Steve and I braved the wind forecast (the models didn’t agree) and went fishing anyway. We did our “shoe loop” which is what we do when west wind is in the forecast.
We launched around 4:30 and were fishing in the greylight. My first four casts each caught a calico while grinding on the bottom in 60’. Steve was getting clicker thumb. I offered to hook and hand one (giver that I am), but he just stared daggers at me. He then caught two, and we had six fish. It took three hours for our next fish. Ugh.
Anyways, we fished the length of the shoe in really nice weather. I think our early bite died due to the temp dropping 4 degrees in just a couple hours. I’ve never seen that before. The far west shoe went from 64 to 60 while we were there. The temps went back up at the shoe proper.
That damn clear gelatinous schmeg was down near the bottom and coated our swimbaits every time we tried to fish the bottom out in the shoe proper. It was get bit on the drop or nothing and man, we saw a ton of fish that weren’t hungry. What worked for us was to pull up on a spot and we would cast out opposite sides of the boat. If one of us got bit on the drop, the other would immediately wind in and cast on top of him, usually ending up in a double hookup and no schmeg on the lure.
The wind was merciful today. I did see a whitecap at 05:30, but it was a head fake and we had great weather. We were on the trailer at 3 and I see now it was gusting 30 at the shoe. We left just in time.
Total was 31 fish. Bycatch were 2 small reds that were released. The hot lure was a 1.5-2 ounce clown head and a 4” Kman Special swimbait. The bites were aggressive. We burned through over a dozen swimbaits today.
Those damn Black Flags of Death were all over the shoe near the green buoy. They were in the fairway from the LA opening. A tanker was coming out. He went west of the fairway to miss the nets. Then another tanker came in from the LB anchorage. Seemed he was heading for one of the nets. We waited, hoping the prop shaft/wheel would wind up that indiscriminate killer and chop it to pieces. The tanker missed it by just a few feet. Bummer.
Anyways, it was a great day on the water with a good bud. Going again with Taxfree Friday.
These guys were tied up at the ramp this morning.
This was the water at noon.
Today’s hot lure that caught most of the fish
Dead soldiers.
Tanker almost did us a favor and ground up a gill net. He missed
Lots of fish in the meter. Most were not hungry for what we were offering.
We launched around 4:30 and were fishing in the greylight. My first four casts each caught a calico while grinding on the bottom in 60’. Steve was getting clicker thumb. I offered to hook and hand one (giver that I am), but he just stared daggers at me. He then caught two, and we had six fish. It took three hours for our next fish. Ugh.
Anyways, we fished the length of the shoe in really nice weather. I think our early bite died due to the temp dropping 4 degrees in just a couple hours. I’ve never seen that before. The far west shoe went from 64 to 60 while we were there. The temps went back up at the shoe proper.
That damn clear gelatinous schmeg was down near the bottom and coated our swimbaits every time we tried to fish the bottom out in the shoe proper. It was get bit on the drop or nothing and man, we saw a ton of fish that weren’t hungry. What worked for us was to pull up on a spot and we would cast out opposite sides of the boat. If one of us got bit on the drop, the other would immediately wind in and cast on top of him, usually ending up in a double hookup and no schmeg on the lure.
The wind was merciful today. I did see a whitecap at 05:30, but it was a head fake and we had great weather. We were on the trailer at 3 and I see now it was gusting 30 at the shoe. We left just in time.
Total was 31 fish. Bycatch were 2 small reds that were released. The hot lure was a 1.5-2 ounce clown head and a 4” Kman Special swimbait. The bites were aggressive. We burned through over a dozen swimbaits today.
Those damn Black Flags of Death were all over the shoe near the green buoy. They were in the fairway from the LA opening. A tanker was coming out. He went west of the fairway to miss the nets. Then another tanker came in from the LB anchorage. Seemed he was heading for one of the nets. We waited, hoping the prop shaft/wheel would wind up that indiscriminate killer and chop it to pieces. The tanker missed it by just a few feet. Bummer.
Anyways, it was a great day on the water with a good bud. Going again with Taxfree Friday.
These guys were tied up at the ramp this morning.
This was the water at noon.
Today’s hot lure that caught most of the fish
Dead soldiers.
Tanker almost did us a favor and ground up a gill net. He missed
Lots of fish in the meter. Most were not hungry for what we were offering.
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