04-25 First “Cat Trifecta” for Team Pacific Edge in 2010
After the big blow last week and the reports that followed, we left the dock on Sat afternoon with the freezer full of frozen and minimal expectations. Luckily, as the afternoon rolled on and reports flooded in, a more meaningful plan took shape and the feelings of optimism grew. We had a nice crossing and headed up to the West to take a look at some of the spots on the front but to no avail…no conditions worth stopping on.
Swinging around the West End, it’s always a pleasure to be greeted with nice weather and gentle seas…as so many times that sector has anything but!!! We set up in an area that has produced many gray light bites for me in the past but it didn’t happen for us. What did happen though was a virtually miraculous squid population explosion in the tank overnight. When I laid down for a nap we had the half scoop or so we had caught…and when I got up the tank was nearly plugged!!!
Dan fires off a long cast on the long rod
Bait & a cuda on the bottom...nice to see them around
Somehow Dan had worked his magic and got two boats to stop by and pass over a few swings of live…and I don’t yet know all the details (and probably don’t want to…lol) but for whatever it took to make that all come together…thanks guys!!!
The early AM bite was slow for us although some of the others in the area were picking away at the nicer grade yellows. We picked up and made a move to check out a favorite ledge and watched a guy get a nice one on the drift almost right on my numbers. We got the anchor down in 19 fth and got the gear deployed including last years top performer for the Innovator. Nick-named “Old School” as it’s not exactly the latest in state-of-the-art gear, my old TLD20/40 and custom CalStar cut down 800L went right back to work!!! A dropper loop setup in straight 40# deployed in the stbd (stbd, not port) fwd rod holder caught a s—tload of big yellows and seabass last season and started off 2010 just the same…with a 28# yellow…first of the season for both me and the boat!!!
First yellows of the season for "Team PE" ...28#
Matt & Mark with some of our seabass
Unfortunately, it was “one and done” and it was time for a change of both tactics and location and the search for a seabass began. I hadn’t heard of any fish after the blow but I’m a strong believer in history so made a move to check the last spot I knew of that was biting. I was a bit disheartened to see another boat tucked away right where I was headed, so we stopped short for a bit and ultimately it worked out perfectly in the end for all parties concerned…good job guys!!!
Mark, Matt & Dan
Mark, Matt & Brian with the first "Cat Trifecta" of the season for "Team PE"
Along with Matt bearing the brunt of the load as we pushed towards a limit, I got on the board with a nice one and Brian rounded out our first trifecta of the season with a nice halibut. We didn’t quite make the grade with limits as conditions changed and we had to settle for four. But given what had been happening, I was very pleased as we headed for home enjoying the nice calm weather.
Oh yeah...I forgot I'm not supposed to show the background...LOL!!!
Good Luck and Good Fishing!!!
MarkW
Big Reds and More…
03/29
I’ve always had a passion for fishing cods and this last trip Sunday on the “Pacific Edge”; I got to scratch that itch. We weren’t able to get away until late Saturday night and the extra time gave me plenty time to do some recon and find out for sure how little was caught at the island and how tough bait was. So…although I had my sights set on some of the bigger seabass I feel might be around…I opted for a totally different plan at another Island.
We got rolling just after midnight and I set the course for the east end, bypassing the receivers entirely. We had plenty of frozen and for what I had in mind, we were set. The weather was stellar and the crossing was flat calm, crystal clear and brightly moonlit…what a beautiful night. We turned past the west end of SCI with just a hint of color on the horizon and a few more miles down the back I slowed down, turned on the sonar and began to look around. I did see a bit of squid but didn’t find the hoped for yellows so had to settle for some bass fishing on the edge of structure…except nobody told the bass. But the local sheep head population was on the chew and we worked out the kinks in preparation for the rest of the day.
These guys were tough on the sheepshead population at SCI
Dave just fell in love with them!
On the edge of the reef
We picked away through the morning, and had a nice mix of junk in the cooler before I opted for a move to deeper water and a shot at some real quality…and we found it. Working an area in about 50 fathoms we put together a fine catch of quality reds…the same stuff I’ve caught fishing Santa Rosa and Santa Cruz. It was warm and balmy with just enough drift…perfect conditions.
They can't be all big
Two at a time ...big grouper tried to eat the little guy already on the hook
But then we got dialed in on the real stuff
Just like at Santa Rosa Island...but much closer to home!!!
When we had what we needed, a short move got us on a kelp bed that has produced in the past and it was game on from almost the first baits. Although the bass were slow to go in the morning, by early afternoon…it was game on!!! The team was releasing all those nice SCI keepers as I sat up in the bucket soaking up the sun and watching the show from a different perspective. Unfortunately, it was frustrating that a seal got some of them as they swam back down. Before we left that area, I stayed up in the tower and made a cruise down the beach to see if I could spot a halibut lying on the sand. In seasons past I’ve made some big scores sight fishing but it was just a steady show on the bat rays so I pulled the plug and ran around to the front.
On the back the water ranged from 61-63 and on the front was 63 to as high as 67 in one spot. Although it was clean and almost blue, sadly it was largely lifeless. A quick look at a couple of prime spots showed no signal so we made a little move…back to Catalina. The conditions from a week previous had changed for the worse and the highlight of our last two stops were the smells coming from the galley. The guys aboard loved to cook, and it was a non-stop parade of outstanding chow…and they cleaned up the mess too!!!
At this time of year most of my focus is always on more and bigger seabass. But for this trip it was a blast to shift gears, just catch some fish and watch Matt and his posse kickin’ back and havin’ some fun. By the time we get through this coming weather we’ll be off the moon and back on track for what promises to be a stellar season and those seabass best be watching out!!!
Fish, food, friends and flat calm...as good as it gets!!!
Good Luck and Good Fishing
MarkW