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Top Calfishing.com Saltwater Fishing in California topic #14634
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Subject: "SWBA CCOC '09" Previous topic | Next topic
Team StriperTue Jan-13-09 01:34 PM
Member since Oct 21st 2001
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#14634, "SWBA CCOC '09"


  

          

http://www.senortuna.com/pics/data/503/medium/G2.jpg

Karl & I had the privilege of fishing the inaugural SWBA California Calico Offshore Challenge based out of Little Harbor on the front side of Catalina Island. An event everyone has been looking forward to & preparing for since the season finale last year. There were a few boats already checking out Catalina when we arrived in the early afternoon fri. After unloading all our gear & getting squared away in our cabin we headed out to take a look at how Cat was biting. In 20 minutes or so we had a few decent fish along with a 5.5 by Karl.

http://momentoffame.com/photopost/data/521/medium/1-11-09_Karl_5_5.jpg

Satisfied, we put the boat on the can, showered up & the real fun began as most of the teams started pouring in. It was tough to leave the bar when the Laker game started & fishing stories were everywhere but 3:AM was going to come quick.

To say we were pumped to fish sat. morning would be huge understatement, all the big boys were in attendance, the cameras were rolling, it was finally game time. Most bows were pointed at San Clemente Island despite the howling offshore, we drew the 11th starting spot but had charted an inside line to the west end of Catalina that put us quite a ways out front. It was a bumpy crossing to Clemente, with some deep holes & square edges but we made good time arriving 1st at the west end. Beat Up & Without a Clue?

The plan was to run down the backside to China & fish our way back up but opted to stop at the west end in the dark & regroup as pounding another 20 mi. was sounding less appealing. With very little experience at Clemente (esp. for bass) we weren’t real sure where to go so we pulled outside one reef we had fished before & fire off a cast. Turn around & a big roller is coming in, I was spinning around to get my line on the other side of the boat when Karl hit the throttle & spun us around to safety while wrapping my spectra in the prop. So I start my morning out on the swim step in the rollers peeling spectra out of my prop, one cast 1 rig down. Boats are now arriving & setting up in the grey as we can already feel the wheels coming off. In an attempt to get back on track we sack up & begin to make the run down to China where we are vaguely familiar with a few areas. As we run down the backside the wind is increasing to ridiculous proportions, we kept trying to tuck closer into the island but the wind was just wrapping around the island & ripping 40 off the beach. A decision is made to tuck tail & head back up west into a semi protected bay many of the boats were hiding in to maybe get a little fishing in.

Spent some time peeling eelgrass off the hooks, yanking on kelp & overheating the motor but couldn’t get that wind off my mind? What was it doing in the channel? If if gets worse are we going to be able to get back? What the hell were we doing in a tournament this big fishing an area we are not familiar with? But anyone can catch big fish at Clemente right? Apparently not!
With the thought of an afternoon channel crossing & previous day’s bite looming in our minds as well we opted to make an attempt at salvaging the day by running back to Catalina at around 8:AM or so? A bad decision of epic proportions as this seemed to be the peak of the wind & we paid severely with a 2.5+ hr ass kicking like I can’t remember. We wanted to get to the middle backside of Cat. but the wind was ripping through the gap in the island so fiercely that tucking under Ribbon Rock was the only shelter, which we did. Then watched the wind die way down, of course.

We fished our way back to the 3:PM weigh-in with Karl & I each missing a big bite, a few small fish & a last minute 2 pounder we ended up not even weighing. It was both impressive & heart wrenching watching monster bag after monster bag coming in from Clemente by the guys who knew what they were doing & stuck it out. Hats off to you men!

Sat. afternoon, evening & late into the night was a party for the ages, one I took part in this time as we were approaching sun. very casually. We didn’t even get up for the 4:AM launch & even went back to sleep after James woke us up after returning from his starting duties. After restocking the boat with beer we headed around the backside of Catalina around 5:30, even stopping to hear SkiDave talk about his stellar morning. We picked through a few areas getting a small limit going, more just for motivational purposes as we were basically only fishing for Sundays big fish award. In the last hour we got to into the right fish & really had a blast, the kind of fishing we joined this event for.

http://momentoffame.com/photopost/data/521/medium/1-11-09_Karl_CCOC.jpg

During the flurry while Karl was dealing with a fish I rushed to maneuver the boat away from the rocks but managed to catch my little toe in the net & proceed to break it as my momentum was already going forward rapidly. Even got taken down on 30 by the kind of fish we needed, one last kick in the nuts for the weekend but the lessons learned will make it all well worth it.

This is just our story, everyone had one & there are some good ones!

Thanks again to all the guys & gals of the SWBA who give so much of themselves to make these events possible. It’s been a long time since I’ve had so much fun, what an event. Can’t wait for next year’s Offshore Challenge! This weekend really got the competitive juices flowing leading up to the season opener in Feb.
See you all in Newport!

http://momentoffame.com/photopost/data/521/medium/1-11-09_Josh_CCOC.jpg





  

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SWBA CCOC '09 [View all] , Team Striper, Tue Jan-13-09 01:34 PM
  RE: SWBA CCOC '09, AmishEd, Jan 14th 2009, #1

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