# CA USA: Fun Fall Fishin



## Zed (Sep 18, 2006)

If I ever want to show my avatar in this place again, I will take some pictures, and I will edit this into a report come what may!
There.

Edit:
Here we go, you animals.

0353 PST 1.82 feet Low Tide
0515 Launch
0613 PST Sunrise
1006 PST 6.21 feet High Tide

Cold off shore blowing this morning. It ain't Summer anymore. Water is holding in the mid 60F range and patchy. We had some wind yesterday that mixed things up. It was brisk. This will be the last shot like this for the season. Booties from now on.

eric is a wanker for toes. Yeah that old boy has had a tough couple weeks.









Out on the grounds.









Started slow, adjusting to the current and wind. When they oppose or oblique, the kelp stingers get irritating with big bends. Current was strong and down and in (SE-ward) with the wind sort of between E and NE then to NW by 1000. When it was behind the current it was 2mph drifting.

First hookup. Felt like a rag. Maybe some kelp.
AHH!

















New PB on the plastic! Had him grab on to my paddle shaft with a couple legs then used the pliers to unhook him for release. Thinking back, now, I should have dumped him in the footwell and watched him go down the scupper.

Krakken vanquisher.









Then I got things dialed in and started catching. Nice calico bass.









Double edged sword. It's now lobster (spiny) season, so every hard bottom rocky reef in SoCal is marked with commercial lobster pots. Guess what? No secret reefs. They make it easy though and a savvy fisher will mark spots on the GPS for later. Fishing around buoys was pretty steady on aggressive calico bass hitting on the drop, about midway in 50-70ft. 









Small barred sand bass









Small calico









Calico









Calico









1 GR8 B8 : Pacific green mackerel









It took a long time to find bait. My dad finally metered some and picked up a couple and radioed me. I trolled my sabiki around him until I picked up a couple too. The drifts were very fast now and keeping the bait in the zone was becoming more difficult. Every bait (well 4) I put on the bottom was molested and flayed but not one hookset on bait. I suspect bass, by the looks of the baits.

Beggars at the harbor mouth.









Really fun bass fishin. I hadn't gotten good aggressive calicos in a long time. They are way more fierce fighters than their cousins the sandbass. My dad and I were from a half mile to a couple hundred yard apart for the morning and we traded off hot bites. When I was slow he was on it and vice versa. Overall it was a very good above average day, with a chilly morning and a little bit pushy conditions by noon, but warm and 75F by take out.


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## Zed (Sep 18, 2006)

This place is starving for reports. 156 reads already?
Its 0430(Grrr. DST ended Sunday) and its 43F. A few more hours and Ill have a report.


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## anselmo (Aug 26, 2008)

Zed said:


> This place is starving for reports.


Hell yeah
Haven't you seen the thread?
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=63503



Zed said:


> 156 reads already?
> Its 0430(Grrr. DST ended Sunday) and its 43F. A few more hours and Ill have a report.


Define "a few"?


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## Zed (Sep 18, 2006)

Well that's it. A day of fishing and an adequate report by 1430.
Have at it!


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## kayakone (Dec 7, 2010)

What are the Calico like on the chew Troy?

Size wise they look about 2 - 4 lbs?


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## keza (Mar 6, 2007)

Thank god for that, I was starting to shake.
Where's the dinner shot ?


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## carnster (May 27, 2008)

Slimey mackeral gr8 bait for spanish.


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## Zed (Sep 18, 2006)

kayakone said:


> What are the Calico like on the chew Troy?
> 
> Size wise they look about 2 - 4 lbs?


Very tasty fish, NOT sold commercially. It's a sportsman's fish.
14in minimum and 5 mixed bass (Calico, barred sand, and spotted sand aka bay bass, which are found in estuaries and harbors) allowed in possession.

Those were 1-3lb. 10lb is a lifetime trophy for calico and sand, and 5 is a big spotted. Spotted have a bad rap from pollution and don't get eaten except by the most needy.. They're a popular target for C&R tournaments. Pound for pound spotted might fight best.

Bass are our bread and butter fish. You can make a day of it bass fishing any month. You just have to dial in the pattern.


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## BIGKEV (Aug 18, 2007)

The beanie does you no favours.


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## Zed (Sep 18, 2006)

carnster said:


> Slimey mackeral gr8 bait for spanish.


GR8 B8, period. There's times of the year I would pay dearly for the bait this morning. Nice healthy slimy 4-6in beauties. Candy.


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## Zed (Sep 18, 2006)

BIGKEV said:


> The beanie does you no favours.


Aw be nice Kev, you might be my secret santa drop...
And it did me a lot of good. It was cold. I had my paddle shirt (rashie) and a very light wind breaker and the hat on all morning.

Besides you know when you get that awful sweater from great aunt Helen? You get a picture taken wearing it and you can always say how much you love it and wear it.


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## BIGKEV (Aug 18, 2007)

Zed said:


> you might be my secret santa drop...


Are you suggesting a "re-gifting" of the poo-wee beanie?

I could supply you one of another colour if your worried about getting a cold head?


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## Dodge (Oct 12, 2005)

Zed said:


> And it did me a lot of good. It was cold. I had my paddle shirt (rashie) and a very light wind breaker and the hat on all morning.


Nice to see you getting results in the chilly weather mate, we are enjoying our turn with the sun, about 80F [max] average here at present


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## WayneD (Jul 11, 2006)

Thanks for the report Zed.


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## Scott (Aug 29, 2005)

Nice one Zed, those Calico's are a top looking fish.


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## Ado (Mar 31, 2008)

Toes are banned from the forum.
So are Hawthorne beanies.

Great to see some foreign species Zed, and some fish too. I presume that bait is what we call Slimey Mackeral.


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## Zed (Sep 18, 2006)

Ado said:


> Toes are banned from the forum.
> So are Hawthorne beanies.
> 
> Great to see some foreign species Zed, and some fish too. I presume that bait is what we call Slimey Mackeral.


Not exactly. Scomber japonicus (Chub mackerel, Pacific greenback mackerel), we call them green macks. Slimys are Scomber australasicus, although there is some overlap to the EPAC. I think I've heard skippers call them blue macks when fishing hotter water nearer to the equator.

Nothing beats a nice fresh, slimy, mackerel (your choice) presented on a hook. Instant anticipation.


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