I had planned to go out on the 3/4 day on the Enterprise out of Long Beach Marina Sportfishing with my cousin Jason, but my alarm did not go off in time and after a “Where are you” text that woke me up at 5:30am finally we decided to get a few more hours of sleep and hit an afternoon 1/2 day run. Decided to go out of a landing either of us had not been out of in a long time so called down to Long Beach Sportfishing at Berth 55. I also was trying out a new fishing shirt from Ap3xPr3dator today as well. http://www.ap3xpr3dator.com/
Got down to the landing around 11:45 and they took care of us in the office. Looked like a lite load all the way around, and the Icon was a bit late coming back in with a very light load (I counted about 14 or 15 on board). The morning bite was bad, only a handful of fish on the boat for everyone. Loaded up quick with a total of around 35 or so and we headed out.
Captain got on the horn and said the fishing was bad in the morning, but hopefully the afternoon bite would make up for it. We went straight out with bait left over from the morning to the fleet that was sitting off the green buoy outside Angels Gate. The Matt Walsh, Sport King and a bunch of other moo-moo’s were there, and a fleet of personal boats. Lots of birds and action in the water so we hoped for the best.
Dropped anchor and we rigged up with a dropper loop with 5oz torpedo sinker. Even with 5oz we were dragging a little on the bottom. Water was clean and the wind was not whipping up yet. Got a good hit and fish on. Thought it was a nice calico the way it was fighting but it ended up being a grumpy treefish. Biggest one I’ve ever got, his coloring was very dark as well, almost black.
It set the tone for the day, quality fish for us coming aboard, but not in huge quantity. Few minutes later got another good hit and bring up a large sculpin. One of the larger ones I’ve ever caught on anchoives. Always a pretty fish, and one of the few fish I really like to eat.
I farmed a few fish at this spot, the fish were just pecking at the baits, either pulling them off or leaving only half an anchovy but everyone around us was pulling up a few calicos, sandbass and barracuda as well. Ended up moving spots as the bite slowed down. Shawn our captain worked hard all day moving and finding fish to scrape up, it was never a huge wide open bite but fish came aboard all day long.
Next stop my cousin Jason finally stopped farming fish (he lost a few at the first stop) and pulled up a very nice sand bass then an equally big calico on the next cast. Both good looking fish with great coloring.
Jason also pulled in a few short barracuda on this stop off the bottom. I lost 3 as well getting bit off by them and loosing a few hooks. Only lost two 5oz sinkers today between the two of us.
The whole time barracuda were coming on board on iron and off the bottom with anchovies. As the bite slowed down again on this spot we moved around the fleet and anchored on the west side of them. Once again the barracuda started coming on board again. We continued fishing the bottom with live bait. On this stop we kept getting pecked away at on the bottom. Try to set the hook then nothing, either bait gone or all torn up. I thought I had lost my bait again after some pecking and started to reel and wam, it started to pull back. No hard hook, just pull and go. Fought it up, knew it was a cuda from the fight and it was a big one. Got her gaffed and brought aboard.
Largest barracuda for me this year.
Same spot a few minutes later and my cousin gets hooked up the same way on the bottom. Another cuda gaffed and brought aboard.
We both farmed a few more fish, all barracuda at this spot. Died off again and we moved one more time. Another drop down, and going up to a 6oz sinker and got another nice treefish. Not as big as the first, but pretty colors.
Jason also pulled up another bull sculpin on this stop.
Made one last stop for the day and the cuda were being pulled on board once again. Jason got in on the action with some iron and hooked 3 shorts (most missed by an inch or so). Not much going on at the bottom, got a few more small hits and we called it a day.
Came in second for the jackpot with my cuda. The winner was just a bigger model.
Great day on the water out there. I would highly recommend Long Beach Sportfishing. Easy to get to, great crews and fun to go out with. They also had some good specials going on right now from the looks of things in the office http://www.longbeachsportfishing.com/. The Icon is a good boat and has seen some years but like most of the other ships in the SoCal 1/2 day fleet she does her job well.
Final count for the day, all large quality fish kept here.
Jason:
Barracuda: 1 kept, 5 released
Sand Bass: 1
Calico Bass: 1
Sculpin: 1
Myself:
Barracuda: 1
Tree Fish: 2
Sculpin: 1
Another great trip. Been lucky the last few times out, no big crowds and good fishing. The twilight boat was looking very crowded that night (big crowd when we got in), hope they did well. Liked the new shirt that Ap3xPr3dator sent out to me, comfortable and had a few people ask me about it on the boat. My full review will be on my site under product reviews. Got the first blood on it today with the cuda as well, not tuna, but still a good test.
