Rail Time Bluefin!

Jeff Chuang scheduled a charter on the Rail Time 6-Pack Boat for June 17th.  Accompanying Jeff were Jim and Tom Carlisle, Randy Sharon, Rick Uribe and me.  Originally the plan was to fish San Nicolas Island but the weather encouraged us to fish Catalina and San Clemente Islands instead. 

We all met up at the Fish Camp Restaurant on Coast Highway for dinner then boarded the boat at 6:15 pm with assistance from Captain Gary Adams and crew, Jacob and Andy.  We departed dock at 6:30 pm and headed straight for Catalina Island to make squid.  Crew had to work hard to get a few squid in the crowder at a time with all the sea lions chasing the squid.  Finally, around midnight they got a full crowder of squid and headed the boat to San Clemente Island.  We all hit the bunks.

Around 4:30 am, Gary fired up the engines and made a small move and said "start fishing".  We were at the West end of San Clemente Island.  We had great bait to fish with, however, the fish just weren't in a biting mood.  It didn't help that there was no current at all.

Gary made a series of moves along the island until he reached the same spot we caught yellowtail on the last trip.  The live squid was candy to everything around.  We caught 7 yellowtail, sheepshead, olive rockfish, sculpin, whitefish plus dozens of Calico Bass which we released.

Around noon, Gary asked us if we wanted to continue fishing yellowtail or go back to Catalina and try for white seabass or go looking for bluefin tuna.  We elected to fish for tuna even though we knew they hadn't been biting well.  On a tip from a spotter plane, Gary took us to an area a few miles south of where the seiners were wrapping the 100 pound class bluefin.  The school we would be fishing were the 40 pound class fish.

Late in the day we slid into a school and hooked a two fish - I had one of the two.  We were fishing 40# mono with 40# fluorocarbon leaders with small (3/0) hooks and a half ounce sliding sinker.  We landed the first two fish!  We were thrilled. 

After that first hit, the bluefin became skittish so we had to drop down to our 25 pound outfit and fish the slide - drop back our baits as Gary slid the boat into the school and brailed live squid.  The tuna would boil up on the squid and we would hook two each time.  Gary and crew worked very hard the rest the day until everyone had caught tuna and our count stood at 14 bluefin 30 to 40 pounds each and 1 yellowfin tuna.  

I am super impressed with Gary as a Captain.  He guided us until we had the winning combination to hook these fish, which was: 

25# test with 25# fluorocarbon leader

Small hook (3/0 Mustad 92677 for me)

Live squid for bait

Fishing the slide

Around 4 pm, we had to call it a day as we had a 4 hour boat ride back to Huntington Harbor where the Rail Time is docked.  Fortunately the Rail Time is a fast boat and the seas were calm.  We passed the purse seiners wrapping bluefin on our way back.  

Jacob and Andy filleted all our fish while we took photos and celebrated our good fortune.

LARRC on the Dawn

Los Angeles Rod and Reel Club members met up at Ventura Sportfishing Thursday night to board the Pacific Dawn for a club charter.  Our Chartermaster, Reza, does a great job organizing the trips and ensuring we have great food on board and all our needs are met.  Much thanks goes to Reza.

As usual, the wind was blowing a good 20 knots so we encountered a bumpy ride on our way out.  Johnnie was our Captain with Mandog his second.  Fernando and Hunter on deck while Keaton and Richy handled the Galley.  Johnnie was hoping to get to San Miguel Island but the weather prevented the crossing so we fished Santa Rosa Island. Fortunately, the weather improved as the day progressed.

Fishing was good and got better as the day went on.  At one spot, every drop was a big Red.  Everyone got limits of rockfish and almost limits of lingcod.  Just a great day with friends.  The photos tell the story.

And as for the food, Eggs Benedict and fresh fruit for breakfast, Chicken Salad Sandwich and Potato Salad for lunch and Sauteed Blue Bass over white rice and Mango Salsa on the way back to dock.  Richy and Keaton did a great job feeding us well!