Vermillions on the Dawn!

Jim and I left Long Beach around 2:30 pm Thursday, May 26th heading to Ventura to fish LARRC's first charter this year on the Pacific Dawn.  We arrived early and Fernando let us put our gear on board then we went next door to have dinner at the Rhum Line.

Dustin arrived and informed us that we don't have squid, the bait required to go after the white seabass.  He said they would look for squid on our way out to Santa Rosa Island.  As it turned out, they were able to make 3 tanks of squid while we slept. 

We started fishing in the shallows early.  Dustin set the boat up for a few drifts dodging the crab traps and buoys.  Steve hooked up right away but that fish turned into a shark.  Even with the candy bait, the game fish ignored our offerings. After a couple hours, Captain Skinny headed further off the island to try for rock fish.  Two hours of fishing many different high spots in 70 feet of water and we struck out.

It was noon and we had yet to catch a fish.  Dustin said he had one more spot to try in deeper water and we would need to fish that spot differently.  Instead of dropping to the bottom and scoping out during the drift, he would put the boat over the spot and hold it on the spot.  Skinny said to drop our bait down and when we hit bottom, just keep tension on the line until the fish climbed on our hooks - then wind them up.

On the first drop, I caught two reds and my trip was made.  We continued fishing this new spot until we had full limits of rockfish.  I ended up with 8 Vermillions, 1 ling cod and 6 big chuckleheads.  At 3 pm we headed back towards dock.  Kayla cooked up some fish tacos, burgers and grilled cheese sandwiches for the trip home. Fernando and Matt filleted our fish just finishing as we reached the harbor.

  

We got to the landing by 7:30 pm, unloaded gear, got ice and packed up our fish then headed home.  I phoned Shig to let him know I had fish for him.  After getting my car at Jim's, I met up with Shig on Magnolia and gave him 4 reds, 1 ling cod and a couple chuckleheads.  He brought me a big bottle of very good quality Sake as a thank you.

When I got home, Mike and the boys were still up.  I took a quick shower then had a glass of Champagne with Mike before going to sleep.  A good end to a good day and good fishing trip.

Ghosts remained Ghosts!

Jeff, Jim and I made a quick trip with Brandon Sunday night (5/22/16) in search of the elusive white seabass.  We had live squid and fished hard all night long.  Although we saw the fish on the meter, they remained just ghosts!  It was time to pay our dues.

Rail Time Seabass!

On Wednesday, May 18th, Jeff Chuang, Jim Carlisle, Al Scow, Steve Smith, Reza Malekzadeh and I met up for a 2:30 pm dinner at the Fish Camp in Huntington Beach before boarding the Rail Time.  Big Al insisted on treating all of us to dinner.  Thanks Al.

A 5 minute drive up PCH and we were at Peter's Landing, the home of the Rail Time.  Gary Adams (owner/Captain) was on the boat when we arrived.  By the time we got our gear loaded, Jacob and Andy (Gary's crew) were on board.  We departed the harbor around 4:30 pm and headed for Catalina Island.  By 6:30 pm we were fishing the back side of the west end of the Island in the middle of a cove crowded with private and commercial sportfishing boats.  Everyone had heard that the seabass were biting.

We fished hard through the tide change with Steve being the only lucky angler.  Gary moved the boat further down the island setting up the boat on the squid grounds.  He dropped down a bright squid light and the squirting critters showed up.  Gary and crew scooped up enough squid to fill the bait tanks for the next days' fishing.  We put out 6 dropper loops and waited.  We kept checking and changing baits.  We hit the bunks around 9:30.  I got up at 11:30 when a boat next to us boated a couple fish.  After an unsuccessful hour of fishing, I went back to bed until the next tide change at 2:30 am.

Jim and Jeff were up changing out baits by the time I got up.  Reza got up shortly after.  We saw another boat gaff a seabass.  Jeff hooked and landed a couple yellowtail in the grey.  I hooked and got spooled on what we believe was a black sea bass that couldn't be stopped.   Jim and Steve each hooked a yellowtail that rocked them both,  however, the seabass were a no-show for us on the squid grounds.

Gary worked down the backside of the Island until we got to a shallow water spot with a couple other boats anchored.  Squid chum went over the side and the fish showed up.  I hooked up first but my fluoro connection broke.  Jeff landed the first seabass then Jim etc.  I hooked a second and pulled the hook.  Jim handed me a small fish that I actually landed.  Reza and I hooked the same small seabass which we released because we had 9 seabass on board - limits for passengers and crew. 

The rest the day Gary checked out cove after cove looking for biting yellowtail.  We caught and released many calico bass but no yellowtail were landed.  After working our way all the way around the east end to Avalon, Gary called it a trip.  Crew filleted our fish while we celebrated our good luck with Sangria and beer. 

We were back at dock by 4:30 and I was home by 5:40 pm.  What a great day!

Chasing Seabass

Jeff Chuang, Jim Carlisle and I boarded Brandon Hayward's Parker at 6 p.m. April 18th for a night of chasing the famously elusive white seabass.  We motored out of Oceanside Harbor and hugged the coast for a short ride south to the fishing grounds.  The weather was in the 80's during the day but down in the 50's at night.  The sun was still bright in the sky and so was the nearly full moon.

Our first order of business was to catch mackerel for bait.  Spanish mackerel were pretty easy to catch but the larger greenies were less than plentiful. Just after sundown, Brandon moved the boat to a fishing spot he has had success with in the past.  He jockeyed the boat several times until it was sitting just right for the wind and currents then we set up our gear.

We each brought a couple set-ups:  A 60 lb. outfit and an 80 lb. outfit each with a foot of fluorocarbon tied to spectra.  Brandon had one bait set at 50 pulls from the boat and another at 80 pulls.  We also had a couple rods 15 to 20 pulls from the boat and we had a couple we worked the bait back and forth 30 feet from the boat.  After a couple hours without a bite and a changing wind direction, Brandon moved the boat a short distance and reset the anchor.  We set the rods up again and put them in the holders and waited.

Around 1:30 a.m. Brandon said we might as well nap a couple hours through the slack tide then get up and fish hard through the grey light.  Jeff curled up in the v-birth, Jim and I each settled into a bean bag on deck.  It was quite cold even with 4 layers of clothing but we managed to nap anyway. 

When I woke up, the moon was still visible through the light haze covering the sky and the ocean had become glassy calm.  These were just the conditions Brandon said were favorable.  Jim and I got up to help Brandon change all our baits then we put our bedding (bean bags) away.

Around 4:15 a.m. the starboard stern rod went off.  We called Jeff but he passed it off to me and the fight was on.  After a run to the bow and back and pulling the fish through kelp stringers, Brandon stuck a gaff in her - a gorgeous 39 pound white seabass.  Wow!  I not only had my personal best but enough seabass for the year.

In the next 15 minutes, the same rod went off again and Jeff pulled in a 63 pounder.  That fish was fat!  We put that rod back out and 15 minutes later Jim was pulling on another giant.  When that fish hit the deck, it didn't look too big until we put it next to Jeff's fish.  Jim's was longer, had a bigger tail and was just as fat.  Jim's fish weighed 68 lbs.  Time to celebrate!!

Brandon moved the boat and set us up to fish yellowtail or halibut while he cut our fish for us.  I ended up bringing home 20 lbs. of filets (which Brandon says sell for $23 per pound or $460 for my fish).  I also brought home the bones, collar and belly/ribs.  We left our seabass heads with Brandon to send to the hatchery and the hatchery will mail us the odoliths.  The hatchery scans the heads for a chip indicating they were a hatchery fish.

Brandon took a fellow Los Angeles Rod and Reel Club member out the night after our trip.  Unfortunately they were skunked.  Brandon said the school was scared because we killed the matriarchs.  Makes me feel a little sad, however, I will celebrate my fish with every bite.