La Jolla Report: 8/02 - Not what I was looking for...
 

I had a Dr. appointment, so I didn't get on the water until 8:45-9:00. The fishfinder showed a water temp of 76 (we should be fishing for yellowfin), but was still green and merky with loose kelp and grass everywhere. I marked a bunch of bait, but couldn't get any to bite.

So, I figured I would try out these Hookup Baits over by the kelp and they did not disappoint. There was tons of bait and seal activity close to the beach. I was in about 20 feet of water and got absolutely hammered. It dragged me into the kelp, but I could still feel the head shakes, so I thought it was a yellowtail. Finally broke him loose and reeled in the biggest calico that Ive ever seen. I was going to release it, but I remembered somebody telling me the world record calico was about 25 inches, so I kept it.

This one was just under 25", but only weighted 8.5# on the bathroom scale. The smaller one, which inhaled the jig so I had to keep him, was 15".

Ive never spent any time fishing for bass, but those jigs live up to the hype.

What a toad. Nice work

Nice toad...
 

Beer batter cornflake cajon deep fryed, Paula Deen tarter sauce recipe would be my choice...

We must have been typing at the same
 

Time....a toad is a toad

that is one fatty checkerboard

Is the flavor of Calico bass great, good, so-so, or "meh"?

What's the general consensus?


I had stripped bass at a restaurant in La Jolla that was fantastic - snowy white and amazing savory crispy skin.

I've had other kinds of bass that were not very good.

I don't care for the sticky sweet flavor of rock fish.


What say Ye?

Great!

Dude nice one! That is a fatty.


Calico taste SO good. Maybe its best that you don't try em. They are slow growers.

I have always caught them as bycatch when using live bait, but always threw them back in. Just this past month, my sister's bf wondered why I didn't keep them. So I kept the last two of the day. Man they tasted so good that I bought some gear to start targeting them. I did bleed and iced them down instantly though.

If I do start getting them on the regular my plan is to throw the big breeders back and only keep a couple small ones(legal sized). Oh and they are a lot better than rockfish ...at least to me and my gf.

A 2'+ bass is an awesome catch, regardless of species.

In AZ, there was a Game and Fish option for record keeping with a picture. Does CA not have anything like that? I think there are at least one or two AZ records (Red Ear Sunfish and possibly Large Mouth Bass) that have been documented via CPR with the thought the fish are still alive and well.....

Jeebuss that's a toad! :cheers1:

Yup would of been nice to document with a picture and let the big girl go

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Awesome man!!! When my day doesn't work according to plans, with those results, who's to complain!