Trip #1:

Boat: Thunderbird 1.5 day

Departs: Thursday June 20th

Fishing: June 21st

Return: June 22nd am

The first trip of the year for the DWRRC was a 1 1/2 day that departed on June 20. There were 18 club members, 5 guests, and a junior angler. The reports from SCI had been good for YT. The weather was up outside and the BF was too far away so SCI was where were going to fish.

Jeff wanted to get away quickly to get a spot in the Cove. After getting bait we cleared the harbor close to 9 PM. Jeff already had lots of squid on the boat. The crossing to Catalina was pretty rough, sleeping was not easy. The ride from there to SCI was ok. We were worried about the forecast of wind for the day but that turned out to be wrong.

We arrived at the Cove just after 3 AM, anchored near a squid seiner, and quickly had to re-anchor because the seiner was wrapping squid and we were too close. Once repositioned guys got up and started fishing. Tony Beall was the first to connect with a beautiful ~35# YT. And that started what was to be an amazing YT bite with all the fish being BIG! Tony stayed hot landing 5 big YT. Others were hot too with many getting 3 or 4 fish. All but one fish was caught on dropper loop rigs, there was one yo yo fish. And guys were fishing heavy line, most fished 50# or 60#, some fished 80#. It did not matter. It was over by 6:30 AM. When the dust settled we had 43 YT, all between 25# to just over 40#. It was good, very good. Everyone said it was the best big YT fishing they ever had at SCI.

We then tried a couple of halibut drifts in the Cove without success.

The next move was to the lee of the island where YT were caught in recent days. Jeff tried many spots working up and back the down the island. We caught another 55 YT but nothing the size of the fish in the morning. They were between 5# and 17#, a few were lost to sea lions. Most on sardines, a couple on squid and one on the surface iron. We also tried for Calico Bass but they did not want to play. We caught some but it was hard to get a bite.

At the end of the day we moved back to the same area in the Cove hoping for an evening re-bite before we left for home.......that produced zip!

Goofy served a great dinner around 6 PM that allowed all to eat and then fish into the sunset and dark. It was a good tri-tip dinner. Wine flowed as usual.

Now the challenge was to determine JP/Patch. They got all the fish out and it was apparent that many of the larger YT were close to the same size. After much discussion, the Officers came up with a plan to get the larger qualifiers weeded out from the rest. It came down to 6 larger yellowtail, all were long and fat. The big fish honors went to Oscar's guest Ernesto Valdepeñas with a 41# YT. The patch was close also between Tony Beall and Nick Burson. After both fish were measured Nick's was the biggest by about 1# at 36# plus. The crew then started the filleting that would take all night.

Final fish count for the trip: 31 Bonito, 67 Calico Bass, 6 Sheephead, 1 Triggerfish, 98 Yellowtail (43 big ones!)

This was a great start to the DWRRC fishing season.....thank you Jeff and crew for an outstanding trip!