Tag Archives: LA Waterfront Sportfishing

Gail Force – Epic Catalina Yellowtail Fishing 6/9/2019

21 passengers boarded the Gail Force out of LA Harbor Sportfishing, leaving the dock at a little before 5:00 AM Sunday morning.  My friend Danny arranged the trip for my birthday.  After doing the same for several years now, it has become an annual event, filled mostly with friends of ours.

We had Captain Jared Malott at the helm, Calvin and Steve on deck, and Mark in the Galley, as well as helping on deck.

Breakfast on the ride out.
Breakfast on the ride out.

We arrived at Catalina Island after a smooth ride out.  Passing Avalon and going around the back side, we stopped at several spots with minimal results.  One nice halibut and a handful of legal calico bass and more shorts, minimal water movement, I was afraid it was going to be another slow trip.

Mike Nixon and Grandson Jayden
Mike Nixon and Grandson Jayden
Terry Flynn
Terry Flynn

A stop while working our way around the other side produced one nice grade yellowtail, then another.   A pick bite turned into a steady bite, and finally at times a wide open bite.  We ended up spending the rest of the day there and leaving a bit earlier than our scheduled departure because we were out of bait!

Patty Rich
Patty Rich

We ended up with 60 yellowtail, most around 18-22 pounds, plus the one halibut.  The crew worked hard to make sure everyone had a fish, ran around like crazy, and broke several gaffs!

Pam Sharp
Pam Sharp

Jackpot went to my friend Mark Ramero.

Mark Ramero, Jackpot winner
Mark Ramero, Jackpot winner

Thanks to all of the crew for a fabulous trip, and to all my friends for coming out!  Also, thank you Mark in the galley for the wonderful birthday cake!  I can’t wait to do it again next year!

Danny Lynch
Danny Lynch

The Gail Force is available for charter, with occasional open party trips!  For information on the Gail Force, visit:

https://gailforcesportfishing.com/

Fighting a Fish!
Fighting a Fish!
Full sacks = happy fishermen!
Full sacks = happy fishermen!

Triton to Catalina, one last lobster trip for the season. 3/18/2017

Jim & Girls sandwich
Jim & Girls sandwich

We booked a couple of spots for this trip a few weeks ago.  Unfortunately, Danny had to work, so I had to pull his nets too.
Got to the landing, first one there. I stood around for a while and Jim Racela and his friend Lisa showed up next, and finally we had a whole load of us in line and boarded. And we were off, a few minutes ahead of our noon departure, and a couple of minutes behind the Gail Force.
Nice having the bunks on the Triton, I grabbed one and slept most of the way to the island. The rock fishing wasn’t bad, mostly the typical smaller fish, but Captain Shane kept moving us around and we managed to get a few nicer ones. I brought some shrimp to try to get some sheephead, but I only caught little spotted rock fish on them, and finally got one decent sized red on squid. I decided to have Jeff cook up the rest of the shrimp in the galley. Good move!!

Bait
Bait… fixed!

Once we drifted closer to sunset the crew dropped the first set. I signed in as number 1 and Danny as 7. We fished while the nets soaked into gray light and then went to pull. I had a cheeseburger while we waited, finished in time for my first pull… Wow, was I getting weak? The net seemed really heavy. No wonder, my first one had 10 lobsters! 6 easily legal, 4 measured were all short. This was looking really good. Number 2 had 7 bugs, 3 legal… it went downhill from there. One or two legal in most nets the first round. Number 7 (Danny’s….. ) was empty.DSCN2797

DSCN2777DSCN2779

The nets were reset, we fished a bit more. There was not much biting in the dark. Second pull, my number one net had nothing, number 7 had two shorts. We didn’t get many at all in the second set, and by the time those were all up it was time to head in.
I didn’t get an exact count, I’d guess we ended up with around 35. Lots of fun, stiff this morning. Pulling nets in Long Beach harbor was a lot easier!!
That’s a wrap for me on the lobster season!! Good times!