Rail Time Trip May 27 to 29, 2025

Crew:  Gary and Jack (Andy is off to greener pastures and Jake was off working to secure his position on the Mirage. 

Anglers: Jeff and Steve Chuang, Jim and Tom Carlisle, Cathy Needleman and me, Jan Howard.

Weather:  Cold with a light breeze first day and most of second day.  Sun came out the last couple hours of the trip. 

Seas:  The ocean was choppy on the way out but smoothed out for most the rest of the trip.  Water temperatures varied but were mostly in the low 60's.

Fish:  On day one Cathy caught 1 halibut, Jeff caught 1 halibut and 1 yellowtail was caught by??? On day two Cathy caught 1 halibut, Jeff caught 2 halibut and Tom caught 1 halibut.  Fish that were caught and released included a few calico bass, 2 barracuda, 1 mackerel and loads of whitefish.

The Trip:  We departed Peter’s Landing at 5:30 pm Tuesday and spent a couple hours bouncing across the channel.  We tried fishing before sundown then crew worked hard to make squid.  It took until 1:30 in the morning to get the job done.  Gary anchored us at Cat Harbor for the rest of the night.

Around 4 the next morning, Gary took us out of the harbor and had us fishing the west end of Catalina Island until 9 am.  We made the move to Clemente and fished all around the island until we were kicked out of Pyramid and set up for the night at the north end of the island. We weren’t upset because we kept catching whitefish.  They were everywhere – as if they had chased all the gamefish off the island.

Once we were anchored, we enjoyed ribs and mac and cheese provided by Cathy and I contributed some Asian coleslaw.  Jim brought dessert - Frozen Root Beer Floats (on a stick!)

After dinner, Gary and Jake set out the dropper loops and were waiting for the squid to float when one of the rods went off.  Cathy called me out of my bunk and said my rod was bit.  I raced out on deck and grabbed the rod and started pulling on the fish which had tangled the other three dropper loops by then.  Then I realized that it wasn’t my rod but Cathy’s so I gave the rod to her.  She pulled hard but the tangle was so bad, we all said just get the fish so Gary started cutting all the lines until the fish was on deck.  Tom had just walked out on deck when Cathy said, ‘this isn’t my rod,  And Tom said, “It’s mine!"

Gary and Jack topped off the tanks before they called it a night.  Gary was up bright and early the next morning so we did a little fishing before making the move back to Catalina.  Gary took us all around the island looking for something to bite.  Cathy and Tom managed to catch one halibut each and Jeff caught two halibut one our travels.

We called it a trip around 3pm.  Gary handled the fish processing himself while Jack drove.  Gary expertly divided the halibut and 1 yellowtail into equal portions so we each took halibut and yellowtail home.  Since the only thing I could catch on the trip was squid from the bait tank, I took a bag of 24 squid home for calamari. 

Much thanks to Gary for his persistence and Jack for his assistance on deck.  As always, thanks Jeff for organizing the charter and including me on the trip.  And thanks to my fellow anglers *angler family" for your help on board and food contributions which enhanced the time on board.

2025 Fishing on the Rail Time begins!

It was a long winter and it seemed like our Rail Time trips would never get here.  As the date for our first trip of the year approached, the weather threatened to blow us out of a trip.  Fortunately, the weather gods took pity on us and sent us out a day late with some remaining choppy seas to bounce us across the channel to Catalina. As we left the harbor, Gary said "Tighten your chin straps, its going to be a little rough."

Since I hadn’t reacquired my sea legs, I rode the bouncy seas in my bunk thankful I didn’t fall out during one of the airborne bounces. During the night, Gary and his crew (Andy and Jake) scooped enough squid to fill both bait tanks then anchored in Cat harbor on the backside of the island. 

By morning, the seas had calmed down nicely.  Gary started up the engines at 4 am and took us to another cove along the back side of the island and anchored up around 5 am. My fellow anglers, Cathy, Jeff, Rick, Jim and Steve, were already up and started fishing as soon as the anchor hung.  Gary deployed my dropper loop right away so technically I was fishing too.  Within 5 minutes, Cathy had hooked and landed a 45-pound white seabass using the pink leadhead on 50-pound line just like Gary had advised us to do.  What a way to start the trip.  Way to go Cathy!

We were very excited working our pink leadheads across the waters trying hard to hook a beefy seabass of our own when Cathy’s other rod went off. Jake grabbed it and handed it to me.  Fortunately, it was on her 50-pound line and I was able to land the fish.  It too was a big fish but not as big as Cathy’s.  Jim,  Rick and Steve each landed a big seabass so when Jim hooked another one, he handed it off to Jeff.  Unfortunately, that one found the kelp before Jeff could turn its head.

As quickly as the bite started, it was over.  We worked the area for another couple hours before going on the hunt for some biting fish.  We caught and released several calicos, barracuda and small seabass but no game fish during the day.

Gary put in quality time banking some good Karma.  The first deposit was done by handing over a couple scoops of squid to a friend of Gary’s who asked for intel on fishing spots which Gary carefully provided.  Although he didn’t ask for bait, he didn’t refuse it either.  When Gary offered it. Gary passed him over a couple scoops of bait to go with the intel.  Not long after, another boat pulled alongside.  That boats captain said he knew Gary but hadn’t been out in a couple years.  He said he had been working at a new job and now had two new babies.  Another scoop of bait was passed over the rail and the second deposit was made into the Karma bank.  When Ken Cirks, a true and close friend of Gary’s, pulled alongside, another scoop of squid was handed over.  Ken has deposited lots of good karma with Gary himself by helping Gary on and off the water many times.  Of course, Andy had some spicy commentary on the generous sharing of squid that he and Jake stayed up in choppy seas to catch.

Just before sundown, we anchored in another cove further down the island.  We were fishing for halibut, yellowtail or seabass.  Sheepie caught a nice seabass on a leadhead. Jeff and Andy each landed a nice halibut. Jim hooked a good fish but pulled the hook and I released a small halibut.  We all caught and released several Calico bass.

I was fiddling with a green spectra backlash when my dropper loop rod got bit.  Jake grabbed it and traded rods with me so I could pull on my fish.  It was the smallest seabass of the day but it was a seabass.  The fish quit biting at dark so we cleaned up for dinner.

Cathy provided us with BBQ ribs and chicken, baked beans and coleslaw, all of which were appreciated and delicious.  Jim brought the ice cream bars for dessert. I was exhausted so I hit the bunk as soon as dinner was over.  Crew made squid again but I slept through it.

Gary started the engines again at 4 am and we were fishing by 5 am.  It was later in the morning before the fish began to bite.  Sheepie was on fire again.  He hooked and landed a baby yellowtail plus he hooked another big seabass which he handed off to Jeff who did a masterful job of landing it.  Jake and Jeff each landed a big halibut and Jim landed a small seabass.  I hooked a big seabass on 40-pound line that headed to the bow and surfaced heading offshore when the spectra snaped as Jake was moving the rod around the bow.  After inspecting the line and rod, I found a small chip on the underside of a guide that must have nicked the line causing it to break.

I put that rod away for the trip.  As I was setting up another rod, my dropperloop got bit.  It was 60 pound line so I was able to land that fish.  It was one of the 30 plus pounders like some of the others in the hold. By then, it was time to call it a trip. 

Andy and Jake worked cleaning the boat and processing our fish.  We had 11 seabass and 4 halibut for the trip.

Other interesting news:  The Peter’s Landing Office is now located in a building occupying the slip next to the Rail Time.  Gary installed a new Roku TV screen in the salon and connected it to his fish finder so we can see what he is seeing.  And Andy is going to change careers.  He’s moving to Idaho to do farming full time  We wish Andy much luck and happiness.

As always, thank you Jeff for organizing the trip and much thanks to Gary, Jake and Andy for taking such good care of us while providing great fishing opportunities.