Here's how it went down for me. I'm surprised the lid was kept on the bite as long as it was, but by last weekend it was a zoo out there.
Fished last Sunday (1/13), deadzone. I've spent most of the month dodging whales and running over retarded sea lions. Same story.
Rumor has it the squirts showed on Monday. Tuesday a friend tipped me off that some fish were caught and pointed me in the right direction.
Wednesday (1/16)
I paddled to the spot right as another boat does the same. Second drift they are doubled up. I finally get hooked up on the yoyo. Fun 32# fish is my first of the year. Work the drift for another yoyo hookup, this one 32# as well.
2 boats, 1 yak. 100% hook up rate, and then some.
Thursday (1/17)
Brought some dead squid, since that's what it looked like the fish were on. Paddle out to the small group of yaks (10) and boats(6) on the spot. Get the deadstick iron with a squid down, throw the yoyo iron, and before it hits bottom the deadstick get's rocked and I'm on. As I'm fighting this fish just about every other yak and boat gets bit. I think there were about a dozen fish hooked at once. Real cool. Got another later that day, again on the squid tipped deadstick. Fish went 26 and 30. Spent the rest of a dead calm sunny day catching squid on the sabiki next to an old friend.
80-90% hookup rate
Friday (1/18)
Word is out, 20 boats and 30-40 yaks. No love for me but many fish are caught. Dropper looped squid seems to be the better bet. No early blitz, just little spurts of activity. Brought the squid jig and amused myself by plugging the tank with 100 or so. Tasty critters and my bait freezer is well stocked. Start getting a lot of eggs.
50-75% hookup rate
Saturday (1/19)
Fished with a friend on his boat. Quite an armada, 40 boats and 40-50 yaks. Slower morning but we finally got a couple to go on deadsticks. 26 and 28. Sporadic bite that was really good for some and nada for others. Squirts still all over and more eggs. Lot's of boats are on the hook, making it tricky for everyone else who is drifting.
30-40% hookup rate
Sunday (1/20)
Back on plastic. Cold morning with an offshore that never died. Same fleet, 30-40 boats and about the same number of yaks. Slow, but a couple localized blitzs. Saw 3 landed and heard of a couple others. Lot's more eggs on the bottom.
5-10% hookup rate
Monday I decided to rest. Heard it was dead. Squid still around but probably getting ready to disappear. Fun while it lasted. Now for the long stretch until spring. I don't think I've ever caught a good fish in February, and March hasn't been so hot for me either. But you never know, and the only guarantee is that you won't catch em if your not on the water.