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2016: Trip #3 on the Fortune (2 Day)
7/7/16 - 7/9/16
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DWRRC Trip Number 3
As I looked around I kept thinking, how much better could this get? Here I was experiencing something I had never seen before. Pulling into the Fisherman’s Landing parking lot, there were so many open parking spots, I could not make up my mind where to park.
Trip 3 is the club’s first trip in 2016 out from Fisherman’s Landing on the Fortune.
As the early birds started to arrive at the landing, you could feel the anticipation in the air. Or…maybe it was just a nice day with easy parking and a pleasant breeze and the simple fact we were going fishing.
Early arrivals included; Gary T., Mike T. Luke, Roy and this scribe Brian W. Trip 3 Club members on the trip were: Ron S., Andy S., George M., Steve L., Randy B., Roy P., Luke, Mike T., Brian W., Mike Z., Jeffey H., Bryan U., Bill P., Gary T. and Chris R. Trip 3 Guests: My guest Jeff R., Mike Z’s guest Jim C. and Roy’s guest Dave.
For this scribe it was my first trip of the season, and was about two months later than normal. I felt somewhat anxious related to - do I remember how to fish for something other than fly-fishing for trout.
Prior to our arrival our president did his best to read the tea leaves to figure out the; what and where, so we could bring the appropriate equipment, and according to the charter plan, everyone was in line and ready to go by 6pm. We even had time for a group photo, before we boarded. This is something we seem to overlook on our trips more often than not. Good idea and kudos to whoever initiated it. We boarded at ~6:10 and many were prepping reels and tweaking fluorocarbon top shots.
The buzz for our trip itinerary had everyone thinking a Colinet trip and a possible move offshore for kelp paddy searching mid-day. This was consistent with Luke’s prior understanding from Bruce’s trip perspective. With everyone ready – we were going fishing.
At the bait barge at 7:20 - it was nice size sardines and even some macks mixed in for good measure. Good looking baits. Getting out of the harbor and making the southerly turn we all enjoyed some nice calm weather. Cool light wind and no significant swell. How much better can it get? The pleasant conditions just added to a positive sign that improved the morale and anticipation for the trip.
As we made our way south, Bruce had his mandatory and valuable safety moment on emergency procedures. (Even though we all have heard it many times before – refreshers are always good.) Bill P. elaborated on the clubs’ defibulator unit where it was sitting and who was qualified to do what.
Once done with the administration items, we were ready for the discussion everyone was waiting to hear ….where were we going. As Bruce explained it, Colinet was not the best move from his perspective based on the latest intel from his group network. Current information strongly suggested an offshore kelp paddy play with a mix of porpoise searching might produce tuna and an overall better play. This scribe did not see anyone with an objection so offshore it was to be. With that decision made, we were ready to fish with good bait and open minds. Even the attitude for trolling rotation was well received, and we all know what the last few years have been like trolling.
Oh yeah – don’t want to forget the discussion that occurred in the 7:30 Galley meeting. It was about the starboard verses port side seating in the galley. There were some comments made about the starboard side of the galley being for larger members and port side of the galley for skinny folks. Luke proceeded to elaborate that we already had a “shit head” in the club, and now we have a “fat f….”. I will not name names, but if you were there, you enjoyed the laughter at the sake of our brothers - one who was on board, and one who was not present. Which by the way and for the record – that person being on board or not - would not have made any difference.
After a late night snack - an easy down swell ride proved to be too much and we were lulled to sleep with a gentle rocking. You blinked and were sleeping soundly. Only problem, if you were like me, you woke up 5 or 6 times during the night to check the time. Before you knew it, it was time to fish and make last minute adjustments to rigging.
The early risers in the predawn hours were the normal attendees. Gary, Luke, guest Jeff R. and this scribe followed by a new member every 5 minutes. At 5:45 AM trolling rigs were out and we were under way. With a nice sea state, overcast conditions and a light breeze on the water - it was “game on”.
The “game on” did not take long to produce. At 6AM we found our first paddy. Turned out to be a 9 fish stop with Bill, Jim, Luke Chris, Gary, Mike, George and Roy (2) getting in the “landing” action. Not to be confused with “hooking and loosing” action. Overall a nice kelp paddy stop! This early result only supported the good feeling in the air for what we hoped would be consistent pick for the rest of the day.
Back to trolling and at 7:00 we had a jig strike on the purple and silver Halco. Mike Z’s. guest Jim C. was the lucky angler. It was also reported we lost the one bait fish at this stop, but I won’t say who. The second stop happened at 7:20 with Gary T. trolling a dark blue and silver Halco. (Based on the scratches, Mike T.’s jig is well loved by many a tuna.) This made the 2nd Yellowfin on board, both fish running about 12-15 pounds. How long has it been since the club landed two jig fish on the troll in the morning?
The trolling rotation continued as we searched up and down. We kept it going thru the early morning chasing kelp paddies and hoping for kelp holding fish. A nice breakfast put on by Danny was tasty and added a different touch. By 9:00, we had 20 fish on board with kelp paddy “pick” fishing. One, two’s threes were the order of the day – and of course not all paddies held fish.
Then Bruce put us on THE “Kelp Paddy”. The paddy we all hope to find and then in some way dread. It was typical open water kelp paddy yellowtail mayhem. In the simplest of terms – which does not do it justice - we ended up with 29 fish caught and “20” lost!! Some lines were sawed off, some failures, but most seem to have succumbed to the “Kelp Paddy” monster that decided it would not give up all its rewards.
Hot stick summary at ~10:30 AM: Mike T at 8 fish, Gary and Roy at 6 each and Luke at 6 or 5, (can’t read my own notes). This is about the time the rumored and reportedly non-competitive fishing club (except for bass) got competitive. I won’t name names but it seemed like a number of officers were chasing the hot stick.
Then it was back to the trolling rotation, which was still going strong, and looking to find a few paddies that were dry. We continued on thru the search. Bruce and crew working hard searching up down and in and out to put us on more fish. Around noon we hit another paddy and picked up a few fish (Bryan U., Luke and Bill picking up a Dodo.)
Somewhere amongst the day’s back and forth Danny served a nice lunch that provided a variation of burger or chicken sandwich. It was well presented and a bit different than the typical grab and go burger.
We progressed in our fish chasing day,and as is normal, some anglers get bit more and some get bit less. The kind-hearted soul Roy hooked and handed off a fish to his guest Dave S. Dave worked the fish hard and boated a very nice yellowtail. As it turned out, it was not only the fish of the day but might have been a contender for YT of the year. It bottomed out the scale, so it appears it was more than 35 pounds. It was so kind of Roy to give his jackpot fish to someone else. We should all strive to be so gracious….right…? In all seriousness, Roy was very gracious in handing off and very nice fish and even with all the ribbing, he was well pleased how things worked out for Dave. Nice host.
The trolling and searching process continued to be the norm. Some produced fish some did not. As the day progressed, it seemed the kelp produced less fish and the period between each paddy longer. At 3PM we made the northerly turn and started the slug back up hill. When we made the turn, we were about 75 miles south of SDO and 20 miles offshore.
We hit a couple more paddies around 4 PM and put a few more fish on the boat. With this group of fish hitting the deck the competition was gaining momentum. Back to trolling by 4:30 and a couple empty nests encountered for zip. Moving on we continued with the routine….. the game continued but under cooling weather conditions with jackets being seen on deck.
Around 6PM Roy, Bill and Jeffey landed fish. With this fish, Roy noted it made 8 for him, with Luke and others in the hunt for Mike T. The problem was Mike T. put on one more which made it 9. Kind and gentle words were exchanged in friendly competition – things like Fat F…. and something about someone was “just old” and a number of endearments as the game continued….
Just before 7 PM we make a final stop – and hooked 4 fish – 4 that I saw anyway. Gary T, Mike T, and Jeffey put fish on the boat – while this scribe watched his fish swim away with a hook in his jaw...!! Kind of the way my first day back in the saddle went.
With that we head for the barn and my final tally at 73 total. The make-up consisted of; 67 very nice looking yellow tail, 2 YF and 4 Dodos. Hot stick was Mike T. with 10 fish.
All in all a really nice trip – a little lumpy coming home up hill, but good food, good friends and great skipper and crew. This scribe’s only negative experience was related to chasing bait in the wells. However, the reality is that if this club would have had unlimited access to the bait, we would not have made it thru the day.
Until the next time ….tight lines. Oh yeah and please follow your fish.
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Trip #8: Boat: Thunderbird 2 day Departs: Thursday October 3rd Fishing: October 4th, 5th Returns: October 5th pm Arriving at the dock a little later than I usually like to, the typical group as one would expect was all there. At this point I am starting to think that Hayden secretly lives at the landing, and only comes out of the shadows every couple weeks to fish with the club. It was overcast and on the cool side at the dock and I was beginning to regret only bringing shorts on the trip but figured with enough beer and maybe some stronger beverages I would find a way to stay warm throughout the trip. The fishing had either been wonderful or complete garbage the days prior, but everyone was hoping the optimistic that we would locate some hungry fish. After the standard, organized, boarding of the vessel we would call home for the next 2 days, we loaded up some great looking bait and off we went into the calm night. The plan was to head to Cherry Bank to hunt for the elusive bluefin. Our crew consisted of Carmello, Steve, and Jarid with Captains Jeff and Chris. It was my first trip without Goofy, and there was a calmness in the galley that felt very unfamiliar but also a feeling that something was missing. The forecast was absolutely wonderful with very little wind and a swell that was almost non-existent. After the guys all set their gear up, they disappeared one by one into their bunks. Day 1 - Friday Fishing began around 4am for some, with 2 bluefin being landed by Jim (81 lbs) and Ryan (87 lbs) just after 5am. Excitement was high with a couple of great grade fish coming over the rail, but we would soon lose that excitement. We continued to look for hungry schools, and look, and look…. We found several good schools swimming deep, but they would either disappear or avoid our bait like I avoid my mother-in-law. At about 1130 Captain Jeff decided it was time to take a break and drop deep for some taco meat. The rockfish grade was great with Luke pulling in the largest Salmon Grouper he had ever seen. It weighed in at 11 lbs, but I swear it looked bigger. We continued our taco quest until around 245 before resuming the look for the bluefin. We looked, and looked, and looked some more with zero success until dinner time. At this point, I figured if I wasn’t going to catch any fish I might as well catch a buzz. With a great dinner from Carmello consisting of chicken, rice, salad, the cocktails and conversations flowed into the evening until it was time to look yet again for these stupid fish. We looked, and looked, and looked some more. At some point only 4 were still standing. Jim, Cory, Ryan, and I were hanging out hoping to come across something to catch. We did our best to stay well hydrated, and that was about the only thing we were successful with late into the night. Of the 4, Ryan was the first to throw in the towel sometime around 2 or 230, I think... The remaining soldiers finally surrendered at about 315 and made our way to our bunks. Final count for the day was 2 bluefin and 52 rockfish. Day 2 – Saturday With a disappointing day 1 behind us, day 2 did not bring a change. We drove hundreds of miles looking, and looking, and looking. I think Captain Jeff was more disappointed than any of us. We sat around and ate what we could of the endless amounts of chips, which seemed to be the only snack option when people were shopping prior to the trip. On the upside, we had a great group of guys and some of the calmest seas that I have ever seen. Final count for day 2 was a big fat zero but I guess that’s the way fishing goes sometimes. We returned to a quiet dock, and disembarked with our snack size bags of rockfish, and headed home. Till next time, James Harris
Trip #7: Boat: Thunderbird 2.5 day Departs: Tuesday September 17th Fishing: September 18th, 19th Returns: September 20th am It all started on a pleasant Tuesday afternoon, Tuesday September 17th in fact. Tuesday is a fantastic day to get to the docks, because this Tuesday happened to be Taco Tuesday. Taco Tuesday is a great way to start anything of any importance, especially a fishing trip, two-dollar tacos and five-dollar margs to get things rocking while you’re still on land. This has been unscientifically proven to allow one’s sea legs to become accustomed to an imbalance of equilibrium, making for a smooth transition to the boat. We departed the dock around 8 pm with words of Tanner and Cortez slipping through the breeze and dancing upon our ears. Day 1 we arrived at Cortez bank around 5:30 am. After a night of getting rocked by large swells we awoke to a sea that was not all that happy to have us and not very willing to give up the fish. It was on the tougher side of things, but we still managed to scrape out a pretty good haul of fish. With a tally of 47 fish caught from good sized yellow tail to smaller blue fin from 20 lbs to the largest being 55 lbs caught by our Junior Angler Lucas Harris. Now, I believe, young Lucas learned a valuable life lesson on this trip, if you don’t gamble you can’t win. The next biggest fish, patch recipient, and pot was caught by Steve Sturm! Day 1 ended with a trip back to the bait barge because the bait was not great. Day 2 we arrived at Cortez bank around 5:50 am. As we were now a well-rested contingent of hardened sea slappers, everyone was extremely eager to get a line out. With rods in our hands and lines in the water, Bonita and small yellowtail began to come over the rail. After 3 hours of Bonita, El Capitan, Jeffe, decided it was time to make a move to Tanner. And this was well received. We arrived to Tanner and it began to sprinkle which was nice. At Tanner we caught yellowtail and smaller bluefin. The night bite wasn’t very bitey, El Capitan made a great effort moving multiple times to try and get us on the fish to no avail. Mr. one cast one fish, Mike Castillo caught the biggest blue fin of the day receiving the patch and pot. Light lines, small hooks and bait that was less than willing to be sacrificed in the belly of monsters make for tough fishing but it’s always great to be out on the water. Adios Brandon Lockwood
Trip #6: Boat: Thunderbird 1.5 day Departs: Thursday September 5th Fishing: September 6th Returns: September 7th am Trip 6 kicked off as it routinely does the usual suspects being at the dock, possibly before sunrise for all I know. My dad and I arrived at the dock around 2pm on Thursday with almost no traffic on the peninsula due to school being back in session. The weather at the dock was beautiful but we knew there was some wind ahead on the Tanner and Cortez Banks but that was really the only option as that’s where the fish have been basically all summer. Captain Jeff told us he wasn’t sure where we were going to start but it was going to be a bumpy ride out. After getting bait we were headed west. When we woke up, I was informed that Jeff took us to the Tanner Bank and was looking for fish. We stopped on a couple spots of fish and eventually got the anchor down and tried to get a bite going with no luck. Around 9:00 AM, we made the hour and 20-minute run to the Cortez Bank. The fishing improved once we got there but it was still a grind and we were soon anchored up in about 150 feet of water. The next 3 and a half hours were classic plunker bite fishing. Light line, small hooks and a hot bait would be rewarded with bites. There was a good mix of bluefin and yellowtail biting and the weather really improved from the ride out and was better than forecasted, but still a bit breezy. The final count for the morning was 14 Bluefin (8-15lbs), 14 Yellowtail and 4 bonito. At 1:30PM, with the bite really slowing down Jeff decided it was time to make another move towards the northwest end of Clemente; that would not only put us closer to home but get us in position for an afternoon/night bite on some better grade bluefin. With that being said most of the boat went down to get some rest. After the nap it was time to enjoy some beers in the sun on the top deck of the boat. Things got interesting when Bruce spotted bigger tuna splashing nearby. The crew jumped into action, setting up the kite and sending out flyers, while others used fly lines and sinker rigs. There were some standout moments: Hung, Bruce’s guest, landed his first bluefin on a dropshot rig with 40lb test after a tough fight and Kevin Kom quickly pulled in a solid bluefin on a 50lb fly line. Last but certainly not least, Rico worked the flyer like a pro, and at one point, we had two bait fish and two kite fish going at the same time. We had a close call when two kite fish got tangled and broke one of the fish off but when the first fish was gaffed the braid of the broken off fish was wrapped around it. Jeff and Scuba Steve jumped into action to try and save it. Jeff wrapped the braid around his shoulder and hands, and Steve spliced the line back to the rod, letting us bring in the fish. Our junior angler Lucas was pumped after the catch. This description truly doesn’t do it justice and was one of the most impressive things I’ve seen done by a crew. After the heroic save, we went a perfect 5 for 5 on 70-130 lb fish. The kite fish were caught by Mike Barton, Ron Shrout and Lucas, our junior angler. With the sun starting to set and a few hours left to fish, Jeff kept the search going while guys were having Carmelo’s pork loin and mashed potatoes in the galley. He told us we were going to have to work hard at it as the fish they had been seeing in this area was in wolf packs. The first few stops were quick as the fish that were located kept on the move. Slowly but surely, Jeff started to work away from the fleet and it paid off on the first stop. At 9PM the boat stopped on a school that was from 270’- 400’ and just as my jig got to 400’ I was able to get the first bite of the night and was able to boat it, but not before it swam off the gaff at 50 miles an hour with my reel in free spool. Shortly after that fish hit the deck, my dad was engaged in battle with a bluefin of his own and was able to make quick work of it. Micheal Harris was the next to join the party and got one on a flat fall with a little flashback to 2016 nights. They do in fact still get bit. There were a few more hooked on that stop that found eventually their freedom due to various reasons. There were a few more stops, but no bites and at midnight it was time to turn the boat back towards Newport and get some much earned rest in flat calm seas. The final count for the trip was 23 Bluefin (8 from 75-130lbs), 14 Yellowtail and 4 Bonito. Jackpot went to Kevin Kom with his fly lined 80 pound bluefin. All in all, the fishing was tough but as always this group of guys always manages to put a good score of fish together. It is always a pleasure to fish with this club and create lifetime memories. It is a highlight of my summers and look forward to it for many years to come. Tight lines, Jake Chutney
Trip #5: Boat: Thunderbird 2.5 Day Departs: Tuesday August 20th Fishing: August 21st, 22nd Returns: August 23rd am
Trip #4: Boat: Thunderbird 2 day Departs: Thursday August 8th Fishing: August 9th & 10th Returns: August 10th PM “In every species of fish I’ve angled for, it is the ones that got away that thrill me the most”. — Ray Bergman: The late Ray Bergman was born in Nyack, New York in 1891 & died there in 1967. He wrote for "Outdoor Life" magazine for 26 years. I am not going to bore you with the same deck foreplay that usually starts these scribe histories. Yes, Hayden showed up before dawn. Yes, guys dropped their bags and went to their usual watering holes and dinner spots. What was unique is Paul forgot his tackle box. That, I would think, would be hard to do….but he did scurry home and get what ne needed. By the goodness of all on the deck, he was allowed to keep his place in line. Ian and I have “day jobs” so we did not show up to see the morning coffee being made at Newport Landing Restaurant. Instead we arrived at 6 PM. Getting a call from Roy asking if I’m still attending the trip was entertaining; glad he cared enough to make sure I was aboard! It was interesting that when we did arrive, all the gear was on board and bunks were taken. Now I know why you arrive early; my top bunk was not the best on board. Next time I will take conference calls while watching the Ferris Wheel! As I grabbed my bunk and dropped my tackle box, I noticed an earie tranquility on The Thunderbird. NO GOOFY! I am not an old DWRRC salty dog like the rest of this crew, but in my 3 years in the Club, Goofy has been a main-stay. Always there, always giving someone sh_t and certainly taking some too. That tranquil glow graced us the entire trip. We left at 7 PM, picked up bait and started off to Cortez Bank. There was some hints of wind, but we decided to brave the elements. We arrived at the Bank around 5:30 AM and Jeff rolled us into some deeper water. We started fishing around 6 AM to a nice bite of Blue Fin. We had at least 2 loaded up consistently on that stop, with schoolies of 25-40 pounds. We dragged in 52 BFT on that stop with a few Yellow Tail coming aboard as well. Jim (6) Brian (4), BJ (6) and Saif were pretty active with nice numbers and good quality. Andy and Ryan pulled in some nice Yellows. It was good to see that Ryan could still pull on fish. His back, for the most part, held up while fishing for Pelagics. Fly line was the set-up of choice on this stop, but Yoyos and drop shots were also successful. We moved off this part of the Bank and moved to shallow water as the bite seemed to taper off as we continued to fish that stop. There were some that thought we should stay….Captain Jeff made the right decision! At 8:30 we pulled up into more shallow waters at 120 feel and anchored. We were not alone, in looking around there were at least 10 other Sport Boats in the area sitting on the same shallow bank. We moved off that anchor around 11 AM. We had to move as the boat LIMITED OUT on Blue fin with 104 boated (that includes the 52 from the earlier spot). We also bagged 35+ Yellow Tail! What was great about that stop was the quality of fish and the ability to catch YT and BFT at the same spot. If you had a Drop Shot on or you were Yoyo-ing, or fly line you were hooking up! It was an epic morning bite and one for the record books. Saif bagged 16 fish (10 BFT /6 YT) BJ- 11 (9 BFT/2 YT), Jim- 13 (11BFT/2 YT) and Steve- 10 (8 BFT/2 YT). These 4 guys caught 50 of the 145 fish caught…well done guys. (NOTE: I’m sure I missed another Big Hitter on this list, so apologies if I missed someone…I was too busy wrestling my own catch!). Since everyone had smiles on their faces and a full fish hold, Jeff moved us to bottom fishing. The Bank always shines with Big Reds and a sprinkling of other cod mixed in. Jeff let the boat know that we were headed off to bottom fish and gear up for bite. Everyone has their “ultimate” bottom set-up. I like the double dropper loop with a bunch of squid, Saif showed on deck with a large Blue Fin knife Jig. As I looked at the different rigs, I catch Mike with a dildo strapped onto his line! What the hell is that? The “tail” was long and the head would make any porn star blush. It did catch fish, but Mikey was bummed that his tail got eaten off. The knife jig stole the show as Saif brought up some huge cod monsters from the deep. I was fishing next to Paul and, on the drop, he got nailed. He was fishing a Tranx 500, so coming up was not fun; but he pulled up 2 massive, beautiful reds that put a nice smile on his face! Unfortunately, Ryan did not have a smile on his face, the heavy swells and waves did a number on his back….not fun fighting those swells with a bad back. We made 2 different drifts and brought in some beautiful fish; Reds, Bocaccio, Vermillion, and a few Sheephead. I caught a huge White Fish that I was excited to cook up when I got home. Guys who wanted to “fill their sacks” had that opportunity and we made quick time to leave the swells and white capped waves. A third drift was not warranted. We headed to San Clemente (The Island, not the beach town) around 3 PM. Night fishing for Blue Fin was off the agenda with limits on the boat, so that offered up many options for the thirsty fisherman. Some started Happy hour early while others bunked down for a few hours. I decided to nap a bit and came up to quite a happy hour crew. It did not take long to join the party, Bourbon, tequilla and many wine bottles were found throughout the galley. Carmelo, standing in for Goofy, did an awesome job on dinner. We had baked chicken with a purple rice and salad. The salad was worth noting as it was a mixed green with tomatoes and cucumber…nice alternative to the bland head lettuce we usually see on these trips. No Goofy drama with this dinner. The dessert bars got handed out and no one had to beg….I’m sure some missed the banter. Day 1 JACKPOT Winner - Roy, who edged out Saif and BJ with a nice sized Blue Fin caught during the AM bite. Congrats Roy! We woke at Pyramid Cove with lines being wet around 6. This Scribe did not see the sun till 7ish, but no harm was done…no fish landed. Jeff moved us out of the Cove to hunt Yellow Tail. He stopped at Gold Beach where Hayden and Reilly caught 2 nice YT and we picked off a few Bonito and Calico. While at Gold Beach, Alex hooked a nice Yellow on his Yoyo and brought it to the rail, it was gaffed and “controlled” but as they moved it to the stern to lift it to the deck, the fish flipped off the gaffe and the jig! Go figure! Jeff did Alex right and gave him a Boat Yellow to make up for the gaffe (get it ha, ha). We left Gold beach and searched for other spots. We stopped on some Calico, stopped to fish YT, but never found a sweet spot till 11:30. Thunderbird pulled onto “Runway” and the spot lived up to its name. We fished there for 90 minutes and brought in18 yellows and missed many more than we bagged. All of these fish were of high grade 20-30#. I was pulling on a nice Yellow when my spool went off with a huge run…quite a fish! Then I hear Mike yelling from the top deck that I was on a seal…. my Jackpot lust was lost. We left Runway at 1 PM and started to head home. Bruce won the Jackpot and Fisherman of the Day. Congrats Bruce, great looking YT! As we were heading home I was chatting with Jake intently (as you do with Jake ) on the port side of the rail. We were into a good story intent in conversation when….Crash…on my head and 50% of Jake, a cooler was emptied from above deck! Ice cold water allowed us to sober up and laugh at the “accident”…still wondering if that was an accident or prank, but fun no matter! Our Junior Angler was Rowan, Ryan B’s girlfriend’s son. Great young man who was excited to be on his first overnight! He had some issues with waves and swells, but finally got his sea legs and enjoyed pulling in a few big fish. Great work by a future DWRRC Angler! What an epic fishing trip with great quality and a crazy consistent bite throughout the 2 days. Thanks to the folks who helped me Scribe, hard to keep up on such an action-packed trip. Dutifully submitted, Justin
