LJ 8/16 -- Extending the skunk streak

[FullFlavorPike]

Skunk streak staying strong for me!

Weird conditions today. I was on the water super early, well before greylight, because my kid woke me up way before my 4:00 alarm. Superb calm at zero dark thirty today. No wind. No waves. No birds. No light. It was really cool being out there with it that calm.

Wind and current came up later on in a major way. 67-68 degrees on the surface of the water. Current just ripping uphill. So much garbage in the water it became impossible to go on the troll through some areas in the later morning.

Managed to make some dinky spanish over the kelp, and I didn't get any green mackerel. I think I metered some green mackerel between 10-30' below the surface out in the 100-120' zone, but it was isolated solo fish running wild, no big schools. Anybody make green mackerel out in deeper water to confirm that?

I also kept seeing circular bait cloud marks that were about 40'+ in diameter. Medium returns on the sonar, so I don't think it was any kind of mackerel, and nothing would eat the jig. I'm thinking maybe tuna crabs, but I'm not sure.

Anyways, no yt for me today; but if anybody goes out fishing tomorrow maybe this is useful information.

[jkim0130]

Thanks for the report. I had the same experience but I made bait at the pier. Micro greenies at the pier.

[Jxjones]

Launched with you this morning. Beautiful start to the day, but it turned to crap pretty quickly. Winds and current out of the south made for a strenuous work out. At full speed, I was only making 1 mph heading south (at normal cruise speed, I was making .3-.5 mph max). First time I was envious of the Solo skiff boys :).

Made a total of 6 pacific mackerel today, but it took a LOT of sorting. Lucked into 2 at 30’ over 65’ first thing. Then the grind started. Dragged a Carolina rig on one side and kept my sabiki on the other. Whenever I saw bait, I dropped the sabiki down to that level. Sorted through probably 40 Spanish to get the good stuff. Final greenback came from a surface iron in the kelp over 100 FOW between PT La Jolla and NW Corner. At that point I was all in on two rods with live bait.

Unfortunately no yellows today, but I did catch a nice 20”+ Calico.

[skrilla]

Found a couple greenbacks in 120'. Everything else were spanish. Wind sucks. Got more wet on the paddle in than the paddle out.

[NICKWORN]

Thanks for the report. I had the same experience but I made bait at the pier. Micro greenies at the pier.

It was nice to meet you yesterday! I was in the Solo...

[GregAndrew]

There were large schools of good sized Spanish out in front of the condo, up high in the column. Caught most of mine 20 feet down in 100+ feet of water. Except for the top 20 feet, the water was really green and dirty. Almost no light getting to the bottom in 90+ feet for most of the morning.

[FullFlavorPike]

Thanks for the report. I had the same experience but I made bait at the pier. Micro greenies at the pier.

I was too lazy to paddle to the pier. Guess I get what I deserve for laziness...having my hand cheese-grated by spanish in the bait tank.

I actually dont' mind fishing spanish macs. I've gotten bites on spanish before, but I think we all agree the green ones are the best (except for the guys who say halibut prefer spanish macs and lizardfish lol)

[jkim0130]

It was nice to meet you yesterday! I was in the Solo...

Nice to meet you too! The solo has been on my mind. Maybe my next purchase.

[jkim0130]

I was too lazy to paddle to the pier. Guess I get what I deserve for laziness...having my hand cheese-grated by spanish in the bait tank.

I actually dont' mind fishing spanish macs. I've gotten bites on spanish before, but I think we all agree the green ones are the best (except for the guys who say halibut prefer spanish macs and lizardfish lol)

I picked up kayak fishing again for the exercise and I don’t mind the paddle to the pier. The pier has been hit or miss though.

[Salty Paw]

My recent experience, including Sunday, has been that Spanish are easy to come by early just past SMR line where all the kayaks are at first light

Also no problem getting greenbacks, but only further out and later in the morning, after 8am ... got 6 fat greenbacks on Sunday dropping on sonar clouds @ 20-40 ft