Looking For Yellows (8/21)

[Latimeria]

I spent the last week pretty much fishing.  I've been noticing a trend over the last 5+ years and need to try and correct it.  This losing my job has about really discouraged me and the process of looking for these type and level of jobs are enfuriating.

Thus, the only time I seem to smile anymore is when I'm out fishing, so off I go on another adventure!  Target: Yellowtail.

I get to where the action was right away.  There are more boats out here than I thought would be on a Thursday morning.  Radio chatter sounded more like a busy summer Saturday than a mid-week day.

I didn't have live bait and didn't even see any.  Actually there was less on the meter than just a few days ago.  I had some asian market squid, so dropped on down mid water column to see what was lurking.  I avoided the bottom so my squid would stay whole.

I also grab my bass rod and first cast with the mini-iron and bass!



Believe it or not, but even the bass fishing slowed down since the other day.  I mean I still caught a lot, but it wasn't the biomass we were on prior.



I put a squid head on my mini iron to see if that might entice more strikes and then I get slammed!  It was big and heavy and screaming out line.  Then it was just a matter of getting it turned upwards off the bottom.  I ruled out a yellowtail since it wasn't making numerous blistering runs, but thought it might be a big WSB due to the big first run and bull dog fight. 

Wrong gear, I know...



After 20 minutes I finally have it coming up.  I look down and see deep color.  No yellow tail but a massive fish.  I couldn't completely identify, but still thought it was a big WSB due to the shape and color.

I get the gaff ready and keep bringing him up when he gets to the surface and I see.... Mr 6-foot Soupie.  Good god!  So depressing.  Then he made matters worse by rolling on the line and busting me off.  He took my last jig of this type and sounded back to the abyss.

I had to switch up jigs and it worked, but only for more bass.



I then get slammed and thought I may have a small yellow on.  Holy smokes!  It almost looked like a yellow and tied for my biggest whitefish ever!



I kept getting ganked so I decided to switch up to a smaller jig and get my limit of whitefish at least.  It didn't take long before I got that limit along with some pretty little flea cod.



I also found a cloud of baby vermillions!  I didn't keep any, but they were quite colorful!





I moved to a spot that I had labeled "Sheepshead" on the chart.  I couldn't remember when I saved this spot, but it was a low number so it was a while ago.  First drop and VOILA!  Unreal!  lol

Beautiful Male Goat!



I wanted to leave by noon so I started to hit the piles.  I knew at this point I wasn't going to get my yellow, so I stuck with the bass.... and they fully cooperated.





I saw a boat about a mile away then literally drive up right next to me.  The entire time he was looking at his sounder and hitting buttons so apparently saving the reef I was on.  He asked what I was catching and what I was using for bai, so I replied "How about you come over for dinner tonight and I'll bake you a lasagna.  I'll let you know all of my secrets then".  I know, not the coolest thing of me to do, but I like my boat so I can get away from people but they always want to come over and ruin my peace and quiet.  He puttered away after saving every spot around my boat on a few laps.



I didn't want to go to another reef so he could get that one also, so I stuck with brownie fishing until it was time to head to the barn.





Then I get to the ramp and some ass was parked sideways blocking 1/2 the ramp as he was getting his boat ready to launch.  It was causing a traffic jam, but this dude didn't give a crap or know what the hell he was doing.  I saw other people give him sh!t, but heard his reply "You don't own this ramp"....  Sounded like the good old :You don't own this kelp paddy" type of guy.



Oh well, I'm ready for the fall already.  Now I just need to find employment.  I spend 30 hours a week just applying, looking and working with a career coach.  It's like a fulltime job.  lol


Well, thanks for reading another fishing report.  I have been on a roll lately.

[jrodda]

Nice day, really nice local whitefish. Both of those guys are why I like to avoid weekend crowds but I guess they're spreading...