Still trippin' on the date as I write that.

Hated getting up at 0400 to launch at sunrise. Finally got up at 0415. Picked up the boat and was getting gas at the ass crack of dawn. The boat looked especially shiny and clean in the fluorescent light. It is neither shiny, nor clean, so I took the pic so I could aim for something this offseason when the real work begins.



Beat the sun out of the jetty by a c&nt's hair.



I'd just put on a new 4 blade prop the other day hoping to get on plane quick, more stern lift, and better mid-range performance. This was the only 4 blade prop recommended for a Yamaha F60. As soon as I got out of the gate I was on-and-off cavitating. f@ck! Annoying in the moment, as well as knowing I now have more work ahead of me.

I guesstimated the coastal ledge distance, then slowed down to tie on and put out all 4 of my trollers. Just put in the 4th rod holder yesterday, trying to check into the same asylum that Tom is at with his 5 rod spread. Marlin skirt starboard corner; daisy chain starboard long; Ledge Runner port corner; High Speed Vibe starboard shotgun. Once I had them out, I marveled at how the plugs helped add dimension to the spread, everything a little longer than the next, and on turns the skirts could navigate the space between the plug line's water entries perfectly. Never a tangle all day. Yummy.



I was trolling for about 30 minutes before my daisy chain went off. Looked small enough that I barely had to slow down. Still, many lines to navigate. It complied and perfectly danced around the marlin skirt, I went to bounce it, banged it right off the cowling and into the boat. First yellowfin for Concolor!



The water glassed out nicely but it was getting a bit hot out there.



Thought I saw a couple surface splashes along the way, but they never took an interest in the spread. I did throw a KM out to a splash once while the boat was moving, which could have gotten messy...

I was getting down toward Oceanside and was feeling less life, so turned it around. Reeled up and got back on plane, wanting to skip some dead water and hopefully get hit in the head with some signs to drop the lines back again. Well, first I saw a humpback come up, showing off its fluke. Nice! Then another swimming with it! Idled nearby to see if they would put on a show but they seemed to dive down and disappear.

A mile later, I spot a mako go full aerial! Okay, time to fish. Dropped back all the lines again.

Then another two whales, and another mako going aerial just a couple miles ahead! What a show! Then my daisy chain got doinked but it didn't stick. Went to make a loop around again and 3 other boats trolling by f@cked up my angles and rhythm. No bites as I passed through it.

I felt the day coming to a close as the wind started to put a ripple on the water. I knew the wind would come up a good bit in a few more hours, and I did just upgrade to a 12 gallon tank which should easily take me to 2pm, but the ocean seemed to quiet down. Just as I was thinking of finishing my trolling, this guy rolls up in front of me, middle of the ocean, and stops 150 yards in front of me, apparently as the spot he wanted to relax on the boat with his family. I know we were in no danger, but why stop in front of the only boat around? Because you're an idiot.



Too beautiful of a day to harp on that forever. Pulled the lines in and flew in, no cavitation problems in what was following ripples of a sea. 4 Apache helicopters flew hella low just in front of me as I was approaching the harbor. Back in at noon.

Thinking of taking Friday off to launch. Sunday looks like rain again and Saturday's booked, and there is still much to be caught out there.

Productive day! Too bad about the bigger yellowfin. Those bullet tuna continue to elude me but it's nice to see they're still around (and that they will take a shot at the high speed vibe). You made pretty solid work f this season, hope the surgery goes smoothly.

Quote from: Latimeria on November 08, 2026, 01:22:47 PM"'Bring a dropper loop rod...'
Translation: Go catch white seabass, yellowtail, barracuda, bonito, and yellowfin tuna in depths where none of them are supposed to be. Totally normal day. Nothing weird about that at all.  I think the baits been deeper to keep cooler.  My yellowfin were plugged with squid and that yellow I caught 400'+ deep is just more evidence.

Also, congratulations on accidentally becoming Southern California's largest private barracuda processing facility." 😆

I shouldn't have been surprised after you got the yellow at 400', but that seemed like a fluke. I wouldn't even think of looking at hard bottom in 250' right now with the groundfish closure, but now I'm thinking about scouting it out in the coming weeks.

It was the last weekend before my surgery and I was going to take my boat out one more time by hell or high water.  Friday night, the marine conditions looked good.

Saturday morning ramp... a cluster f@ck...  Ugh...

As usual, the marine weather was way off in both size of the swells (x2) and the wind speeds.  What a washing machine out there!





Warm water everywhere, but not as clean as it used to be.  Also not a single strand of kelp anywhere to be found!

No way I was going to get to the 178 or at least burn up a lot of time getting there and I needed meat for the fridge!  I know the fleet has been fishing the inside dropoff, so I decided to start there.  I had a few buddies out there also we were going to buddy boat and keep all of us informed.  Friday was a great day for the fleet... but you know how that goes... Should have been here yesterday...

My buddy called me on the radio when I get a triple hook up!  Bent butt/Spreader Bar (This one at least sounded right) as well as both my jet head side trollers.  Unfortunately trolling 5 rods takes a bit to set up and to figure out how to fight the fish in without tangle.  I had to do the spreader bar last since it was the furthest out but started with the rods that were not bit and moved up from there.  Lost a football on the bounce and picked up the second.  Now to the bigger one.  Funny how a 20# yellowfin can dwarf the little 5-6# footballs!  LOL... But NOOOOO!  The 20# model pulled the hook 15' from the boat.  ARGH!!!!!!

Well, at least I got one of the 3 of the triple hook up.



Immediately these f@cktards came out of nowhere and started doing circles around me.  Jezus christ I hate Saturdays as well as the "New Money" anglers.



After 4 loops he took off and I commenced trolling.

I picked up another YFT and lost a few more but they were even smaller.  I saw the fleet and decided to do a huge circle around them to get any outer orbit fish that were well away from everyone.



Tons of bullet Tuna...



I caught 5 or 6 and it was just nice catching something.







I was near the ledge and decided to drop for some rockfish before heading in for the day.  The wind got up to 20 knots and I was soaking wet from all of the spray.

No working trolling motor so I had to manually motor in place as best I could.  I made a dozen drops before realizing it was too much as I was taking water over the stern.

I got a red...



As well as 4 or 5 sculpin.





Turned around and two douche bags started trolling circles around me.  My god....



I picked up an few more whitefish and called it the day. 



Not what I had in mind for the last ride of 2026, but not too bad coming home with some tuna and groceries.

Now it's time to prep the house before going under the knife again.

Thanks for reading and until next tide!

"'Bring a dropper loop rod...'
Translation: Go catch white seabass, yellowtail, barracuda, bonito, and yellowfin tuna in depths where none of them are supposed to be. Totally normal day. Nothing weird about that at all.  I think the baits been deeper to keep cooler.  My yellowfin were plugged with squid and that yellow I caught 400'+ deep is just more evidence.

Also, congratulations on accidentally becoming Southern California's largest private barracuda processing facility." 😆

Hell yeah Clan Timmy!  And HEY JERRY!

Nicely done down at the bat cave and those are some nice leopards to boot!

So much fun and no boat to "Gas Up"!

Well, I guess there are no fences out there  so the fish can always be wherever they want, which seems to be one step ahead of the fisherman at all times, always keeping the guessing game alive and well. Looks like you guys had a good trip and you now have some culinary skills to perfect with all that meat. Here we are in November and the weather is still pretty nice, very cool !

 Max wanted to redeem himself and try for a Bat again, no Clown Car Side Show this time   His buddy Ryder came over and we loaded the wagon in the back of Max's truck and we got to De Anza about 4PM on Friday
 

Not long after we arrive, this guy shows up   (I called him and told him to join us )


Of course Jerry hooks up first     Nice Bat Had to do a little Dental Work on it to release the hook



He hooks up again as we all scratch our heads  


51" Leopard   


I had a few short runs but nothing stuck, then it finally did   A 42" Leo 



Jerry took off, still nursing the Flu and wasn't 100%..... Good to hang with you, Jerry Max was getting Slammed on Mackerel but would not stick. 9 times in a 15 minute period, Max's rod was almost getting yanked from his sand spike, then it stuck     Like a Freight Train it took off and there was no stopping this thing ! Max ran about 100 yards along the shore trying to keep up and it swam towards the bathrooms, past the Buoy Line and it spit the hook   By now Max is like WTF He hasn't landed a Bat in a long while, always the Sand Hand.....Then Ryder's rod goes off ! 35" Bat 
 

It's going on 10pm and I'm about ready to start packing up and Max's rod finally goes off and he is on.... Finally !



Fun,chaotic evening but everyone landed something tug worthy

Sorry for the grainy pics, phone settings were not set right for night time  
 

Had another work trip with Blackfish. The day before, we were told to bring a 50# dropper loop rod, 30#, and 20#. The dropper loop threw me off. Seabass at one of the islands?

Got on the boat at 0430 and after Robert finally figured out his parking, we were off the dock at 0500. Down the coast.

We ended up off the San Diego coast. From Newport. We kept our eyes open for tuna on the way down but didn't find any. So we settled into this dropper loop spot, in 200-250'. 16oz torpedoes and sardines.

The first drift was good. It took a minute to start hooking up, and I got picked quick. Then Edwin and Omar got white seabass. Oh! I hooked up but it was a legal barracuda. Then Robert got pinned to the rail and pulled out a 22# YT.



Then the deckhand pulled out a 15#er. More barracuda.

The rest of the drifts weren't quite like that. More barracuda and the occasional YT breaking us off. I kept getting picked, then finally had a big hookup which started tangling everybody. Turned out to be a huge bonito, maybe double the weight of my last PB set a few months ago.



A few minutes later I hooked up to something even bigger. I dropped into the low gear of the Talica 16 and put my leg up on the rail to leverage the rod on my knee and it was still slowly pulling drag, then popped me off. Big uncatchable yellow I guess!

We pulled a few more bass and barracuda but it petered out by 10:30, so we started back with a line offshore, trolling for tuna.

Around 1330, we're all napping when the boat slows down. I roll out of a bunk groggy as can be, come out to the stern, and there are 50# class yellowfin tuna boiling behind the boat. I do not want to hook these things on the 20# or 30# but the 50 still has the dropper loop. Tried an anchovy first because the deckhand was in the way of the sardine well. Anchovy did nothing. Finally got a hold of a sardine. Jared hooks up and his line goes screaming to the bow. Captain hooks up and his fish goes on a run to the horizon. Just as my sardine is swimming out correctly, the fish fade out. Edwin takes the rod from the captain to fight for a few minutes, gaining no line, then I end up taking over. I'm gaining inches, then after Jared lands his fish, a 15-20# skipjack, the captain wants to chase the tuna I'm fighting now. So I get up onto the bow pulpit and we start gaining. 10 minutes later it comes up fatigued and the deckhand sinks the gaff in it. Solid fish, ahi all around! We looked around for the dolphin that the tuna were on, but after finding the pod, the tuna never reacted again. That capped the day and Easton started the filleting for the way back home.





I have never heard of YT, WSB, and the 3Bs as a collective bite in 200-250' before. I normally think of the cut-off for pretty much all of them at 150' on a normal day, and 200'+ being rockfish land. So I am still rewiring my brain to accept that new information and look for them in that range going forward. It was also amazing to finally see some respectable yellowfin, and right off the coast. That gave me a ton of juice going forward into the next few weekends for my own trips. So it was a very interesting day despite my own personal fish count being low.

Everybody dumped ALL of the barracuda and bonito meat on me, so I did a ton of vacuum packing last night. It's been a long time since I've had barracuda, but I've never hated it like many people seem to. So I will try a few basic things and course-correct if need be, but worst case I have 20 nice fillets to turn into 20 beer batter nights.

  80 looks good on him and that is a great present, very nice !!!