Out Riding the Outrider!

As guests of Cathy Needleman, Jeff, Steve and I boarded the Outrider Tuesday at 9 pm.  Tucker no longer runs the boat since he purchased the Endeavor.  Tino runs the boat for Tucker with Cody as the second captain, Daniel on deck and Justin (Tucker's brother) runs the galley.  Captain Tino said we were on the hunt for bluefin and to gear up appropriately.

I set up my Penn 16VSX backed with 130# Berkley ProSpec Saltwater Braid topped with 80# Berkley ProSpec Fluorocarbon. I also set up my Penn 12VSX with 80# Berkley ProSpec Saltwater Braid topped with Berkley ProSpec 60# Fluorocarbon.  I set my drags and got my harness ready.

We departed dock at 10 pm stopping at the receiver for some great sardines before heading southwest.  We also had live squid in the tanks.  We called it a night and hit the bunks. 

I was up around 3:30 am and we were still traveling.  At daybreak, crew put out trolling jigs.  Tino searched the area between the mainland and San Clemente Island from Oceanside to the Mexican border without finding a single tuna.  Conversations with the rest the fleet revealed the same results for every boat including those down in Mexico.  Around 11:30 Tino headed the boat towards San Clemente Island.  Steve slept until 11:30 and Jeff until 12:30.  It was a perfect time to catch up on sleep.  I spent the morning playing solitaire winning 6 hands out of 10.

Tino's alternate plan was to catch yellowtail or seabass at the island.  I set up my Fathom 15LD2 and 25NLD2 with 30 and 40 pound Berkley ProSpec fluorocarbon and my Penn 12T with 50# Berkley ProSpec fluorocarbon.

The island wasn't much better.  We fished spot after spot catching calico bass, sheepshead, perch, and a couple yellowtail.  Most spots were dry.  We could see Tino was frustrated and he said the fleet felt the same.  Late in the day, Tino said we would stay in West Cove to have a calm dinner then bust a move to Santa Barbara Island.  Apparently it was the only place yellowtail were being caught.

We had a nice ribeye steak dinner and a glass of wine before heading out on a very rough crossing behind Catalina Island to Santa Barbara Island.  We bounced around in our bunks all night traveling a mere 5 knots in rough seas.  The anchor went down around 4 am and I slept another hour before getting up. 

Jeff was up fishing for yellowtail.  The Freedom and Thunderbird had traveled there from San Clemente as well.  Boats next to us were catching yellowtail but not us.  Tino moved the boat and Jeff and Steve caught a couple yellowtail.  They had scaled down to 25# fluorocarbon.  The bite died quickly so Tino put us on the hunt again.  Jeff and I fished sardines on the surface for yellowtail while Steve fished a squid on a leadhead on the bottom for sheepshead - living up to his nickname - Sheepshead Steve or Sheepie for short.

Finally Tino took us out to fish a couple drops for reds and whitefish.  He kept us out until 3:45 pm, an hour past when we should have quit.  Tino gave it all he had to find fish for us.  At the end of the trip, we had plenty of good eating fish and I had my Vermilion rockfish to steam.  

Again, thanks goes to Cathy for inviting us on her trip.  Unfortunately, Cathy wasn't with us as her mother had a mild heart attack just before departure and she needed to be with her Mom.  We wish her Mom a speedy recovery.

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