Cabrillo Mole 5/3/2024

fish-ninja

Well-Known Member
#1
I have been bogged down on my day job lately. It’s been too long to check out local pier so I decided in the last minute to hop on a ferry to Avalon for a day of fishing. Pretty moderate air temp. Not much wind. Mixed suns/shade. Very pleasant day it was. A surprise was that Mahigeer joined me despite his negative response when I asked him first.
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Morning ferry was not too crowded. The mole was shared with half a dozen other anglers all of whom were targeting bonito.


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AM fishing with tide going down was sporadic but quite a few bonitos were landed. Well by others. Mr Mahigeer and myself took one each.

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Things slowdown rather quick. We had whole mid day fishless except for occasional mackerel runs. We think it is at least partly due to cruise ship that park in front of us.

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I borrowed Mahigeer’s opaleye setup and fished with a float using frozen peas. I failed to hook set a nice opaleye but could catch a few short calico bass and a couple halfmoons. Together with Spanish and chub mackerels I caught earlier, I managed to find five species.

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A team of two wardens showed up in the afternoon, checking everyone’s catch.

Then Mackerels came. They were everywhere for good few hours making sporadic boils right in front of the mole. They were in the mixed size but large ones were pretty big. I majored one which was 19”. A Mackerel that big fights like a bonito. Fun catching them.

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I left the mole with a bucket of mackerel. Mr Mahigeer stayed for a night fishing. Was good to be out there and see a good friend. Thank you for reading.
 

Fishman Fishman

Well-Known Member
#2
I have been bogged down on my day job lately. It’s been too long to check out local pier so I decided in the last minute to hop on a ferry to Avalon for a day of fishing. Pretty moderate air temp. Not much wind. Mixed suns/shade. Very pleasant day it was. A surprise was that Mahigeer joined me despite his negative response when I asked him first.
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Morning ferry was not too crowded. The mole was shared with half a dozen other anglers all of whom were targeting bonito.


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AM fishing with tide going down was sporadic but quite a few bonitos were landed. Well by others. Mr Mahigeer and myself took one each.

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Things slowdown rather quick. We had whole mid day fishless except for occasional mackerel runs. We think it is at least partly due to cruise ship that park in front of us.

View attachment 4617

I borrowed Mahigeer’s opaleye setup and fished with a float using frozen peas. I failed to hook set a nice opaleye but could catch a few short calico bass and a couple halfmoons. Together with Spanish and chub mackerels I caught earlier, I managed to find five species.

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A team of two wardens showed up in the afternoon, checking everyone’s catch.

Then Mackerels came. They were everywhere for good few hours making sporadic boils right in front of the mole. They were in the mixed size but large ones were pretty big. I majored one which was 19”. A Mackerel that big fights like a bonito. Fun catching them.

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I left the mole with a bucket of mackerel. Mr Mahigeer stayed for a night fishing. Was good to be out there and see a good friend. Thank you for reading.
Nice report! Big Mackerel! Must have been a good fight. Glad to hear Wardens checking catches.
 

Mahigeer

Senior Member
#4
It was good to fish with you Kaz san. Sorry to pull a surprise. Initially, I was not thinking of going so soon after my last trip, but when I heard your tickets would expire if you do not go and the eventuality of Mole project closing the Mole. I thought I will join you.

I had a bonito the first cast of the day at sunrise on Saturday. Later I lost a big fish and my cast-a-bubble rig due to a failed knot. Then nothing for the rest of the day. I also lost another cast-a-bubble rig (hook included) to a pelican flying into my braid line. In the afternoon the mackerel bite started. I did a lot of C&R since I had already too many fish. I stopped when a very large sealion grabbed a big mackerel that I was fighting at the pier. I lost the fish and the lure. The predicted wind did not show up, but the clouds made for a dark day. It has been my experience that bonito likes sun shine.
 

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#10
Nice report! Big Mackerel! Must have been a good fight. Glad to hear Wardens checking catches.
Not sure if the wardens were correct on bonito daily bag count! They told me everyone was below limit!!!!!

Although I did not keep an accurate count of their bonito catch, I am positive that the "crew" had more than (5) each.
One had two on one cast.
I did not see any over 24" long bonito to allow more than (5).
I did see one of them clean several bonito and share it with others for lunch. Maybe that was the reason for low count. Those should have been counted as bag limit, but the wardens did not see them.

The wardens know me as the guy who posted the regulations. I showed them my catch and they went on their way.

I am glad to see them.

Oh well, I will be back soon to the Mole before the major construction starts.


"There is something about the tug of a fish when it takes a minnow that cannot be duplicated. The suspense is thrilling, and when I get the desire to experience this thrill, nothing else will satisfy me."

Ray Bergman, FISHING WITH RAY BERGMAN as printed in the I rather be fishing, edited by Kathryn Zullo
 
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