Time owner, Gary Adams, decided to rest in the lee of the east end of the island until morning to make the crossing to San Clemente Island.  This also gave his crew, Jacob and Andy, some nap time.

We traveled inside the island all the way to the east end and around to the back side to start our seabass search. 

Captain Adams advised using 40 pound mono, a half ounce sliding sinker and a short piece of fluorocarbon using a thin wired 5/0 hook.  We fished that area for 30 to 40 minutes with no luck before Gary started the search down the entire inside of the island.   At each spot we stopped, we found difficult conditions - mostly wind against current.  Around noon, we reached an area close to the west end with a little better conditions that held some biting fish. 

Jeff caught a sheepshead and Al started catching big calicos.  Then the yellowtail came to play.  Everyone caught fish.  I fished the bow and managed several calicos (all released), a bonito and 4 or 5 yellowtail.  The weather was still a factor gusting to 20 at times which was a bit more than predicted.  Gary asked us if we wanted to finish the trip here or make the crossing to Catalina to break up the trip home and search for seabass.  We elected to go to Catalina.

We arrived at the island around 3 pm.  We dropped down to our 25 or 30 pound outfits and it only took a few minutes before the seabass showed up.  By 3:30 it was all over except the celebrating.  Everyone caught their one legal seabass and we even had to release a couple.  These were not the barely legal sized fish either - they were all 35 to 40 pounders.  I caught a 35 pound fish which was my new personal best.  Wow!  Gary Adams sure lived up to his reputation as a premier seabass captain.

Jacob and Andy filleted our fish on the way home.  

We were back at dock, unloaded and on the road by 6 pm heading home with full ice chests.  Everyone had 20 pounds of seabass filets plus filets from two yellowtail.  I also brought home the head and bones from my seabass to make fish fumet.  Can't wait to go again.  Thanks again Jeff for the invite.