Left the dock @ 13:00 sharp and made our way to the recievers. We were loaded with excellent, large cured sardines, some good size anchovies and a few macks. Mike pointed the boat south and called us in for the meeting. Albacore numbers were weak at best so we would be paddy hopping. Put the jigs in the water about 18:00 until dark just to keep em' honest for zip. Nice down hill ride with small short duration swell and about 10 knots of wind. Found our first kelp @ about 6 AM. I fished the scrambled egg 6X jr on a 6465H seeker with a baja special. Three cranks and I'm bit. 12# yellow. Next drop 15# yellow. A short glance around the boat had just about everyone hooked up on a yellow or dodo.
We proceeded to sratch away most of the morning with the usual lull around midday. Then we hit a couple of small strings in the afternoon the put some nicer yellows to 27# on the boat and a couple of dodo's to 20#.
All this time Mike and the crew worked tirelessly to get every fish to the boat dispite the mayhem and brain farts
. It was about this time the decision to go to Cedros was made. Sat down to a nice stuffed pork loin dinner and hit the sack early. Woke to the engines slowing at 5 AM with Cedros in the distance. Mike suggested dropper loops or yoyo for the first drift. Dropper proved the ticket with a 35# halibut, 23 & 25# white seabass and some nice yellows coming aboard.
Mike spotted some fish closer to the island and we pretty much had a steady pick all day on 15-25# fish with some brutes at a secret spot liberating themselves on some raunchy structure. Sealions were obnoxious
with some nicer yellows being mauled at color. Had a delicious yellowtail dinner and decided to try the outside on the way up for some yellowfin and such. This proved to be fruitless but not that Mike, Gordon, and the rest of the guys didn't give it their all. We saw 3 or 4 marlin, whales breaching, sea turtles, even hooked a couple peanut YF and a couple of skippy's. Finished it up with cowboy's prime rib dinner and strawberry shortcake.
Great bunch of guys with a few newbee's that really payed attention and used the proper gear.
What worked:
Any color 6X or Tady 9 on the paddies.
40# test got every fish on the paddies on the boat and got bit well.
50 or 60# dropper loops with 8/0 hook, mack or sardine @ Cedros. Fish also bit the yoyo well here. Flylining with 40# worked well. 30# was risky in the shallow structure. Caught way more fish than I needed releasing everthing other than 4 dodos and 10 yellows for the trip. Must have released 20 more yellows and a dozen dorado. Some albies would have been nice but Mike came through in their absense. Would ride this boat again anytime and no fuel surcharge for the first time in 3 years!
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