Day off of work and nothing going on, so I jumped on the Patriot out of Newport Landing last Friday with only 12 other anglers. Word was that this would be strictly surface fishing at Catalina, bypassing the sculpin and rockfish grounds.
Loaded up on some bigger sized sardines at the bait barge and shot straight to the island in glassy conditions. Overall it was a pretty uneventful day, and the sea lions made it tough to get established, but I managed the 3 B's with a single bonito, a legal calico, and a short barracuda that I caught on a mint murder weapon jig that I was tossing for a few minutes.
I also got a mid sized yellow that wrapped himself in the kelp. I was able to winch the whole section of kelp to boat with the fish still in it, and a crew member was able to get a gaff in it and get it over the rail.
I took jackpot with this fish, which went back to the crew. The captain hooked and handed a large yellow to another passenger, so it didn't qualify. The boat went 3 for 5 on the yellows on this trip. Besides the short cuda, everything I caught was on a butt hooked sardine on 25 lb green label seaguar fluoro.
Even with the slower fishing, it was a great day on the water. Solid crew and captain and was nice to have all that room with such a light load. I wouldn't hesitate to fish the Patriot again when I feel like getting out on a local trip for the day.
Loaded up on some bigger sized sardines at the bait barge and shot straight to the island in glassy conditions. Overall it was a pretty uneventful day, and the sea lions made it tough to get established, but I managed the 3 B's with a single bonito, a legal calico, and a short barracuda that I caught on a mint murder weapon jig that I was tossing for a few minutes.
I also got a mid sized yellow that wrapped himself in the kelp. I was able to winch the whole section of kelp to boat with the fish still in it, and a crew member was able to get a gaff in it and get it over the rail.
I took jackpot with this fish, which went back to the crew. The captain hooked and handed a large yellow to another passenger, so it didn't qualify. The boat went 3 for 5 on the yellows on this trip. Besides the short cuda, everything I caught was on a butt hooked sardine on 25 lb green label seaguar fluoro.
Even with the slower fishing, it was a great day on the water. Solid crew and captain and was nice to have all that room with such a light load. I wouldn't hesitate to fish the Patriot again when I feel like getting out on a local trip for the day.
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