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Subject: "California Calico Offshore Challenge and the Day After" Previous topic | Next topic
bowlboyTue Jan-13-09 03:28 PM
Member since Apr 12th 2002
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#14635, "California Calico Offshore Challenge and the Day After"


  

          

We cleared the Newport entrance about 2:15 Am on our way to Two Harbors for check in. As we crossed I could feel the Santa Ana’s building behind us. About half way across we came across a pod of whales that spouted about 50 feet off our bow.

http://www.calfishing.com/dc/user_files/7183-sunrise_2.jpg

Having only fished San Clemente 1 day in my life (although it was a stellar day with a 9 and three 7’s) I only knew the East end, so that’s where we went. Unfortunately Saturday was a day of bad decisions on our part as we stayed on a bad bite at the East end, in very heavy winds and ended up coming back early due to the weather. We obviously should have made the run up the back side to the West end, where I hear the wind was a bit lighter and the bite much better. I lost a fairly good fish early and then put a 3 in the tank, Kuch put a 2 in the tank and other then a couple of small fish and that was it for us. The wind made it very difficult to stay on a spot and I figured if it got much worse, the crossing might be trouble, so we bugged out and hit Catalina for 45 min for a couple of more small fish.

Really enjoyed hanging out with everyone Saturday night and hearing about everyone’s day good and bad. 5, day one limits over 20 pounds was cool and Eric’s 6.92 was a nice big fish for the day.

Sunday I figured since we embarrassed ourselves Saturday we would go the West end with the boys and take a look. Kuch had a spot or two up that way, so off we go again. Glad that the wind had backed off and the crossing was nice. We got there in the dark and bounced to a couple of spots, not really sure about going in tight until I could see, so we hit a deep rock for 5 small fish in the first 30 min. It’s always nice to have five in the tank, but today we were really only fishing for a big fish in hopes of getting a payday. Around 8:30 we pulled up on some kelp in about 25 feet of water that Kuch said puts out some good fish sometimes. I went up to the front of the boat and looked down to find no current at all. I said we should keep looking, but he needed to rerig and said to just take a couple of casts before we move. The kelp was pretty think with just some small holes, so I just pitched into them. On my second cast with the 6.5 inch Big Hammer in clear red flake, I get thumped and thumped hard. Fortunately I had it on my XFA 820 and needed all of it’s power to winch that fish out of the kelp, all the while begging it to “Please Stay On” and GET THE NET!.

http://www.calfishing.com/dc/user_files/7184-close.jpg
7.04 Lbs. and the fish that made my weekend.

We ended up working that kelp and culling out all of our early small fish. I was bummed we had to head back around ten for the noon weigh in as we had a good bite going. If I didn’t think I had a chance at Big Fish we would have just stayed and fished and skipped the weigh in. Turns out I was a couple of ounces shy of the big fish money, but it was till the second biggest fish of the tournament and a great mark to try to beat in the coming year. Thanks to Eric and James for putting all of that together. I know we had a blast and will do it again next year.

So what do you do the day after fishing hardcore for 2 days and running 280 miles in the open ocean in sometimes LUMPY conditions, half of it in the dark. Why go fishing of course. Hey my boat was already in the Newport Dunes parking lot. It’s not like I could just let it sit there. By 6:00Am Monday morning I could already hear it’s Siren Song calling me. Looked outside and guess what, it was windy, DOH! Fortunately it laid down around 8:00 and I took my time hitting the water. First hour or so was very slow, as in no bites, but then the tide started out and it was game on. Spotties started smashing the blade for the next couple of hours. I only had 4 legals but none were under 15 inches with the biggest about 2.5 pounds.

http://www.calfishing.com/dc/user_files/7185-s2.jpg


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Hopefully this gets you fired up for Round 1 in a few weeks. Can’t wait.

Bryan









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California Calico Offshore Challenge and the Day After [View all] , bowlboy, Tue Jan-13-09 03:28 PM
  RE: California Calico Offshore Challenge and the Day Af..., AmishEd, Jan 14th 2009, #1
RE: California Calico Offshore Challenge and the Day Af..., curado, Jan 18th 2009, #2
RE: California Calico Offshore Challenge and the Day Af..., bowlboy, Feb 13th 2009, #3

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