It's been 2 years since I caught a local mahi and it's been that long since I made my macadamia nut encrusted mahi-stuffed avocadoes!

Well, I tried a little variation, and it didn't disappoint!

My buddy from Brooklyn called me out of nowhere about a month ago and said he was coming to SoCal with his girlfriend and her kids. Both of them are freshly divorced, and she somehow convinced him to head west. You need to understand, this man is Archie Bunker in every possible way. He's spent years swearing he'd never set foot in California because it was "full of fruits, nuts, and Libs." I figured the only way I'd ever see him again was if I flew back east. So yeah... I'm still shocked they actually came out.

They were only here for six days and planned to cram every tourist attraction into that tiny window. I couldn't believe their schedule when were they planning to sleep? They wanted to do the usual sightseeing when they came down to SD to hang with me for half a day, but I pitched a whale-and-dolphin run on my boat instead. If I was taking the day off work, I'd rather be on the water than stuck in traffic pointing at landmarks. They agreed, and the plan was simple: cruise the coast, find whatever marine mammals we could, then finish at the Barefoot Bar for drinks and lunch.

They're all Italian, which means two things: they love food, and they're always late. So I brought a couple rods, my bay bass setup and a big troller in case I stumbled into pelagics or yellows.

I got there a few hours early to squeeze in some bay bass fishing. I launched the boat, parked the trailer, and spotted a banana peel in the back of my truck. Who the f@ck put that there? I tossed it into a plastic bag, got distracted by a phone call, and—without thinking—brought the bag onto the boat. Great. The curse was officially onboard.



I fished for bass for about an hour and only got two short bites. It looked so good back there, but with time to spare I ran to the bridge hoping for a halibut. No dice.

So I decided to open up the Curmudgeon in the high‑speed zone. Hit 43.8 mph... any more trim and I'd be dolphin‑hopping. Then I saw fish jumping and boiling in the distance. All mullet. And all I had was a swimmy. No chance.

I didn't bring tackle, so I did the classic "Sasquatch" move and searched the boat for random hooks. Found a few rusty big ones and a tiny pack of trout hooks. No bait. Nothing usable. Then I remembered the damn banana. I'd heard rumors about mullet eating banana skin, so I grabbed the gill scissors and figured... why not?

I didn't even have a split shot. Just a small bronze hook tied to 10‑pound. I cut a tiny piece of banana, pinned it on, and cast. It hit the water and—ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ—gone. What the hell? Tried again. Nothing. Third cast—hooked a monster. Got it to the boat, tried flipping it into the livewell to keep the deck clean for my buddy's girlfriend and daughter, and snap... the hook broke.

I tied another and went 3 for 12 on mullet. If they didn't hit within a minute, I'd reel in and recast.

The first two I actually landed were the usual 14‑inch models.



Most just came unbuttoned, but two absolute units broke the hook on their initial runs. Drag was tight, but they were dumping line like crazy.

One even spooled me, so I chased it with the boat to get line back. Scooped its head with the bait net and dropped it into the livewell.

A two‑footer. Absolute tank.



I checked my phone and.... my buddy and his crew were already waiting at the ramp! Time to boogie.

The trip with them was great. We found tons of dolphin and sea lions, and they were fired up. Total success. But honestly? The cherry on top was battling those monster mullet. I still can't believe how powerful they are. Next time I'll bring peas or something else—anything but a banana. That was a total accident, and I'm not risking that curse again.

Until next tide.

I hate mechanical issues ... Especially brakes.

Glad it was sort of taken care of. Hopefully that's the end of it.

I was too, but the price for the reel and battery was really good so I pulled the trigger.  I didn't want a bigger electric since I already have one, but I specifically wanted one for using the smaller jigs in deep water. 

I'll keep everyone posted on the reel's performance, but I guess I need to get the electrical to the trolling motor fixed now. lol

I just picked up a new electric reel for those 300-500 foot critters.  Smaller electric reel holds 322 yards of 20# braid which is perfect for what I do and for those little jigs.

With my shoulder falling to sh!t again, I feel like I given myself a little more time!  Perfect for the little bait trolling and deep water rockfishing.  I just tried it and it's one cool little unit!



Only time will tell!

Jeremy, I wanted to go further, but my wife rented the cabins so I had no say except that "I'm good".  They hate road trips and I was trying to get them up to the Sierra's.  I'll try again next time.

I am planning a trip either out east or back up to Washington this fall though (minus the family).  Maybe get into a big surf striper bite or another epic salmon run.  I sure can use one of them again.

It's epic right now off la Jolla for yellows... Get out there when you get a chance!

With only a half day available before we had to be back at the dock by noon, we decided to make a quick run from Mission Beach and fish the local offshore ridges in search of pelagics. The original plan was simple: skip the bait receiver, troll for yellowfin tuna, and keep our eyes peeled for kelp paddies that might be holding dorado.

The bait situation made the decision easy. The receivers were loaded with anchovies, and with our limited time on the water, we didn't want to spend precious fishing time making bait. Instead, we pointed the bow west and got the trolling gear ready.

Conditions offshore looked downright fishy. The water was a beautiful blue-to-purple color with a surface temperature of 76.1 degrees. If you've spent any time chasing tuna and dorado off San Diego, you know that warm, clean water gets the heart rate up. We were also keeping a lookout for marlin, figuring that temperatures like that might have a few swords wandering through the neighborhood.

Unfortunately, the ocean didn't get the memo.

For most of the morning there was very little life to be found. We covered plenty of water, scanned the horizon constantly, checked paddies when we found them, and watched a dozen or so other boats doing exactly the same thing. Everyone seemed to be searching, but nobody appeared to be stopping for long.

Eventually, we spotted our first real sign of life: a small flock of terns diving frantically on the surface. We pushed the throttles forward and ran toward the birds, hoping they were marking a school of tuna. Of course, by the time we got there, the birds had scattered and whatever was pushing bait had disappeared.

Rather than overthink it, we dumped the trolling gear back into the spread and got back to work.

It turned out to be the right call.

The rods hadn't been in the water long before one got buried and started screaming. After a short but spirited fight, a bright dorado came into view. What appeared at first to be a decent fish turned out to be a really nice-sized hen once we got her close to the boat.

Then came the entertaining part.

Shaun stepped up with the gaff and proceeded to miss... and miss... and miss again. By the fifth swing we were beginning to wonder if the fish was going to earn a pardon and swim away. Finally, he connected solidly and swung the big hen over the rail to a chorus of laughter and relief.

Fish in the box.

We trolled for a few more miles after that, hoping the single dorado was part of a larger body of fish moving through the area, but nothing else materialized. With the clock ticking and obligations back on land waiting, we pointed the boat toward home and headed to the barn.

At the launch ramp we chatted with a couple of Fish and Game personnel who confirmed what we'd been seeing all morning: the local bite had been pretty slow. The interesting news, however, was coming from farther south. Reports were filtering in from the Upper Hidden Bank off Mexico of massive schools of yellowfin tuna moving up the line, along with a handful of wahoo already showing up in catches.

That was all the encouragement we needed.

Even though our trip only produced a single dorado, the conditions offshore and the reports from down south have us optimistic. Warm water, blue-water conditions, yellowfin moving north, and even a few wahoo already in the mix are all signs that this El Niño year could be something special.

One fish isn't much to brag about, but it's a whole lot better than a skunk, and that colorful dorado made the run worthwhile. Now we just need those yellowfin to keep pushing north.

Tight lines.

Just got back from a fantastic 4-day stay in one of the floating cabins at Santee Lakes, and it was exactly the kind of relaxing getaway I needed.

The routine quickly became my favorite part of the trip. I'd be out on the water first thing each morning with a fishing rod in hand, enjoying the calm lake before most people were even awake. The fishing wasn't exactly on fire, but it was steady enough to keep things interesting. Over the four days I managed to land 8 catfish and a few of the famous "pond chickens". Not exactly trophy fishing, but they kept the rods bending and made for a fun time.

What really had me scratching my head were the carp. They were everywhere. Every morning and evening I'd see them jumping, rolling, and splashing all around the cabin. It looked like the lake was full of them. Unfortunately, none of them seemed remotely interested in anything I was offering. I spent a fair amount of time trying different approaches, hoping to connect with one of those big carp, but they completely ignored me. Plenty of activity, zero bites.

Once the late morning heat started rolling in, I'd head back to the cabin. One of the best things about the floating cabins is having that air conditioning waiting for you after spending a few hours in the sun. I'd kick back in the cool cabin, turn on the TV, and relax while keeping the window shades open to enjoy the lake views. There was something incredibly peaceful about watching the water, seeing paddle boats drift by, and just slowing down for a while.

Food was another highlight of the trip. I think I had the grill going at least twice every day. Burgers, bacon, chicken, steaks... pretty much any excuse to fire up the BBQ was good enough for me. Nothing beats cooking outside while overlooking the lake and then sitting back with a cold drink afterward.

Speaking of drinks, the ciders absolutely hit the spot during the hottest parts of the day. When temperatures started climbing, it was nice to sit in the shade, enjoy a cold cider, and appreciate that I had nowhere to be and nothing that needed to get done (Which is rare air since I started the new job)

In the afternoons and evenings, I'd take hikes around the lakes with the wife. There's always something to see, whether it's waterfowl, turtles, anglers, or families enjoying the park, although I was really looking for that wild turkey who decided to call the "Puddles" home! The wife really enjoyed the walks though.  To her they were a great way to stretch the legs between my fishing sessions and the BBQ meals.

Evenings were probably my favorite time. As the sun started dropping and temperatures became comfortable again, I'd head back out to fish. The lakes get a different feel at sunset, and sitting on the water while watching the sky change colors was worth the trip all by itself. Even when the fish weren't cooperating, it was hard to complain.  The sheer number of mosquitoes and bats had me a little unnerved though. The bats would swoop right by my face where I felt the wind of their wings and couldn't believe how many were flying around!

Overall, the fishing may not have been spectacular, but the trip absolutely was. Eight catfish, a handful of pond chickens, plenty of failed attempts at stubborn carp, lots of BBQ, cold ciders, scenic hikes, and several days spent relaxing in an air-conditioned floating cabin with beautiful lake views. That's a pretty good recipe for a vacation if you ask me.

Between the floating cabins and an offshore trip today, I have some posts I need to make but there's hardly enough time these days.  Tomorrow morning I have my MRI, so we'll see how that goes but I hope to get a post up in the next few days at the latest.

Stay tuned!

Dude! Looks great!

The yellowtail you just caught I assume

The 2026 Football Pick'em League is back online and let me know if any of you degenerate gamblers want to join in for the measly cost of $30 for the entire season!

I know Jeremy and Kogacrap are going to be signed up.  It's super easy and fun to play.  Just let me know.

I have to be honest, that was the first time I remember seeing a Livingston in real life.  It really looked like a great platform.  I couldn't tell the length, but it seemed bigger than 16', or at least more boat than usual 16 footers.

My plan was to get out on the water Saturday to unwind from my usual hell week. The girls wanted do a family movie day which messed up my plans since I wanted to get to Kevin's Party later that day and now something had to give...  I decided to just fish Sunday instead.

We saw The Odessey in IMAXX and I really liked it!  It was a different rendition of what I remember reading, but the acting was really well done and I thought it was a good call to see it in the movie theatre!

We got back and I headed to Kevin's to meet up with some buddy's I haven't seen in a bit.  Long story short and we were doing shots off shot glasses that were epoxied to a snow ski... 

Thankfully home wasn't far away!  lol

Next morning and it was a struggle to motivate, but I did.

I was launching when Jeremy's future boat was being dropped in.



The water was crazy warm heading out the inlet.



I found the fleet of 100 boats all piled up in the same area.  I tried fishing it, but was over that quickly.  I also couldn't find the fresh squid I brought with me (I swore I packed it) so now I had to just wing it with lures.



I went inside to stay away from everyone else!



I didn't see much in the way of bait but there was plenty of dolphin around.



I was ready to call it since I didn't even get as much as a sniff all morning.  Then it sounded like a dolphin breach next to the boat but when I looked, I didn't see any others so I grabbed the new jig stick and cast out the good old Tady 45 (with a mackerel skin wrap).  5 cranks in and PLOOOOOOOSH!!!!!! I almost thought I snagged a dolphin and could tell this thing was a giant.

I lost track of time, but it was probably around 15-20 minutes under some tight drag.  I saw it and was like WTF?!?!

I got the gaff sunk and was exhausted.  My shoulder was shot and I was having a hard time holding it up but what a slug!  It looked like an oarfish!!!  It had a weird scoliosis going on with a deformed back end but was over 50" forklength from what I could gather from my boat tape that was too small.



I knew it was my PB, but guessing it was closer to 50# than 40#.  I took a few pics but my shoulder was having real troubles.  The head on this thing had a bigger head than me!

I left it packed in ice overnight since it was too late to clean and I really wanted to firm up the meat.  I also figured that I could get some really accurate measurements.

After a quick measurement, I had 51.2" fork length and the scale tells the tale.  I had super high hopes it would be 50#, but pretty close. 48.34#


https://imgur.com/azH7QN4

It was a female filled with eggs but a mostly empty belly.  Filleting it was difficult because of something wrong with the spine as seen here.





In any case, my PB and what a fish!  The meat was a little on the tough side and what a weird backbone! 

Anyway, One bite and One fish.  I'm glad I never found the squid or I wouldn't have caught this beauty!

Thanks for reading and until the next trip!

One explosion on the surface iron...

One crazy battle...

One fun weekend...