Plan C and Plan D (10/16)

[Latimeria]

Well, I have a 4 day weekend, but have a ton of things to get accomplished.  I was planning on getting most of them done today and fish on Saturday, but at 21:00 hours, I got the call which totally blundered my plans. 
Last minute, I prep the boat and figure that I would spend 3 or 4 hours trolling for Wahoo before heading home to get Hannah from school.  I left all the light gear at home and decided it was all or nothing, but once again, the weatherman gave me the royal wedgie and my boat had no business even going as far as I did.

I switched plans and no matter what my plans were, it was to catch bait.  Thankfully, the bait was back and thicker than ever as I got a good 40 mixed macks for the bait well.  Most of them were Spanish, but there was a few greenies.

I thought about hitting the Delmar bite, but once again... I would have gotten the crap kicked out of my by mother ocean, so I stayed close to home.  My first drop and I set out a flylined mack and a dropper loop mack.  As soon as I set, I look at the fish finder to see the biggest school of big fish (yellows) that I've ever seen on my new sounder! 
Within 2 seconds, both clickers go screaming!  I fought both fish on two rods for 20 minutes until I got one to deep color and the other one 15 feet away from gaff!  Just then the deeper one runs hard and since it was on the 80lb braid, slices through my 60lb mono and before you know it, both were gone!  UGH!!!

They popped up again, but the water was too rough to run right over and they sounded as soon as I got there.

I was determined to get one though, but needed to pull on something so went to my lingcod pile....  This place is no joke!  I burned through 25-30 baits and lost count of the lingcod I missed.  I did boat 10 legals and one shrimp though!

The shrimp....



The average legal was 22-23 inches.



Baits were getting wasted within seconds of hitting bottom...



Finally got a legit 11 pounder!  Not huge, but pretty damn sweet and I knew it was a good one from the crushing bite on the bait!



No shortage of nice reds, but I only put on a medium iron to positively ID what I was seeing on the finder.



I cruise back over to where I hooked the yellows earlier and my flylined macks were getting hammered!  I was figuring big bonito, but it definitely could be Black Skippies!



I also lost a few more yellows as the entire bodies and heads were crushed, but only had lip marks or I would load up the rod and the yellow had the mack, but not the hook in his mouth and rip out.  I seriously had 12 pick ups or hook up all day by yellows with nothing to show for it except heart break!

In the meantime on the radio, I heard of 4 wahoo caught on the 9 and two marlin, with one being a possible grander that was lost at the swim platform!  I also heard them talking about the jumping Manta Rays at the 9 also.  So much crazy stuff going on, but it is still Hero or Zero out there.

I finally had to call it quits as I was sure I wasn't going to get my yellow, so I snuck into the Halibut Grounds to see if I could pull out a Flatty to save my day...

Well I got bit...and it for sure was no HALI!  Thankfully I hooked him on my 80lb braid as it took some boat work and a lot of pressure to get him to gaff.  I used the braid to cut through the kelp and after a long battle, pulled him in.  Weighed at the ramp at 36 pounds.

Money Shot!



I also see a buddy that I made shirts for in the late 90's for his company which has blown up!  It's been 15+ years since I've seen Ed from West Coast Yachts, but it was great to see his business took off!  He started with an old 1976 Chevy Pick Up and is now driving a friggand customized Raptor!  Well done Ed... well done!

Anyway, it was a good day.  I bordered on epic if I would have landed half the fish I hooked, but I'm all good with that.

Until next tide!

(There was some really great stories, but I'm too tired right now and going to hit the sack)

[Nicky]

Despite the break offs and difficulties, that looks like some really fun fishing! With some bonus bigger models in as well! Sweet session Mr. Tom!

[TheCraftsman]

Man im excited when i catch a wiggles, you're a bada$$ ma friend

[sasquatch]

Should have joined you. Work was lame.

[faster u fool]

awesome just aswsome

[Tim524]

Another successful mission

[skrilla]

Nice session. You try butt hooking on the flyline?

A buddy was out earlier this week and said he saw hundreds of those manta rays with some 200lbers going airborn.

[sasquatch]

Manta rays? I want to see those.

[Eric H]

I'll take that session any day, nice going

[vdisney]

Killer Steve............looks good to me 

[Pinoyfisher]

That's a beaut of a YT!!

[WheresMyBeer]

Some nice fish there Tom.

We saw a Manta jump right in front of us yesterday. Shot up and flipped in the air. Big one too. Pretty damn cool to see and only about 5 or 6 miles from MB.

Bunch of Wahoo being caught inside the north 9 to 7miles straight off LJ. We had one knock down but that's it.

[Pinoyfisher]

It's been a crazy f'ing year!!!