Plan was to meet up at 3, get squid at Newport (thanks for the great scoop) and head to Clemente overnight. When we arrived at Newport to launch, we were told that on the 4th, all entrance fees are $50.00
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Ride over was pleasant, little bumpy at the normal spots, arrived at 7 thinking we had the whole Isle to ourselves, turned the corner and saw the fleet at the Cove, deep in. No big deal, nice thing about Clemente is most of the time everyone gets along and gets it done.
Fished a slow drift in about 120ft being careful to interfere with the anchored boats, and got hammered in about a 1/2 hour. Fish is a bruiser and gave me a new respect for the home guards. Around the boat a few times with a gallery on the Fury giving encouragement (or something like that, really fun bunch on it). Mark gaffs and it lands, weighing 30# (scaled), my personal best. Mike gets a pat (OK a hug) for setup and skippering.
1/2 hour later I am hooked again and this one is not stopping. Tows the boat too close to one of the anchored boats, felt the anchor line and knew it was over, He pops loose and I was almost kinda relieved. (insert pussy smiley here). Both fish were caught with a single squid 3/4 leadhead in 130', 20# test, trini 14. Took pics on daughters camera, but for some reason they didn't come out.
About 10 it got too windy to drift so we anchored for a bit. Saw a few p/b hooked up, slow steady pick. Decided to hit the checkers after an hour or two and no love.
Wind was getting worse so we anchored in an area we know will produce and started the chum line. Spent the next couple of hours on a steady bite to 5#'s, when all of a sudden we realize electrical shut down. Brand new battery dies. Decide to head home on spare, forgetting we had another battery for the squid lite we could have swapped out.
T'was a nasty ride home, to say the least. I voted to head to Catalina, Mike and Mark decided to sleep with someone other than me and headed back to Newport instead. Back at the roost around 7:30. Looong ass day.
Jim
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