RPT- Sat. 10-25 San Miguel Big Lings, Reds, Etc.

[Tunaslam]

Fishing Sat. 10-25-03 with Gabe Delbuono, his wife Veronica, & our youth minister Ab Kastle, on Gabe's 22' GB Cat. We left Diamond Bar at 1:30am & launched out of Santa Barbara Harbor at 5am in pea soup conditions. Without Radar, we limped along at five knots until we were out 2 miles, then increased our speed to 9 knots until we were six miles out, then 15 knots at 14 miles out at day light, visibility varied between 200 yds. and 1/4 mile, we admit a bit dangerous, even for the diehards we are. Arrived San Miguel East End shortly after 7:30am, a very comfortable (but Nervous) ride out, as the seas were flat & no wind. We headed to an area I fished last Friday with Frank & Freddie, with no numbers in hand. Tim Mohawk suggested I work a little further west, and it didn't take too long before the meter lit up with some nice hard bottom, and scattered clouds of fish. Our assistant pastor and youth Minister Ab Kastle, had been reading my posts with Gabe & others for quite some time, with envy of our many memorable trips, and asked Gabe to invite him anytime there might be an opening. It didn't take long to make Ab a believer that the fish stories were mostly true, as his first couple drops resulted in healthy San Miguel Red Vermilion's. Here he is, the camera had difficulty focusing in the pea soup!



Gabe also caught some large Reds & Coppers on the plastic.





Veronica continued to have a hot hand on a nice 26" Lingcod & added a few Reds to the pile.




I got in on the act with a decent Red & Copper Rockfish.



The fog began to clear and we worked our way down the island finding different spots of fish, unfortunately we found one area which yielded two small Canary rockcod, which did not survive their release, darn, and unlike last week, we caught a number of huge 5-6 Lb. Bocaccio, (Salmon Grouper), of which only the largest did not make it back down. We quickly left this area, and another about 1/2 mile away which was loaded with lings and big Copper rockfish. I caught a 25" Ling and this magnificent specimen, a 35" 20 lb. Lingcod.





In just over three hours we had reached almost limits of unbelievable quality rockfish. Here are the victims!



Here are the happy victors:





We ran to begin fishing the kelp beds, hoping for some dandy Calico's, however, all we found were loads of enormous Johnny Bass (Olive Rockfish) which climbed all over our plastics! Continued to move around looking for Cali's, but only found more rockfish, numerous short lings, Blue Bass, Gopher Cod, Chocolate rockfish, more coppers and reds, fortunately fishing in only 60-70 feet, all survived release. Does San Miguel have any Calico Bass spots? While fishing the kelp with a Cotee plastic on 16 lb. test, Gabe hooked a monster, which took a few runs into the kelp, but Gabe stuck with it and landed this 34" Lingcod.



Here's is Gabe's and my Ling's, monsters of the deep.





The wind began to pick up at 2pm and by 2:30 only the heaviest leadheads could be fished, so by 2:45 we called it a day, back at the dock at 5pm, a smooth ride home at 22 kts., incredible for this area. Home in Diamond Bar after 9 pm. After a brutal drive home in heavy stop & go traffic, and all the fires in the distance, filling the skies with ash and darkness. By the time the gear was put away and fish filleted, it was almost midnight, too late to post. Thanks again Gabe for another incredible day with your wife and Ab, who had a blast, and had never caught so many quality fish before today.

Hook up! Cory

[Saluki]

Awesome looking Lingasarous!!!!!! To bad the water was so rough out there So after limiting out did you bare-foot on the way home???? WTG!!!

[Mot's Sr.]

WTG Cory, the lings looked fantasticgunz gunz

[Tunaslam]

Appreciate the feedback guys, Brandon, I must be tired, not quite sure what you meant with the barefoot comment, a brain freeze maybe? Cory

[SeaDawg]

Great post Cory, as usual, and a nice bunch of bottom dwellers

[Fishin4Life]

thats a toad ling when do i catch my ling over 15 pounds....

[Tunaslam]

Harry thanks,

Fishn4life-there are some big lings at the rockpile, nine mile bank & further south, just gotta find em and the big'ns almost always eat a jig. Although sardines work well on most lings. Good Luck, you have lots of time.

[Mots]

Cory, i'm gettin really sick in tired of saying it. NICE FUCKING FISH, DAMN IT, EVERY TRIP YOU GO ON YOUR GETTING A TOAD!!!!!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

[Tunaslam]

I'm off this Friday and looking for a ride, let's go slam em! Cory

[Mots]

Dude, I blew up my upper unit on my outdrive last wednesday. I'm dry docked for a week or so. I'm kinda pondering with the idea on heading out on a 2 day to cortez.

[Tunaslam]

Hope you get it fixed quickly, got a call last night to go bass'n in SMB Friday, so I'm set. If you get out to the Cortez, catch a bunch! Cory

[Red Drum]

Cory,

Congrats on getting the toad Lingcod. As always, thanks for the great report and pictures. FRESH-ONE!!