Hawaiian Shirt Gang Rides the Rail Time again!

Around 6:30 Wednesday evening, the Hawaiian Shirt Gang met up at Peter’s Landing for another two days of fishing.  (The gang includes El Presidente, Sheepie, Professor Popper, Needles, Yukon Jim and me).  Mitch and Eric, crew for the trip arrived shortly after we did.  Last, but not least, our Captain, Gary Adams, arrived. 

Eric and Mitch made short work getting us, our gear and the food loaded on the boat.  We stashed our gear, put the food away and started rigging tackle for the morning.  Gary advised having two outfits ready: a dropper loop and sliding sinker with an Ahi Twist for seabass in the morning.  The plan was to fish seabass first thing in the morning then head offshore to fish bluefin.  Day two would be island fishing.

As we set up our gear, Gary stopped at the bait receiver and picked up some healthy sardines and live squid.  Great baits to add the the flyers crew planned to make when we got to the island.  After setting up gear, we had pizza (thanks to Fumio), wine and snacks before heading to bed. 

Traveling was quite bumpy.  The engines turned down at 1:30 am and I woke up to find that we were at San Clemente Island.  Last trip, we had gotten our flyers at Catalina.  Crew had just started making flyers.  It didn’t take them long to catch 27 flying fish placing some in each bait tank and 7 in the new G-Fly Bucket that keeps flyers alive all day.  I went back to sleep until I heard Gary start the coffee around 4:30 am. 

 

Gary moved us to a different area to try and catch a seabass or yellowtail.  Nothing was biting so Gary said get out your bluefin gear.  We headed offshore in choppy seas with a heavy overcast and a cold wind blowing.   Normally, this would be good bluefin weather.

Eventually we got to the fishing grounds.  Gary checked out a couple spots of breaking fish then shut down on one.  Out went the helium balloon with a flyer, two flylined flyers went out as well.  Various other methods such as sinker rigs and flylined squid were deployed.  Although the fish were around us, we couldn’t trigger a bite until Jeff bravely cast out a sardine on 30 pound line.  Unfortunately, he hooked a big fish that couldn’t be stopped with his outfit.  Not to be discouraged, he did it again and this time he hooked a 50 pounder that was no match for Jeff’s determination and expertise. 

Gary worked hard trying to find a biting school but the fish wouldn’t cooperate.  Perhaps they had been pounded so heavily by the skiffs dragging Madmacs through them, that they were tramatized and quit biting.  Gary headed the boat towards San Nicolas Island, still searching for fish.  He said we would fish that island the next day.  We were relieved to get out of the wind and rough seas into a calm anchorage for the night.

It was after 8 pm when we finally sat down to our dinner.  BBQ ribs, mac and cheese, coleslaw, corn bread, wine, and ice cream sandwiches for dessert.  It tasted great after a long day of fishing.  I went to bed right after dinner.  I was exhausted – more so than usual.  I’m beginning to wonder if I’m getting too old to do this.  Sleep was wonderful.

 

Gary was up early putting on the coffee and checking bait.  He moved the boat a short distance and anchored.  Out went the dropper loops with squid.  We had a screaming current that required at least 12 ounces of weight to get to the bottom. I had to put on a heavier weight to fish my dropper loop that's tied on the Gary Adams Special. 

Friday was a very different day from Thursday.  We had calm seas and eventually the sun came out.  It didn’t even look like the same ocean.  Much more comfortable conditions for fishing.

Sheepie was first on deck and first to start fishing; so it was appropriate that he caught the first fish – a big yellowtail!  Cathy got bit next.  We thought she had a big yellow too.   It was a strong fish and when she finally tamed it, up popped a big 31-pound white seabass.  Now we were excited. 

We had to wait for another 30 or 40 minutes to get another bite then a school of white seabass swam through and 3 were hooked.  Mitch landed a small one, Cathy landed another 30 pounder and Jim landed one the same size.  I missed out because I was rebaiting my hook.

We kept fishing hoping another school would swim through but it seemed like the bite was over until my rod went off.  The fish took off like a freight train and I was sure I had hooked a black seabass but it finally slowed down and I could get back some line.  We didn’t know what it was until it was at color and I heard Mitch say “It’s a big chrome!”  The Gary Adams Special had caught another big white seabass.  At 47 pounds, this one was just shy of the 48 pounder the Gary Adams Special caught on the last trip.

Gary checked out other areas around the island then decided to head back through the bluefin grounds.  Our destination was an area off Catalina that anchored boats had caught bluefin while fishing for yellowtail.  He said we would stop on any schools we encountered along the way.  Professor Popper was armed and ready.  Since the last trip's painful experience, he had strengthened his arsenal with a heavy-duty rod for his spinner and replenished his popper supply. 

 

Gary did indeed stop on a school and Professor Popper did cast on it.  I didn’t witness the cast or incident but I heard Jim say “nice birds-nest.”  I glanced towards the bow and saw Professor Popper holding a bunch of line and at the same time Jim saying, “your popper is back here at the stern.”

Sheepie came to his rescue and told us later:  “I had the unusual task of bringing a cutter to Fumio, when he somehow made a spider web and entangled himself. You know it was one of those moments when you wanted to burst out in laughter but it wouldn't have been nice to do so? I think Spiderman could work as the new nickname?”

We arrived at Farnsworth Bank around 1:30 pm and anchored up.  I was shocked to learn that this is where boats caught bluefin the day before.  Normally, we fish for big yellowtail at this spot. If bluefin had been here, we found no evidence of it.  We fished the bank in a couple different locations but the yellowtail weren’t cooperating either except for one captured by Cathy.  Gary called it a trip around 3:30 pm. We ended the trip with one 50# bluefin, 5 white seabass and 2 yellowtail.   

It was another successful trip for the Hawaiian Shirt Gang which now has Professor Spiderman applying to fill Professor Popper’s membership position.

Thanks again Cathy for your friendship, generosity, and the Hawaiian Shirts that gave this gang it’s name!  Gary did a great job and stayed positive as he always does.  Mitch and Eric did a fantastic job on deck and assisting us with anything we needed.  They both were professional and had a positive attitude the entire trip.  They were a pleasure to have on board.  I’m already looking forward to the next trip!