Catalina Get Together?

#1
Sooooo it has been a while... more than 12 years actually... since we moved to Florida and we are coming back for a visit.

We will be in Catalina 5/31-6/2 and I was thinking we should get the old band back together for a one time show 😁 on 6/1.

Anybody interested in getting together and wetting a line at the mole?
 

Mahigeer

Senior Member
#2
I will be there.

It should be a no plans event. Just few old friends and perhaps new one fishing together.

If there is interest, we can meet for a meal or two.
 

Ken Jones

Administrator
Staff member
#4
I would LOVE to be there but my granddaughter is graduating high school in San Diego mid June and I can't really afford two such trips. I do hope some of the LA friends can make it over; we had great get togethers at Catalina.
 

Mahigeer

Senior Member
#6
Yes we are still in good terms with Mindy. However, she is off for medical leave for a while.

If you call them, ask for Mark, her father and the owner. Tell him you are with Pierfishing group and friend of Ken and yours truly.

The rates have gone up, but they have more features like a small fridge, microwave, A/C in each room.

Good luck and hope to see you there.
 

Mahigeer

Senior Member
#9
I just got a confidential email that Hermosa Hotel, has been sold to a San Diego Company.

Not sure how this is going to effect the future trips.
I have already made a deposit for the June event, so that trip should be alright. I just hope I get the room that I like.

I know the owner of another hotel up the street from HH. I have to look into the situation with fishing gear storage.

The rates at the HH have been going up, but they gave me special rate. I don't think that will continue with the new management.
The staff so far is going to be the same for a while.
 

Red Fish

Senior Member
#10
I just got a confidential email that Hermosa Hotel, has been sold to a San Diego Company.

Not sure how this is going to effect the future trips.
I have already made a deposit for the June event, so that trip should be alright. I just hope I get the room that I like.

I know the owner of another hotel up the street from HH. I have to look into the situation with fishing gear storage.

The rates at the HH have been going up, but they gave me special rate. I don't think that will continue with the new management.
The staff so far is going to be the same for a while.
-Sorry to hear this (about the Hermosa Hotel).
The price for this trip had become exorbitant coming from the SF Bay. It was reasonably affordable in years past. Gas was about the same; Room accommodations were very low at the Hermosa; Food was cheap at some of the eateries, Von’s on the island; and plenty of easy to catch fish dinners. Even the ferry and ferry parking were very reasonable.
-Now, not so reasonable and even more so touristy. In all honesty, it seems like going on a few daily charters from Long Beach to Catalina would be more cost effective.
-I don’t know, but some of the magic has gone out of the trip for me now (along with the loss of: Boyd, Santa, GDude). And not hearing from regular attendees David and Jimbo Jack.
-The group was all a fun part of the deal along with celebrating my lady’s birthday which was April 10th (and a major reason I went 6 consecutive years in a row).
-Adam/Rebecca and Hashem... you guys represent.
 
Last edited:
#11
All true.
Everything has become more expensive.

I don't know if I can stay at hotel there in the future. For lobster fishing I stay on the pier all night.

When I take my inflatable kayak, I also stay up all night. Thus, no hotel expense.

When I am there next, I will look into other places to see how to manage the fishing gear storage.
Like I mentioned before, the owner of a nice hotel likes to fish and I have made friends with him. Given him a rod and fished together at nights.

I will do some research.

As to the daily charter, I was very disappointed when I went last time. The advertised 3/4 trip for $75.00. 12 hrs.
The Captain sailed so slow--3.5 hrs. on way to Catalina to save on fuel. so we lost 7 hrs. to traveling.
Then between positioning and moving when the sealion showed up, etc. we fished for 3 hrs. at most.
 

Red Fish

Senior Member
#12
All true.
Everything has become more expensive.

I don't know if I can stay at hotel there in the future. For lobster fishing I stay on the pier all night.

When I take my inflatable kayak, I also stay up all night. Thus, no hotel expense.

When I am there next, I will look into other places to see how to manage the fishing gear storage.
Like I mentioned before, the owner of a nice hotel likes to fish and I have made friends with him. Given him a rod and fished together at nights.

I will do some research.

As to the daily charter, I was very disappointed when I went last time. The advertised 3/4 trip for $75.00. 12 hrs.
The Captain sailed so slow--3.5 hrs. on way to Catalina to save on fuel. so we lost 7 hrs. to traveling.
Then between positioning and moving when the sealion showed up, etc. we fished for 3 hrs. at most.
Adam and Hashem: I wish I was going as now I feel like l could at least get some firecracker yellowtail if not a bit bigger (perhaps). I see Dan Hernandez on the front side of the island just using B52 bucktails tipped with squid and live sardines catching keeper calico and some yellowtail to about 20 #.
 
#14
-Sorry to hear this (about the Hermosa Hotel).
The price for this trip had become exorbitant coming from the SF Bay. It was reasonably affordable in years past. Gas was about the same; Room accommodations were very low at the Hermosa; Food was cheap at some of the eateries, Von’s on the island; and plenty of easy to catch fish dinners. Even the ferry and ferry parking were very reasonable.
-Now, not so reasonable and even more so touristy. In all honesty, it seems like going on a few daily charters from Long Beach to Catalina would be more cost effective.
-I don’t know, but some of the magic has gone out of the trip for me now (along with the loss of: Boyd, Santa, GDude). And not hearing from regular attendees David and Jimbo Jack.
-The group was all a fun part of the deal along with celebrating my lady’s birthday which was April 10th (and a major reason I went 6 consecutive years in a row).
-Adam/Rebecca and Hashem... you guys represent.
Sorry to hear you can’t make it but I completely understand. The fishing was only a part of it... the people were the heart of it.
 
#15
Howdy everyone.....don't drop by here much since moving to Oregon, but I see a few familiar names on this thread so I thought I would say hi. I miss the So Cal surf and pier action but love it here in Oregon. Nothing like stalking a big fat corbina on Hermosa Beach at sunrise though. Fishing is outstanding here, but my wife and I getting way tired of eating salmon. I know, high quality problem, but you can cook it only so many ways before burnout sets in. Best part is I still get to fish from the sand for them. I live on the Columbia River with a perfect sand beach just 15 minutes from my house. My pier slider experience comes in handy here. Sliding out K14 Kwikfish from the beach is killer for big chinook. Fish come really tight to bank, so it's pretty lively when a 25 pound nook eats the thing right under the surface 25 feet from shore. Casting spinners from the bank for silvers and chinook in the fall is what I live for now. Nothing like this back in So Cal. Really good redtail perch fishing up here on the coast also. Two to three pound perch are common and blow away the size of the fish we caught down south. Water is way colder though, and standing in it casting grubs with shorts on can be a real eye opener. Anyway, I saw Baitfish posting and thought I would say hi. Glad to see Florida working out for you. Adam, if you can do me a favor and drop me an email at mariejoemaestas@msn.com. I have a few questions about Florida. My wife and I are thinking of a Winter home there. Mola Joe over and out........tight lines.
 
#16
MolaJoe! Now there is a blast from the past! Glad to see you are still wetting a line up in Oregon! I will drop you an email and we can catch up.
 
#18
What is a good season? Simple question with a impossible answer. Our Spring season for chinook runs March to June, peak in May. Summer season from mid June to mid July. Fall from mid August to end of October. The problem is we have no way of knowing when fish and game will open or close the river. It can be from week to week or even from one day to next. Normally we have a few days warning, but not always. Makes planning for fishing really hard. The first 8 or 9 years after I moved up here it was open pretty much all the time. Runs have gotten smaller and restrictions have followed......Here's a few shots from some of our beach fishing the Columbia. resize1.JPG resiz4.JPG resize2.JPG resize3.JPG resize6.JPG resize5.JPG
 
#20
Howdy everyone.....don't drop by here much since moving to Oregon, but I see a few familiar names on this thread so I thought I would say hi. I miss the So Cal surf and pier action but love it here in Oregon. Nothing like stalking a big fat corbina on Hermosa Beach at sunrise though. Fishing is outstanding here, but my wife and I getting way tired of eating salmon. I know, high quality problem, but you can cook it only so many ways before burnout sets in. Best part is I still get to fish from the sand for them. I live on the Columbia River with a perfect sand beach just 15 minutes from my house. My pier slider experience comes in handy here. Sliding out K14 Kwikfish from the beach is killer for big chinook. Fish come really tight to bank, so it's pretty lively when a 25 pound nook eats the thing right under the surface 25 feet from shore. Casting spinners from the bank for silvers and chinook in the fall is what I live for now. Nothing like this back in So Cal. Really good redtail perch fishing up here on the coast also. Two to three pound perch are common and blow away the size of the fish we caught down south. Water is way colder though, and standing in it casting grubs with shorts on can be a real eye opener. Anyway, I saw Baitfish posting and thought I would say hi. Glad to see Florida working out for you. Adam, if you can do me a favor and drop me an email at mariejoemaestas@msn.com. I have a few questions about Florida. My wife and I are thinking of a Winter home there. Mola Joe over and out........tight lines.
My brother lives in Portland and with my retirement imminent I plan on visiting him more often. Regarding the red tails, can you give me a couple beaches I can head to? PM if you want. Salmon are also on my Oregon radar, but I prefer grubbing for red tails!