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!