    
Vince Silberberg (Red_drum)
New member
Username: Red_drum
Post Number: 6
Registered: 10-2003
Rating: 
Votes: 3 | | Posted on Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - 9:56 pm: | |
Went on a 3 day trip aboard the “Big Drum” with Jason “jscrib” and Steve “sbabcock 20” out at Catalina Island.
Left Long Beach Harbor around 2pm on Friday and the wind was ripping about 15-20knts from the south/east. The first 10 miles of the crossing was very lumpy but the wind finally started to back down as we got closer to the island…thank God.
As we were approaching Avalon Harbor, I noticed baitfish getting chased by nice size fish. It happened to be a school of marauding Bonito that only stayed around for a short while. Here is a picture of “jcremepuff” and I with a pair of Catalina Bonito.
[img]http://www.yourfishpictures.com/data/2/85000_0002-med.JPG[/img]
After getting a mooring, we baiting our hoop-nets and tried the rock quarry area for Lobster. After the first round we had 1 short and 1 legal in the boat and then the friggin’ Seal Brigade showed up and shut the crawl down and ate most of our salmon carcasses. Those Seals love Salmon, just like the bugs.
We called it a night and headed back to the protected anchorage of Avalon Harbor…oh contraire on this Friday night…around 10pm the wind started to howl from the East and within no time at all, the harbor looked like a cotton field with all the white caps. Needless to say, it was a challenge trying to get some shut-eye.
On Saturday we went around the island looking for a squid boat without any luck. However, we did notice a squid boat that broke free from its anchorage over night and ended up on the rock just east of Avalon Harbor. Ouch!! It sure was windy out there Friday night and early Saturday morning.
Stopped by Cat Harbor and went ashore to pick up some additional ice and Coors for Jason. Since I’m abstaining from alcohol throughout the season of Lent, I tried my best not to notice Jason slamming all those cold beers…it was tough but I did it. Hurry up Good Friday!
We fished most of the day Saturday for the prestigious White Sea Bass, Yellowtail and Halibut without any luck. We had half dead fin bait that we bought the day before and some Spanish Jacks that we caught, but we couldn’t find any hungry big fish to eat the bait. We trying bounce-balling, slow trolling and drifting without any luck. The only fish we caught for most of the day while fishing in shallow was Calico Bass, Blue Perch, Opaleye, Sheephead, Blacksmith Perch, Walleye Perch and Spanish Jacks.
Here is Jason with one of the many Calico Bass that we caught.
[img]http://www.yourfishpictures.com/data/2/85000_0003-med.JPG[/img]
By late afternoon on Saturday we were all the way up at West Cove and decided the throw in towel on the shallow water fishing and head for the deepwater. On the way to the Vermilion grounds, we came across about 20 acres of Porpoise. Here is a picture I took while standing on the bow.
[img]http://www.yourfishpictures.com/data/2/85000_0004-med.JPG[/img]
Once we got to the deepwater spot, we immediately started to whack a bunch of Vermilion, Olive, Copper, Starry, Greenspotted and Speckled Rockfish and Bank Perch, Bocaccio and big Whitefish.
Here is Steve with a double hook-up of Vermilion and Jason with a husky Vermilion.
[img]http://www.yourfishpictures.com/data/2/85000_0019-med.JPG[/img]
Here I am with a double hook-up of Vermilion Rockfish that ate the Jax Jig and Shrimp Fly combo.
[img]http://www.yourfishpictures.com/data/2/85000_0013-med.JPG[/img]
Here is King Perch Jerker with another one of his many big Vermilion Rockfish.
[img]http://www.yourfishpictures.com/data/2/85000_0010-med.JPG[/img]
Here I am with another pair of big n’ tasty Reds.
[img]http://www.yourfishpictures.com/data/2/85000_0015-med.JPG[/img]
Here I am with my biggest Vermilion of the day.
[img]http://www.yourfishpictures.com/data/2/85000_0022-med.JPG[/img]
Here is the catch o’ the day for Saturday. We went back out on Sunday in the deepwater and almost caught another limit of Rockies before calling it quits at 10:30 to head back to port.
[img]http://www.yourfishpictures.com/data/2/85000_0018-med.JPG[/img]
Had another wonderful weekend at Catalina Island and had fun playing the Conga drum with the Bongo’s Girls at the Fred Hall Show a Thursday evening. I can’t wait to go back out again. BENDO!!
|
