SOA 8-Day, October 2-10, 2024

MarkT · October 12, 2024, 03:48:50 AM

Quote from: Keta on October 12, 2024, 03:14:36 AMI reduced my rod collection today as it does not look like we will target BFT. I still have one heavy rig and heavy iron just in case. I plan on fishing slow and long pitch but have 40, 50, 60, 80 and 100 pound rigs for if/when my slow pitch gear gets trashed. I have 2 FTHII15XNLD2 and 1 FTHII10NLD2 reels spooled with 40# JB that should work.

On my Excel 10 day we went to the lower banks (potato bank). One guy fishing a chunk on 80# was on a big fish for 3.75 hrs before the PCH 74xxh broke above the grips. Be prepared ain't just for Boy Scouts! The biggun's are here already!

Keta · October 12, 2024, 04:07:49 AM

Quote from: MarkT on October 12, 2024, 03:48:50 AMOn my Excel 10 day we went to the lower banks (potato bank). One guy fishing a chunk on 80# was on a big fish for 3.75 hrs before the PCH 74xxh broke above the grips. Be prepared ain't just for Boy Scouts! The biggun's are here already!

I have my Seeker 2x4 and a Penn VISX 16 packed, As of now I am leaving my VISX 20 home but you might have convinced me to bring it.

My 212# May 2024 cow BFT was caught on a Penn Carnage III West Coast CARWCIII60100C70 80# rod with a Penn VISX 16. The gear worked flawlessly.

MarkT · October 12, 2024, 04:11:09 AM

Quote from: Keta on October 12, 2024, 04:07:49 AM
Quote from: MarkT on October 12, 2024, 03:48:50 AM
Quote from: Keta on October 12, 2024, 03:14:36 AMI reduced my rod collection today as it does not look like we will target BFT. I still have one heavy rig and heavy iron just in case. I plan on fishing slow and long pitch but have 40, 50, 60, 80 and 100 pound rigs for if/when my slow pitch gear gets trashed. I have 2 FTHII15XNLD2 and 1 FTHII10NLD2 reels spooled with 40# JB that should work.
On my Excel 10 day we went to the lower banks (potato bank). One guy fishing a chunk on 80# was on a big fish for 3.75 hrs before the PCH 74xxh broke above the grips. Be prepared ain't just for Boy Scouts! The biggun's are here already!

I have my Seeker 2x4 and a 16 VISX packed.

My last cow BFT, only 212#, was caught on a Penn Carnage III West Coast CARWCIII60100C70 80# rod with a Penn VISX 16.

We won't be fishing for those wimpy BFT. If we go down to the lower banks you should be prepared for the big ones!

Keta · October 12, 2024, 04:21:27 AM

Are you on the boat? I hope so.

MarkT · October 12, 2024, 04:25:12 AM

Quote from: Keta on October 12, 2024, 04:21:27 AMAre you on the boat? I hope so.

I'm on the 10 day again this year!

Keta · October 12, 2024, 04:28:34 AM

Quote from: MarkT on October 12, 2024, 04:25:12 AM
Quote from: Keta on October 12, 2024, 04:21:27 AMAre you on the boat? I hope so.
I'm on the 10 day again this year!

See you next week

258# YFT.

MarkT · October 12, 2024, 04:36:38 AM

321# YFT on the lower banks.

Keta · October 12, 2024, 04:40:10 AM

NICE!!! I make fish look bigger because I am short, you made this one look big because it was.

I have seen 2 supper cow YFT and lost one that John Grabowski said was over 300# when the deckhand was slow with the pusher and my line hit the hull.

edtani · October 14, 2024, 06:05:24 PM

Thanks all, that was a fun trip. I haven't laughed that much since last year. Mighty insulting what the instigators about my lucky shirt.

Wally15 · October 15, 2024, 11:01:36 AM

You guys might need to include a 30# rig in your arsenal. When we got into the mid-size 12-15# YT's (inside Natividad, Bill. We could actually see the Cedros salt works 15 miles NW) I was fishing 40# fly line and catching mostly barracuda. I got cut off and switched to my trusty but rusty 30# Andros 5 rig and caught mostly YT thereafter. Only time I used 30# the entire trip. But a 15# YT on light tackle is a lot of fun for an old and decrepit fisherman. Like Lee.
GA Mike

Wally15 · October 15, 2024, 11:43:30 AM

I live in GA and have a hard time adjusting to the west coast time change. I'm usually up at 2-3 AM and sit in the galley and read while drinking stale but strong coffee. About 3 AM on Day 4 we were anchored at Alijos and I asked Chad the deckhand who was on night watch if I could try a dropper loop. He said OK, so I dropped down and immediately caught about a 25 lb YT. Dropped back down and immediately caught another one slightly bigger. Went downstairs and started waking people up. Dropped back down and hooked a nice one. Alan was the 1st one upstairs and I handed the rod off to him. It was his rod and reel anyway

. Others showed up and it was fast and furious for a few hours. By sunrise we had 50 nice YT's up to 40-45# and started back trolling for Wahoo. The YT bite was still good. We might have only gotten sharked twice the whole time we YT fished. I did not realize Alijos had such quality YT fishing. I'm not as crazy about Wahoo fishing as most other guys. I could have stayed there until we limited out on YT. But I did end up with a pb 49 lb Wahoo on the troll (I weighed it at the landing).
The primary reason we went back to Wahoo fishing at daybreak was that there were 3 other LR boats inbound to Alijos and we needed to get our Hoos and get the Hell out of there.
So I hope you guys try some night bottom fishing when you hit the rocks.
GA Mike

Keta · October 15, 2024, 01:37:26 PM

I always bring my 30# rig Mike, and use it as often as it is practical.

alantani · October 15, 2024, 03:53:28 PM

Bill B · October 15, 2024, 04:22:19 PM

I brought a 30# on this trip, but never used it. 40# was the lightest I used. For yt at the Rocks, 100# was my go to. At Natividad both 40# and 50# we're used, based on which one still had an iron on it.

Yeah lost 4 yoyo's there to various reasons, but surprisingly didn't lose ant lead and even got back one that was lent out. I'm still using Bryan's Mustad Demon Circle hooks. Great hooks, but did see one John straightened on a yft.

For the yft, that were running big, 50# and 80# got the nod. Bill

tommyd · October 16, 2024, 01:41:54 PM

Quote from: Wally15 on October 15, 2024, 11:43:30 AMI live in GA and have a hard time adjusting to the west coast time change. I'm usually up at 2-3 AM and sit in the galley and read while drinking stale but strong coffee. About 3 AM on Day 4 we were anchored at Alijos and I asked Chad the deckhand who was on night watch if I could try a dropper loop. He said OK, so I dropped down and immediately caught about a 25 lb YT. Dropped back down and immediately caught another one slightly bigger. Went downstairs and started waking people up. Dropped back down and hooked a nice one. Alan was the 1st one upstairs and I handed the rod off to him. It was his rod and reel anyway . Others showed up and it was fast and furious for a few hours. By sunrise we had 50 nice YT's up to 40-45# and started back trolling for Wahoo. The YT bite was still good. We might have only gotten sharked twice the whole time we YT fished. I did not realize Alijos had such quality YT fishing. I'm not as crazy about Wahoo fishing as most other guys. I could have stayed there until we limited out on YT. But I did end up with a pb 49 lb Wahoo on the troll (I weighed it at the landing).
The primary reason we went back to Wahoo fishing at daybreak was that there were 3 other LR boats inbound to Alijos and we needed to get our Hoos and get the Hell out of there.
So I hope you guys try some night bottom fishing when you hit the rocks.
GA Mike