Central Coast Cattle Boat.
 

I took another trip up the coast this week to go fishing on patriot out of Avilla just north of Pismo Beach. I take this trip a few times a year and it's always consistent on rock cod fishing. Limits plus are the norm. I love taking new fishing friends on this boat for a few reasons, its easy fishing, a newbie just has to drop a line down with a heavy weight a couple of cranks off the bottom and reel up a fish after fish. I also love that their are deck hands that keep me from tying my knots and someone else. Third your almost sure to catch a fish. Nothing can squash the enthusiasm for a first timer to skunked. And nothing can get you enthused at catching. We picked a great day to go, only 14 people on the boat! it felt like a private charter! Anyone I started going for the jackpot fish for the first part of the day, after being up their for the third time this year, I purchased an assortment of lures that I've seen some of the regulars use over the past. I was hot in the beginning and hooked up two ling cods and one rock fish, within the first hour. Then the long slump. Nothing for hours. I kinda gave up on the lure fishing and switched to squid strips to put some fish in the bag, when I hook up a weighty fish, I feel weight and slack a few time and think maybe I lost it, then finally color. Gaff!!! I scream early because the deck had seemed half asleep that day, good thing I did cause he lolly gagged up with the gaff in what seemed like for ever. It was a nice size ling that had a decent sized rockfish in its mouth. This happens alot up there, almost half the lings I have caught up there have been on rockfish. The ling was 13# 12oz. I released it and got a free ticket for next time! I also won the Jackpot! There was a Bigger fish on the boat but the lady who caught it didtnt get in the JP. So the moral of this long story is for all my skill, for all the pricey lures, dumb luck beats em all. Jackpot fish pic not available because it was released. Oh Yeah Maria 10lb Cabezon needs honorable mention. I tried Cabi for the first time, it may have surpassed halibut as my favorite fish. Its like shrimp good!

JP fish ...
 

Very nice fish I have always wanted to fish up there. I am little confused the released your JP fish after the gaffed it? :confused:

I was saying that on the way home too. "I wonder what the survival rate of gaffed ling cod are?" I guess it really matters where you put the hole. They deck hands say they catch lings up there with healed gaff wounds. Nice to see they have some sort of program to protect their fishing grounds.

Nice Ling!!!!!