06-23-2005, 07:06 PM
Hey there guys,
My club (K of C Anglers) did a charter with skipper Jimmy Hon and crew on the Tradition (formally the Pierpoint) to Catalina today. The Tradition has been completely redone and has new power plants. Good grief ..... I forgot the name of the gentleman decking but I think it was jamie.... remember this feable attempt at remembering this deckies name for later. Bill, being the cook by popular demand, worked his usual Jimmy's Smelt Sandwich Special magic on this old jaded palate.
25 anglers boarded the boat around 5:30AM and took off to collect some killer bait with a nice mix of sardines and anchovies.
Weather was unbelievable and the sea had only a very slight chop. Spirits are always pretty high on our club trips as everyone knows everyone and that means there's a lot of continual back and forth you-know-what.
We decided on doing the front side of Catalina... starting kinda east endish. Things were looking promising with growing numbers of calicos coming over the rail on the first couple of sets/stops.
Continued up toward Bird Rock for more fish in the AM, then to switch over to a more 'close in on the kelp' strategy around noon and during the afternoon. Meanwhile .... The Premier also decided to head for Catalina after seeing prospects of a long run to fish locally and made their appearance not very far behind our arrival.
Most of our guys fished bait, either flylining, drop-loop, and variations thereof. I perched on the bow with my jig casting mentor and we cast Tady's and 544's until it was a brain-less, action-reaction type of thing. Oh course.... yelled 'going out' on every single cast. No reason to describe color combinations as nothing bit up there while it was nuts back on the stern and to some degree on the port and starboard side. Sad to say ... initally ... plastic didn't work either. At the very last I hammered the calicos on plastics/swimbaits from the bow .... facing the open sea !!
Early afternoon produced a continuing steady bite on the calicos. Then...... one angler started something no-one will forget. The angler first caught a nice barracuda, then calico, sand bass, 8 pound yellowtail and then a 37 pound WSB. He hooked the giant and fought him until the beast went into the kelp. Done Deal ! NOT .... deck hand backed up boat a bit, gets into the water, takes gaff and gets Mr. Croaker, who could be seen solidly tangled just underneath the top layer of kelp.
Result: One 37 pound WSB and one deckie that feels very refreshed. Paaaaaleasssse..... this does NOT constitue a 'free gaffing' incident. Hook was firmly embedded in fishys mouth and line to the reel when gaff was handled to lift the fish up and over from the deck! Not worrying about IGFA rules either .....Thank you very much! ha ha
Sea lions and some cute seals were around but not too much of an annoyance.
Got back to Pierpoint landing around 6PM with plenty of fish filets for those who wanted fish!
Great boat, crew, and fishing club members.
JapanRon
[signature]
My club (K of C Anglers) did a charter with skipper Jimmy Hon and crew on the Tradition (formally the Pierpoint) to Catalina today. The Tradition has been completely redone and has new power plants. Good grief ..... I forgot the name of the gentleman decking but I think it was jamie.... remember this feable attempt at remembering this deckies name for later. Bill, being the cook by popular demand, worked his usual Jimmy's Smelt Sandwich Special magic on this old jaded palate.
25 anglers boarded the boat around 5:30AM and took off to collect some killer bait with a nice mix of sardines and anchovies.
Weather was unbelievable and the sea had only a very slight chop. Spirits are always pretty high on our club trips as everyone knows everyone and that means there's a lot of continual back and forth you-know-what.
We decided on doing the front side of Catalina... starting kinda east endish. Things were looking promising with growing numbers of calicos coming over the rail on the first couple of sets/stops.
Continued up toward Bird Rock for more fish in the AM, then to switch over to a more 'close in on the kelp' strategy around noon and during the afternoon. Meanwhile .... The Premier also decided to head for Catalina after seeing prospects of a long run to fish locally and made their appearance not very far behind our arrival.
Most of our guys fished bait, either flylining, drop-loop, and variations thereof. I perched on the bow with my jig casting mentor and we cast Tady's and 544's until it was a brain-less, action-reaction type of thing. Oh course.... yelled 'going out' on every single cast. No reason to describe color combinations as nothing bit up there while it was nuts back on the stern and to some degree on the port and starboard side. Sad to say ... initally ... plastic didn't work either. At the very last I hammered the calicos on plastics/swimbaits from the bow .... facing the open sea !!
Early afternoon produced a continuing steady bite on the calicos. Then...... one angler started something no-one will forget. The angler first caught a nice barracuda, then calico, sand bass, 8 pound yellowtail and then a 37 pound WSB. He hooked the giant and fought him until the beast went into the kelp. Done Deal ! NOT .... deck hand backed up boat a bit, gets into the water, takes gaff and gets Mr. Croaker, who could be seen solidly tangled just underneath the top layer of kelp.
Result: One 37 pound WSB and one deckie that feels very refreshed. Paaaaaleasssse..... this does NOT constitue a 'free gaffing' incident. Hook was firmly embedded in fishys mouth and line to the reel when gaff was handled to lift the fish up and over from the deck! Not worrying about IGFA rules either .....Thank you very much! ha ha
Sea lions and some cute seals were around but not too much of an annoyance.
Got back to Pierpoint landing around 6PM with plenty of fish filets for those who wanted fish!
Great boat, crew, and fishing club members.
JapanRon
[signature]