2017 Phenix Rods charter on the Excel

[MarkT]

These are my notes from the Excel 10 Day 2017 that got back Wednesday, October 4.

Crew:
Captain Mike Ramirez, Travis, Chowder, Rene, Jake, Colin on deck. Chef Jake and assistant Nick.

Overall fish count (10 species) :
1 Wahoo
23 YFT, kept 3, gave to Ulysses once we were at 5 Star
16 YT, kept 2
3 Dorado, kept 2
6 Sand Bass
2 Skipjack
1 Bonito
2 Mexican Barracuda
1 Tube Mackerel
1 Boccaccio
Japanese Mackerel as bait

Rods/reels:
30# Phenix psw760h/Accurate DX400
30# OC Rods Kaiuli 7mhf/Avet SX Raptor
40# Phenix psw700xh/Penn Fathom 25nld2
40# UC 76HP/Avet JX 6/3
40# Phenix psw809h/Daiwa Lexa HD 400hs-p
50# Phenix phd760xh/Daiwa Saltiga 40ld2
50# UC Tilefish 80/Avet JX Raptor
60# Phenix phd700x2h/Avet HX Raptor
100# Phenix phd700x3h/Okuma Mak 20SEa
50# Phenix psw809xhj/Shimano TranX HG
50# Phenix psw909xhj/Shimano TranX HG
80# Black Hole CB S-801H/Shimano SRG 10k

Sunday, 9/24, Day 1:
Baited up with Sardines , started for San Clemente Island but turned South when Navy closure announced.
Lunch was beef and pepper sandwiches and French fries.
Dinner served by Travis was salad, Chicken Parmesan with penne and broccoli with lemon cheesecake for dessert.

Monday 9/25, day 2:
Travel day.
Breakfast was eggs Benedict and hash browns.
Lunch was beef stew over rice.
Dinner served by Chowder was salad, bread, pork loin with mashed potatoes and green beans with bread pudding for dessert.

Tuesday, 9/26, day 3:
I had Oatmeal and fruit for breakfast. They served poco loco.
We arrived at the Ridge at 11:30.
Lunch was pastrami sandwiches and pasta salad. I ate while trolling. Troll team 1 was up 3 Times... the only troll team today.
I caught 2 YFT on poppers (1 on Lexa, 1 on TranX), 3 on a 100gm Colt Sniper and 5 on bait (1 on 40#, 4 on 30#).
Afternoon snack was quesadillas.
Dinner served by Colin was steak, potatoes and asparagus with walnut ice cream for dessert.
Fished from 8:30 - 10 with a 250gm glow flat fall for a small YFT, 5 YT, a Mexican Barracuda and a Tube Mackerel.

Wednesday, 9/27, day 4:
I had oatmeal and a banana for breakfast.
Started catching small YT and YFT in the gray light.
I caught YT and YFT on poppers, bait, tormentor. Caught a bonito and a couple of skipjack too. Tagged 3 yft. Probably caught 12 YFT and 6 YT. I got one on 50# bait and most other bait fish came on 40#.
Lunch was bacon and egg cheeseburgers with onion rings.
Trolled heading west then south.
Afternoon snack was poke, sashimi, rolls, etc.
Dinner was lasagna with zucchini and focaccia bread with mint ice cream for dessert.
Headed south to the Toussaint bank below Mag Bay overnight.

Thursday, 9/28, day 5:
Breakfast was ham and cheese omelet with country potatoes.
First thing in the morning fished with 60# for nothing, current was ripping. The boat had problems with the anchor pulling. Started trolling about 7am heading in towards the Potato Bank. Water was very blue and clear. Saw a Manta near the boat.
Caught a couple of Dorado on a bait stop at a kelp paddy. Kept one and released another tiny one.
Lunch was enchiladas and rice.
Dropped for Grouper but didn't get one on the one drop I made. Current was ripping, I used 36 Oz of lead.
Afternoon snack was Jalapeño poppers.
Going to Mag Bay to make bait.
Dinner was Chicken Marsala with rice and broccoli with banana caramel and ice cream.
Made bait from 9:40 - 11:20 for not much.

Friday, 9/29, Day 6:
Breakfast was oatmeal and fruit.
Caught a 'cuda on a dropper loop in the gray light at the Thetis Bank.
We trolled around the bank for some Wahoo. None for me. I think we got 10 for the day.
Lunch was a meatball sub with curly fries.
More trolling until 2:30 when we left for the Rocks.
Dinner was a pork chop with green beans and mashed potatoes with moose tracks ice cream for dessert.

Saturday, 9/30, day 7:
Arrived at the Rocks at 5:30am.
Breakfast was oatmeal and fruit.
Trolled around and threw bombs and fished bait on stops. Got one Wahoo on a Seastrike 33 with the Lexa 400/809h combo. Had a couple of pickups on bait but nothing stuck. Had some bumps on bombs.
Lots of trolling and some bait stops in afternoon for no fish. Boat got 24 Wahoo today.
Lunch was a Hawaiian plate lunch with short ribs.
Afternoon snack was egg rolls.
Left for San Pablo Bay after 5pm.
Dinner was steak with blue cheese, heritage carrots and a baked potato with red velvet cake for dessert.

Sunday, 10/1, day 8:
Breakfast was Oatmeal.
Arrived at San Pablo Bay at 9:30.
Got a Skipjack and a Bonito on surface iron.
Caught a nice YT on the yoyo.
Lunch was chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes, corn and peas.
Caught another YT on the yoyo after lunch.
Afternoon snack was cheeses and salami with crackers.
Dinner was Chicken Picata with rice and zucchini with cheesecake ice cream for dessert.

Monday 10/2, day 9:
Breakfast was oatmeal and fruit.
Started trolling north of Benitos. Got a nice Dorado on the troll.
Broke down 6 heavier rigs that I don't think I'll need.
Lunch was Wahoo fish tacos with rice and beans.
Got to Sacramento Reef at 3:15.
Got 6 Sand Bass yoyoing a 6xJr.
Fished for Halibut, I didn't get one.
Dinner was ribs, Mac and cheese, corn on the cob with brownie a la mode for dessert.
Heading for Colonet for the morning.

Tuesday, 10/3, day 10:
Breakfast was steak and hash browns.
Fishing at Colonet for YT. I only got a Boccaccio, no YT for anyone.
Broke down 4 more rigs, 2 to go.
Started trolling north looking for kelps at 9:15.
Got a small YT with a surface iron off a kelp.
Lunch was bbq beef sandwiches with coleslaw and watermelon.
Started heading to San Diego at 4:30.
Dinner was prime rib, asparagus, cheese potatoes with cheesecake for dessert.

Wednesday 10/4:
At dock at 5:30.
Fish processed by 5 Star.
Talked with Tim Turis who's on the next trip.
Had breakfast at Denny's with Bart/Danny
Home at 11:45.

[Hamachi]

Good job Mark! Thanks for sharing. Sounds like a lot of good food, and a lot of fish.

[IcantSwim]

That report looks like the menu at Black Bear diner. Must be nice burning off all those calories fighting fish! Thanks for the report.

[Dominick]

What no fish pics?  Dominick