Ling Cod Slayage on the Endeavor- Morro Bay 12/26 & 27 2015

[Big Tim]

This starts at my Mother in laws home on Christmas day about 3 pm...2 days of Christmas with about 60 family members and I can only think about Sunday at 6 am on the 12 hour 1 day long range fishing trip I'm booked on in Morro Bay on the Endeavor. My wife and mother in law are nowhere to be found? kids running about conversations getting louder with the more they drink and I have my work phone on my side as I'm on call   I smile only because I'm guaranteed triple time for the day. My wife walks up to me and says you look exhausted and hands me a piece of paper? I read it quickly the realize with a   She and my Mother in law just purchased me a trip on the Endeavor 3/4 day trip on Saturday and another day at the resort on Morro Strand beach (Motel 6) Happy Birthday my dear she says...She says take your mom home and leave !!! I take Mom home and get to the house, load up all my gear and wait till 5 pm...tic,tock! I'm off the clock   Quick easy drive to Morro Bay then finally a couple of beers and a couple of cocktails, then the alarm at 5:30 am   YES!!! an hour later I take this shot of the Moon setting over Morro Rock



12/26-15 is a 3/4 day trip and the swell is about 8' and we won't go much farther than San Simeon ... Kind of a slow day but i did pick this little feller up on the first pitch of my jig


This day was a decent Rock Cod fishing trip as the boat landed full limits of rockfish and near limits of ling cod. I got 2 keeper Lings, my limit of mixed rockfish and had to toss back 6 undersized lings...I must make note here that the boat food on the Endeavor is exceptional...Breakfast burrito had bacon, eggs, hash browns, fresh cilantro, onion and tomato! The Burgers are huge with tons of fresh veggies  




Back to the resort (Motel 6) then aquick clean up...And no I didn't shower with my gear  


Spent the evening with Taco Bell and a few beers and a long nights sleep... 4:30 wake call and me bones are a hurtin' a few stretches and a walk around the resort and we're off again..Sunday 12/27 is freakin' cold in Morro Bay, but no wind and the swell is to be 4' and under...12 hours on this 55' boat with 33 + Captian and crew. I find a quick corner in the galley and stake claim to it. I will worry about where I fish when we get there after a 3 hour and 15 minute ride.... I see Piedras Blancas and now are getting closer

this was taken later in the day


9:15 am and we are here ... We make a couple of runs out deep but the current is a bit weird and move inside for a while, still the bite was good


We made several drifts and the fish were hit and miss but with good quality. I knew we would have to hit it big soon or we would have to make the long journey a bit short of expectations. Captain Brad Leage says let go back out deeper where we were earlier and see if the current is better. Then total carnage. Nothing but the sounds of jigs and fish hitting the deck. I helped gaff several fish and even helped my older rail friend John by lending him one of my rods and while fighting a fish I reached down and wrapped the line around my hand and hauled in a few of his. Not much time to take pics. as fish were hitting the fast and furiously.

I had 8 keeper Lings between 12 & 15 pounds and gave to those that didn't reach their limit of 3...here is a shot of a couple of mine...The guy in the back ground is Harmon and he won the jackpot with a 23 pounder


here is a quick shot of some of the carnage..99 keepers + we took care of the captain and crew   In the middle of these fish is Harmons jackpot


These fish do bite...During the big bite one guy got lit up on his boot and I got this little scrape as well


We actually limited out the boat so fast on the last stop we made it back to Morro Rock at 4 pm, 2 hours early


Spent the night Sunday in Morro Bay then my traditional large bowl of Menudo at the Maya restaurant this morning then home to Fresno, where the real work begins    Yup cleaning and packaging the fish


[URL=http://s743.photobucket.com/user/fresnotim/media/mb13_zpseiry38ik.jpg.html][/URL]

Time for a beer or 3  


BT out

P.S. I highly recommend the 12 hour trip on the Endeavor out of Morro Bay Landing...Happy New Year to all!!!

[Ron Jones]

You did your gear right by not showering with it. I know what you SMELL like after fishing, not even gear deserves that .
Love you brother.
Ron

[Big Tim]

You did your gear right by not showering with it. I know what you SMELL like after fishing, not even gear deserves that .
Love you brother.
Ron

Love you to Bro! Happy New Year

BT

[swill88]

Great report Tim!
I wanna do that trip! Next time you go I will do my best to join you. Its on my bucket list for 2016. Thanks!

[foakes]

Great trip, Tim --

Good eats there -- and well packaged/date marked for the freezer.

Have to ask -- why Taco Bell? -- not Taco Temple?

Just curious.

Best,

Fred

TACO TEMPLE


ADDITIONAL FRESH FISH & DESSERT DAILY MENU


CONSECUTIVE YEARLY AWARDS FOR BEST SEAFOOD & MEXICAN RESTAURANT IN SAN LUIS OBISPO COUNTY


ONE CALIMARI TACO -- ENOUGH FOR TWO PEOPLE -- $12 -- PLUS ALL OF THE HOT CHIPS AND SALSA YOU WANT


ANOTHER FRESH CALIMARI TACO -- THIS IS JUST ONE


ONE JUMBO SCALLOP TACO -- FLAME BROILED OVER OAK -- ENOUGH FOR TWO TO SPLIT

[Big Tim]

Great trip, Tim --

Good eats there -- and well packaged/date marked for the freezer.

Have to ask -- why Taco Bell? -- not Taco Temple?

Just curious.

Best,

Fred

Taco Bell is right next door to the Liquor Store and that's all I can say about that 

Happy New Years Fred!

BT

[Dominick]

Tim you are living a little bit of the good life.  I have to make reservations at that resort.  I am jealous you really know how to live it up. Dominick

[Alto Mare]

Very nice Tim.

Sal

[pjstevko]

Great write up and looks like the fish were biting!!!

This report makes me really excited for my 12 trip on Thursday!!!!

Any tips on what did we're working best???

[alantani]

looks like a great trip!  we leave for cayucos tomorrow, but there are no fishing plans in the works.   

[Big Tim]

Great write up and looks like the fish were biting!!!

This report makes me really excited for my 12 trip on Thursday!!!!

Any tips on what did we're working best???

.  
                                PJ  
 10 & 12oz ahi and hex bar jigs with and without teasers for the lings and shrimp fly rigs with a piece of squid for the reds.  We also killed them on  4 1/2 oz flat fall in 140 foot and less depths.

                                BT                                                                                          

[Shark Hunter]

Good Work Big T! Most Excellent Slayage!

[newport]

Nice pictures and nice report. Do you guys have pacific cod out there or are lingcod the same thing? Happy New Years.

[steelfish]

......... then my traditional large bowl of Menudo at the Maya restaurant this morning then home to Fresno

Menudo... nice !!

great fishing, great way to finish the year

[theswimmer]

Great report Tim!
I just cleaned up from a big Ling cook for my In-laws in Phoenix. We drove over with 10 lbs of fillets on the 27th.
Where did the fillets come from?
Brad via Fresno , of course!

We had 4 kids who "Don't like fish ."  looking for 3rds!
Best,
JT