5/28/05 SCI Report & Rod/Reel found

[Latitudes]

Original plan was to go to Cat. Arrived Dana Point ramp around 11:30, talked to a PBer at the ramp, and they changed my mine, so SCI it is. As we are getting ready to launch, the other boat had fuel filter trouble and had to cancel. So we head out by ourselves, a little nervous as I never went to SCI at night.

Crew – Friend Sam, Michelle and son Matt and David, the ride to SCI wasn’t too bad, except the last 30 minutes, cold and bumpy. Arrived at the 9 around 4:30, water is 60.8 degree. Found a working bait boat and a sporty (I think its El Dorado). Dropped the hook in 128ft water, just outside edge of the kelps.

Day break, no action for about an hour and the temp turned cold and wet. The sport boat moved out, we are the only one there, and all of the sudden the bite starts, almost every other drop got fish, some short, most are very nice sizes. This stop yield many different species, white fish, tree fish, Johnny bass, sculpin (released), vermillion, salmon grouper, opal eyes, goat, calico, flunder, you name it. The wind picked up around 10, mist and water drops from every where, too cold for the kids, so I decided to move to the lee side.

Long haul to the lee, found the entire fleet there but don’t see many bent rods. Settle in and nothing happened for a while and all of the sudden everyone decided to leave, and only a few boats stayed. Strangely, we begin to get fish, got about 8 more smaller size of a mixed variety and 2 short lings.

Move to CP around 11:30, wow, everyone was there, but again, don’t see much bend rods, radio is quiet also. Stayed till 1:00 and decided to head back.

We started to clean our fish about 2 miles outside of DP, as I was covered in fish blood, raised my head and saw this yacht (boat name RAMPAGE) almost ran over us at about 25+ knots, came real close, headed to Newport. If you are reading this, I am asking you to please be careful.

Overall it was a pretty good day. Got a total of 23 good grade and mixed variety of tasty fishes. Lost count on the shorts.

After washed down, noticed 7 sets of Rod/Reel standing against the wall, looking very lonely and sad, seems like their owner had forgot to take them home. So if you lost 7 sets of rod/reels at Dana Point wash down area and if you can describe them come and take them home, they miss their daddy.