I took my son Sean over to Catalina for a few days starting Monday. We picked up some small sardines from Nacho, made about a dozen troller size mackerel and headed out to see if we could find any kelp paddies. The sea was a smooth as it gets. There was some life at the rigs and the water was blue and 73.5, but no fish. At the Avalon bank it was 75 but the water was on the green side with no life and no paddies so we decided to hit the back side.
Starting at Silver Canyon with the wind, we slow trolled some large green backs for what seemed like hours before getting zinged – and I released a 5 pound yellow. OK, there are some fish here. We trolled for a while for no strikes, so we headed up to Salta Verde where we found WFO bonito and bass fly-lining the small sardines – all released except one bone that was hooked in the gills.
After our fill of those fun fish we put out the trollers again. About an hour later at the Palisades my reel starts screaming the real deal – this is a good one that ate a 10 inch greenback. Sean clears the other lines and motors us out into deeper water. The fish keeps making run after run – he does not want anything to do with the boat. Every time I get him close, he takes off again! Finally I get him in range, and Sean hits a gaff shot on the 1st try and an 18 pound yellowtail hits the deck. This guy definitely fought bigger than he was – all heart!
After the high 5s, I realize that the new GoPro I just bought is not set up. Dumb. Oh well, photos will have to do. We quickly get it into filming position off we go. After a while I get hit again, and this time we film the catch and release of a 6 pound yellow. We’ll have to see if it came out OK. We caught one more mini yellow that attacked a mackerel that was almost as big as he was. Aggressive little dudes!
Out of bait, we went in search of some. Right before dark we put some 12 to 14 inch green backs in the tank, and moored up that night in Avalon. By the way, the water temp was an incredible 79.5 out in front of Avalon – but there was an algae bloom making the water dirty. That’s the highest I have seen the temp in over 20 years.
Tuesday morning we are back at it early at the Palisades, but our bait is just a bit too big. We are hoping for a bigger model yellow to show – but it’s not to be. We make the call to head to the Isthmus to find some cleaner water. We trolled at Empire for nothing, and then headed over to our rock fish spot – again for nothing except white fish. They must be out deeper somewhere.
This is where I want to give a shout out to the courteous captain of the Pursuit who steamed by 25 feet off my port side while we were drifting. The whole ocean, not another boat around, he just had to do it. The deck hands were laughing so I said “Hey, do you think you can get any closer?” They were so close, they could hear me over their engine. One genius says “Sure, we can do circles around you, you’re only catching mackerel.” We flip him the one finger salute and the captain comes on the PA and tells me to get a haircut (OK – that was funny – even I had to laugh). Dude must have been pissed from stuffing the sacks with 4 pound yellows and blue perch to jack the counts and filet money up.
After trolling Empire some more for nothing, we picked up a mooring at Two Harbors, went for swim and I had (more than) a few well deserved drinks before dinner. Wednesday morning I rigged up the bonito on a Bait O’Matic and we trolled for makos off the Island and at the oil rigs. We found some dolphins, but no sharks. Again, it was as calm as the ocean gets on the way back.
My suggestion for anyone heading over is to tank up on the troller size mackies at the bait barge. It’s real hard to catch any decent bait over there. Good luck and be safe!
My 18 pound yellowtail. Pretty nice mackerel, isn't it Pursuit?
Starting at Silver Canyon with the wind, we slow trolled some large green backs for what seemed like hours before getting zinged – and I released a 5 pound yellow. OK, there are some fish here. We trolled for a while for no strikes, so we headed up to Salta Verde where we found WFO bonito and bass fly-lining the small sardines – all released except one bone that was hooked in the gills.
After our fill of those fun fish we put out the trollers again. About an hour later at the Palisades my reel starts screaming the real deal – this is a good one that ate a 10 inch greenback. Sean clears the other lines and motors us out into deeper water. The fish keeps making run after run – he does not want anything to do with the boat. Every time I get him close, he takes off again! Finally I get him in range, and Sean hits a gaff shot on the 1st try and an 18 pound yellowtail hits the deck. This guy definitely fought bigger than he was – all heart!
After the high 5s, I realize that the new GoPro I just bought is not set up. Dumb. Oh well, photos will have to do. We quickly get it into filming position off we go. After a while I get hit again, and this time we film the catch and release of a 6 pound yellow. We’ll have to see if it came out OK. We caught one more mini yellow that attacked a mackerel that was almost as big as he was. Aggressive little dudes!
Out of bait, we went in search of some. Right before dark we put some 12 to 14 inch green backs in the tank, and moored up that night in Avalon. By the way, the water temp was an incredible 79.5 out in front of Avalon – but there was an algae bloom making the water dirty. That’s the highest I have seen the temp in over 20 years.
Tuesday morning we are back at it early at the Palisades, but our bait is just a bit too big. We are hoping for a bigger model yellow to show – but it’s not to be. We make the call to head to the Isthmus to find some cleaner water. We trolled at Empire for nothing, and then headed over to our rock fish spot – again for nothing except white fish. They must be out deeper somewhere.
This is where I want to give a shout out to the courteous captain of the Pursuit who steamed by 25 feet off my port side while we were drifting. The whole ocean, not another boat around, he just had to do it. The deck hands were laughing so I said “Hey, do you think you can get any closer?” They were so close, they could hear me over their engine. One genius says “Sure, we can do circles around you, you’re only catching mackerel.” We flip him the one finger salute and the captain comes on the PA and tells me to get a haircut (OK – that was funny – even I had to laugh). Dude must have been pissed from stuffing the sacks with 4 pound yellows and blue perch to jack the counts and filet money up.
After trolling Empire some more for nothing, we picked up a mooring at Two Harbors, went for swim and I had (more than) a few well deserved drinks before dinner. Wednesday morning I rigged up the bonito on a Bait O’Matic and we trolled for makos off the Island and at the oil rigs. We found some dolphins, but no sharks. Again, it was as calm as the ocean gets on the way back.
My suggestion for anyone heading over is to tank up on the troller size mackies at the bait barge. It’s real hard to catch any decent bait over there. Good luck and be safe!
My 18 pound yellowtail. Pretty nice mackerel, isn't it Pursuit?
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Again, awesome YT!
I used to play lead guitar in a metal band in the late 80s / early 90s (25 years and 50 pounds ago) - just can't seem to let go of that era!
