PACIFIC QUEEN 1.5 DAY / 9-17 - 9-19

**Pokilover** · Sep-20-2011, 08:47 AM

Redemption trip, after failed 2 day last month. Hopped on the Pacific Queen 1.5 day on 9-17, Saturday night. We scored and had lots of fun!

Boat: Pacific Queen out of Fishermans landing. Most everyone knows this boat has been around a while. Its in good shape, nice layout, and well maintained.
Weather: Nice! Overcast a good part of the time, sun came out and stayed sunny a few hours. Water was nice and calm - it was a nice ride down and back!
Fishing: YFT Limits. We went long, 140 mile range or so. We were stopping on kelp paddies starting at the 110 mile range around 8am or so. Only rat yellows, I mean small - 3 to 7 pounders, most were 3 pounds. There were also Dorado, 8 to 15 pounders. A hog yellowtail was caught on a kelp paddy stop - solid 28 pounder, we all tripped out, because it was the only yellow over 7 pounds! It took jackpot that night over a 25 pound class yellowfin. I was getting a little nervous then around 1230 pm we hit the jackpot kelp with the Yellowfin. All 15 - 18 pounders, with some over 20 pounds. It was a ripper for the first hour, then they would boil and bite in flurries after that. we usually had 5 or 6 hanging. It might get slow for a few minutes, then they would charge the boat. We got limits in less than 3 hours. So before that, we had what, 30 or so yellowtail and 14 Dorado or so from previous stops. After we limited out, the skipper pointed us back home and promised us a true 1.5 day. So we trolled until dark and hit two more kelp paddies, but no one was home.
What worked: No need for fluorocarbon, at least for me. I went old school and brought only two outfits. 20 pound straight mono on a Daiwa Sealine SLX 30 / Seeker Mexican series 870 and 40 pound straight mono on a Daiwa 40 Saltist / Californian Rod and a pocketful of hooks, thats it. I caught three on 20 pound and two on 40 pound and then grabbed a soda and chips and watched the madness from the top deck. They were biting straight 40, no problem. Belly hook your sardine, they swim much better. 1/0 to 3/0 hooks.
Passengers: 24 peeps and maybe 2 deadheads, I could be wrong. The only reason I'm guessing on that , is that 2 guys helped the crew clean fish and cleaned the boat. They were cool dudes and the boat was not full.Everyone was cool! Sure we had mucho tangles, but as the day wore on, everyone worked together a little better and we got it done. I tried to stay in the bow as much as possible and got bit fine. I got sawed off twice, no biggie, it was cool. Met some very cool peeps on this trip!
Captain and owner: Bill Cavanaugh is a real good skipper and gets on deck for instruction. He really stresses teamwork. He was casting out and hooking and handing to some guys. He walked around deck twice and said he would help out anyone without limits. He always kept us in the loop the entire trip.
Crew: Tony (owner of The 6 pack Mardiosa), Mike, and a young kid (forgot name) - these guys were on it at all times and were very courteous to beginners and seasoned anglers alike. Its the little things like remembering passengers names and being cool to novices. Enough said on that.
Fish Handling: Primo filets when I got home. They emptied the kill box every 10-15 minutes and cleaned and bagged them really great.
Food: Another Mike in the Galley - good food and a nice guy.
Costs: No hidden costs, they collect all at the office. Besides the $290 for the trip - $10 jackpot, $30 fuel surcharge, $10 bunk fee. Open galley food prices were reasonable.
Notes: I know its easy to recommend a boat when fishing is good, but some crews and skippers just get the customer service thing. You can tell on a trip were its scratchy or bad fishing, you will have a nice time on the boat. I went on this boat in 2008 and had one fish and had a nice time, thats when you know an operation has the right idea- make sure the passengers have a nice trip. One thing on the yellowtail, I did'nt fish to hard when we were getting these things on the kelp stops, heading south, way too small. But then again, as you head south, you also can get decent size Dorado! Anyway, now is time to go if you want some yellowfin.

Good luck out there!

**26grumpy** · Sep-20-2011, 09:04 AM

Solid report and great fishing !

**sea addiction** · Sep-20-2011, 09:49 AM

We saw you guys out at the 135 mile area, we were the only private boat out there. We were in the 30' Grady white. Nice job, we limited easy as well.

**Pokilover** · Sep-20-2011, 10:06 AM

I saw you, Me to another dude, " look at that crazy mofo private boater over there!!" I figured you fueled up at Ensenada, I like reading your reports........you get it done!

**sea addiction** · Sep-20-2011, 12:03 PM

Originally Posted by Pokilover

I saw you, Me to another dude, " look at that crazy mofo private boater over there!!" I figured you fueled up at Ensenada, I like reading your reports........you get it done!

Yes, we brought 2 55 gal drums along with a full tank and still hit the coral to get us home. We are crazy but we love the long runs..... especially when we fill the holds!

**mbtuna** · Sep-20-2011, 12:34 PM

Great report. Heading out on this boat on the 30th.

**jayyyy** · Sep-20-2011, 12:42 PM

Great report. I fished on the Queen with both former owners and had good times. Sounds like I gotta get on there with Bill.

**Pokilover** · Sep-20-2011, 01:01 PM

Bunk recommendation- go in the forward bunks with the stairs by the galley. They have other bunks in the stern by the bait tank, everyone said it was OK - just a little harder to go in and out during the day if you need to grab stuff from below. Shower is downstairs - heads are inside by the galley. food - is pretty good, Mike is the cook.