| 2nd 50#+ for the Pajaro This Year
I had gotten word mid week in regards to fishing a particular area and, since I hadn’t been out in almost seven weeks, I was chomp’n at the bit to get the boat out. I had been told it was a “morning bite” so I was out early. Jason, who had been with me in June when we caught my personal best WSB, joined me and brought his dad, Ron, along. We cleared the CI breakwall at just after four and made yacht speed ‘til it was light enough to travel on plane. Water was warm all the way across the channel. Upwards of 70 degrees in some places. We pulled in to an area of S. Cruz where we expected to do well and set for the first drift which produced a short flattie. Not bad for a warm up and it gave us a bit of encouragement for the rest of the day. On the second drift I got a ripper that I thought might be a C-bass but when it started slashing back and forth tangling every line on the boat I changed my mind. It turned out to be a Thresher pup about 30#. At first I was a bit disappointed but then I realized I had never caught one before. As the fish neared the boat my plan was to grab the tail (hence the glove) as he swam by and then pass the rod to Ron while I released it but the pup had different plans and managed to release himself a few ticks later. Our next two passes produced two keeper halibut for Jason and I that went 10# & 12# respectively. This was turning out to be a fine day. Well, being a morning bite, everything “shut off” just after eight. We fished hard for the next 4+ hours and managed to land some calicos and a sheephead but no more money fish.
About 1p we decided to make a short run west to Valdez to find more Halibut but when we set up for the drift I wanted we were pushed on the wrong line. I made some adjustments and set up for another drift which also produced the wrong line so we set up a third time and just took the line the wind and current would give us. I figured we might stumble on something (but not what we were looking for) and stumble we did. About mid drift we heard one of the 30# rods go zip, zip and Jason managed to get there first. He pick up the rod and slowly pulled back and received of couple of small head shakes. He flipped the clicker off, wound down and then set the hook. I said “Well?” He simply rotated the rod in his hands so I could see the line peeling off rapidly. He was already into the braid backing on the Torrium 20. “Nice work” I said thinking to myself this kid’s starting to get it. I turned to Ron and asked him to take some pictures, which is something I always forget to do. He said yes and I handed him the camera. After about two minutes, and Jason not doing anything but hold the rod in the air to keep the pressure, I said “Aren’t you going to start crankin’ on him?” He replied “He’s still running” and turned the reel towards me to reveal only a third of the backing still on the spool. “Oh snap!” I thought. “This kid’s got a big Black on and I’d better start doing my job if we’re going to see it”. Fortunately the fish was heading west and at a fairly steady pace. I started to back the boat down slowly and told Jason to keep the rod high and “Crank like hell!” We managed to get half a spool back and about that time the fish did an about face and was now headed for the kelp and rocks. I told Jason it was probably a black and to not be disappointed if we don’t get to see this fish. I buttoned his drags a bit and started to swing the boat so we could keep the stern to the fish but the fish had different plans. The fish turned and Jason was headed to the bow. Just as we were ready to pass the rod to Jason the fish turned again and now was headed towards the outdrive. We got Jason back to the stern and around the corner to clear the o.d. and he was again in the clear. Jason had been on the fish for over thirty minutes before it started to tire. We could see color at about 20 feet and I readied the gaff and de-hooker. The fish was belly up and still looking like a black. At about ten feet from the surface the fish pumped its tail once and turned with its side to us and I thought, “That’s an awful skinny Black Sea Bass”. About that time Jason yells”that’s a White Sea Bass!” “Damn!” I thought,” he’s right” and wasted no time setting the gaff into its broad shoulders. It was too heavy to pull over the rail of the Skippy so I reached down and grabbed it by the gill plate and drug it over the side. Jason was beside himself as you can see in the pictures below. We had it weighed back a CISCOS and it dropped the spring scale to 54#. It sure turned into a great day and I’m sure Jason is still smiling.
See ya’ on the water. Rich | 
Love it wet, Love it bloody!
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