Date: February 4, 2021
To: Pier Fishing In California
From: Ken Jones
Subject: A Trip To Catalina
Heading south and the counties roll by—Fresno, Tulare, Kern, and finally Los Angeles. I was on the road again and once again the destination was Long Beach where I would catch the ferry to Avalon on Catalina Island. By now, after 22 such trips over the past 20 years it’s an easily defined route, one where I know where to get the best gas prices, best food, and best places to stay. But no, that was before the specter of Covid-19 set in and made the regular irregular. It is what it is.
However, the ultimate goal is always the same, to enjoy the piscatorial delights at that magical island of Catalina. And even with Covid-19, the same mix of species, fish common to Catalina but somewhat uncommon to most mainland piers, is present and willing to engage in combat with anglers.
This though would be a special trip to Avalon. The Cabrillo Mole had been closed for repair for over a year and between that closure and Covid-19 the fishing pressure had been light. Hopefully the absence of anglers has increased the number of fish.
Planning though had taken strange twists. Originally the goal was to be at the Mole immediately after its opening. I would go with Hashem and we would both fish the Mole while paying shorter visits to the Green Pleasure Pier where he would seek out lobsters while I concentrated on the fish.
But the opening came the same time he was headed to Utah for some ice fishing. I could go alone but decided to wait until he returned. Then an illness in his family further complicated matters. I was getting nervous watching the reports of good fishing and wanted to join in but would wait. But, he said things should improve; how much notice did I need before going? Just a day or so. He finally called last Friday and said he had gone ahead and made hotel and ferry reservations. We would head out Monday morning and come back Wednesday evening. I would need to drive down Sunday for our Monday morning departure.
Saturday saw me quickly getting my supplies together. For bait I bought about two and a half pounds of shrimp with heads on at the local Asian market to go along with some leftover squid I had in my freezer. I also called Big Fish in Seal Beach and ordered some ghost shrimp and bloodworms. But, they were out of ghost shrimp! What? I finally said save me four dozen bloodworms and some fresh mussels.
The drive down Sunday was quick, four and a half hours, and then the trip to Seal Beach for the bait (where I added a couple of dozen lugworms. I now had bait and was seemingly set for Catalina.
I next checked into my dump (I mean motel) that would turn out to be the second worst motel I have ever stayed in (and so much for reviews on the Internet).
Given that I still had several hours of sunlight, I turned to a second goal for the trip, to fish the new piers at Pier J in Long Beach to add to my list (I’ve been stuck on 115 saltwater piers in California for some time). I headed down the Long Beach Freeway, took the Pier J exit, and then Scenic Drive turnoff which quickly took me to drive along Pier J and its rocky shoreline along with two new mini-piers of sort. Could I do a little pre-Catalina fishing? No, it turned out they were closed! All I could do was take some pictures of the piers and the scenic views (bay, ships and snow-capped mountains).
What next? I decided to head over to the finger piers that are found by the Long Beach marina. Unfortunately those piers were crowded and the fishing was slow. I finally decided to find some food and turn in early. However, I couldn’t sleep, was up at 3:30 and down to the ferry landing at 5:30 not realizing that they now don’t even open the parking gates until 6 a.m.
The early arrival did give me plenty of time for the normal tie-up ritual. The pier cart had its usual—bait bucket, tackle box, and misc. box on the bottom. On top of the cart would go my bag full of clothes and my camera case. Three tie down straps meant everything was secured to the cart and I didn’t have to worry about stuff falling off going on to or off the ferry. The rods were carried in a separate rod carrier. Hashem too was early and since the ferry didn’t leave until 7 a.m. we had a leisurely wait.
Finally the ferry ride to the island accompanied by a few dolphin and the sighting of the rebuilt pier. We were off the boat and fishing by 9 a.m. Hashem was seeking out bonito while I sought out the sheephead that were being reported in big numbers.
Tackle was simple: three rod and reel combinations. A light outfit fitted with ten-pound fluorocarbon line for fishing the bottom, a second heavier outfit with 20-pound line also for fishing the bottom, and a reel and longer rod equipped with 12-pound line for top species like bonito if they showed.
The light outfit was set up with my normal high/low rigs with size 6 Mustad streamer hooks. I usually use simple baitholder hooks (sizes 8-4) but wanted to try the longer shanked streamer hooks with the worms and they worked well. I could easily run the hook through the body of the worm while using a piece of worm just longer than the hook.
I tried a variety of hooks with the heavier outfit including the same size 6 hooks, some size 2 baitholder hooks, and size 1 Kahle hooks. Naturally the bigger the hooks and bait the less bites. Surprisingly, the largest sheephead were caught on the number 6 hooks.
There was a logistical problem with keeping fish to take home. I wanted to take home a limit of sheephead and hopefully some larger bass and other fish. I had brought along Ziplock bags but I didn’t have a way to keep the fillets fresh for four days. The motel room didn’t have a refrigerator/freezer and though my bait cooler had ice it was totally full of bait.
A second problem was the possession limit. You are limited to one day’s limit of fish even when fishing several days. Thus if you keep five sheephead on Monday you cannot keep any sheephead you catch on Tuesday or Wednesday.
I decided to roll the dice and only keep fish that I caught on Wednesday. As I fished I used up the bait and by Wednesday there should be room in the cooler for both fillets and ice. Of course I needed to catch some larger size fish on Wednesday.
In hindsight, what I should have done was to purchase a small Styrofoam cooler when I arrived at the island, fill it with ice, and keep the fillets in it until Wednesday when I would transfer the fillets to my bait cooler. Hindsight is 2020—duh!
Day One Fishing — 2/1/21
I would put in a full day of fishing. I fished the Mole from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and then following a quick snack from 3:30-5:45.
It was strange weather. It was initially overcast and we had light droplets of rain for the first few hours. It wasn’t cold but it was cool and we didn’t see the sun until the afternoon.
I primarily fished on the southern half of the pier moving around as conditions changed. The giant kelp is largely gone, and you no longer have the kelp fronds to use as a barometer on the kelp, but different kelp is there, on the bottom and largely hidden. It will still grab your line and this is where the 20-pound test line proved able to often break free while the lighter line would be lost.
The number and mix of fish was good with a variety of fish being caught. My main goal, sheephead, showed in reasonable numbers but not what I expected. They primarily hit on the bloodworms and shrimp with about 2/3 preferring the worms. There was a steady bite on the other species throughout the day.
Hashem was getting an occasional bonito and I finally stopped to cast out a bonito ball and feather in search of the bonies. I got one but then my right shoulder and arm started acting up (a condition I’ve had for about a month). After maybe ten or so casts I would have to stop until the pain subsided. I finally just decided to stick primarily to the bottom fish.
One interesting scene was to see the “opaleye hunters” that were fishing the end and corner section of the pier. They were going nearly fishless. These groups come over almost every day on the ferry, usually three or four in a group, they only stay for the day, and have specialized gear and bait (moss and/or peas) for the opaleye. Most of the time they will limit out or nearly limit out on the opaleye. This year there were very few opaleye due perhaps to the absence of giant kelp by the pier. Monday saw two to three groups of the opaleye specialists and the same on Tuesday but none on Wednesday. From talking to locals it sounded like these groups would have done far better if they moved down to the quarry area where apparently the opaleye were still found in good numbers. I have never used their slip bobber rigs when fishing the Mole but always have done fairly well on opaleye using a simple high/low baited with peas or ghost shrimp. This trip I didn’t have any ghost shrimp and only managed a few opaleye. You’ve just got to have the right bait and know how to use it.
What was interesting was that as it started to turn dark I pulled in four medium-size ocean whitefish in quick succession on my light outfit. They were further out from the pier but I didn’t lose any to the kelp. And then, still using the high/low with size 6 hooks, I began pulling in jack mackerel, Pacific mackerel and sardines. The jack mackerel were all good-sized, the macks were mid-size, and the sardines were about as big as they get. They were apparently all schooling together and it was one or two fish time after time.
About that time Hashem was all packed up and set to head to the Green Pleasure Pier for some lobster (they’re illegal at the Mole) so I stopped. But, it would have been very easy to run up some big numbers of the jacks and mackerel.
Cabrillo Mole: 8.25 hours — 82 fish — 186 points (different points different fish)
14 Sheephead
14 Kelp Bass
9 Garibaldi
9 Jack Mackerel
6 Pacific Mackerel
6 Blacksmith
4 Ocean Whitefish
4 Halfmoon
4 Senorita
3 Giant Kelpfish
3 Rock Wrasse
2 Scorpionfish
2 Pacific Sardine
1 Pacific Bonito
1 Opaleye
We would then head to the Green Pleasure Pier, which for me has always produced more fish than the Mole. Nighttime action is usually slower since many of the Mole species sleep at night but there are always kelp bass, sculpin (scorpionfish) and a lesser mix of other species.
I would only fish an hour but it was the worst results I have ever shown for that pier. The tide was low with a very strong current that made it almost impossible to keep your bait near the pier and there was not even a nibble away from the pier. I finally managed a single sculpin but it was by far the strangest conditions I had even seen at the pier. There was only one other angler and he went fishless while Hashem went without a single lobster (of any size). I decided Tuesday and Wednesday would be devoted to the Mole.
Day Two Fishing — 2/2/21
Another full day of fishing: 7:30-11 a.m., 11:30-4:30, 5-6 p.m.
Day Two started off sunny and somewhat hot (break out the suntan oil) and then it tuned cold and windy off and on. For an hour it would be windy and you needed your jacket on and then it was warm and short sleeve weather.
The fishing was steady although a little disappointing for me since I like a lot of variety and it was actually fewer species that the previous day (and none of the unusual fish that I will usually see each visit).
One unusual feature was that a large school of blacksmith had moved in and they seemed to attack the bait before the other fish could get the bait. I had seen the same thing on a visit in April 2011 when another school of blacksmith swarmed the waters. Smaller schools had done the same in 2004 and 2005. The good thing was that most of the fish were good-sized fish for the species
Once again the worms out fished the other baits and again the largest fish hit on the worms and smaller hooks.
It was also once again a slow day for the “opaleye hunters” who were fishing further down on the middle to north end of the pier. We would see an occasional fish but it was obvious they were not doing great, at lest not doing great on the opaleye.
Interesting was the talk with a member of the harbor patrol. It turned out that they had called the Fish and Wildlife wardens out on Sunday because of all the illegal fishing. Three guys were arrested with 17 illegal, under the size limit sheephead. They were in the process of lining up the sheephead for pictures when the wardens swooped in. Apparently that was only one problem of many and both the harbor patrol and Fish and Wildlife said they would tighten the enforcement.
I did see one angler pull up a horn shark, the third one I have seen over the years at the pier, and all were caught in almost the exact same spot.
Cabrillo Mole: 9.50 hours — 122 fish — 279 points (different points different fish)
29 Blacksmith
22. Kelp Bass
17 Garibaldi
16 Sheephead
11 Jack Mackerel
10 Senorita
6 Halfmoon
4 Pacific Mackerel
4 Rock Wrasse
2 Giant Kelpfish
1 Opaleye
Day Three Fishing — 2/3/2
It was a slightly shorter day of fishing since we would need to stop fishing a little earlier, fillet the fish I was now keeping, and finish cleaning up and getting everything packed for the trip back to the mainland.
Fished: 8:15 a.m.–1:00, 1:30-3, 3:30-5 p.m.
This day Hashem and I would pretty much have the pier to ourselves. I think we didn’t even see another angler until the afternoon.
However, it didn’t start off well. I was going to fish the far northern end of the pier by the crane but just after I started one of the harbor workers came over and said I couldn’t fish in that area. He said that area was in the Lovers Cove area and all fishing was prohibited. He was wrong, the entire area around the pier is in the Lovers Cove area but fishing from the pier is allowed. We’ve gone through this before and unfortunately too many “enforcers” who should know the law don’t really know it. In addition, right by the crane, is a bait cutting board on the railing installed by the harbor patrol themselves. People have always fished the area.
He then went on to lament how the previous day a group of people, “opaleye hunters,” (I won’t use an ethnic description) had been catching small bass, small sheephead, and even garibaldi (an illegal fish) and cooking them up right where they were fishing. He said they (the harbor district) were going to close up part of the pier to fishing including the end section. I was going to tell him he didn’t know the regulations of where I could fish but after listening to his story just decided not to bother. I didn’t ask him why the harbor patrol hadn’t stopped the illegal take and cooking of fish. I met the new Harbormaster on Tuesday and plan on talking to him about the issues. I would hate to see part of the Mole actually closed to fishing because of the stupid actions of a few knuckleheads. I keep hoping people will learn (and some do) but it’s an ongoing problem year after year.
As for the fishing, it remained steady but the blacksmith were replaced by garibaldi. It seemed every time a shrimp was used for bait a garibaldi would grab it. Many were huge size and put up a good fight but they are illegal. Luckily all were returned safely to the water with the exception of one that was grabbed by a pelican.
And though it was the day I needed to catch some good fish to take home almost every sheephead was in the 10 1/2 to 11 ¾ inch range. I did take a couple home but had caught many legal and larger fish on Monday and Tuesday. And, for some reason, the kelp bass seemed to disappear. They are normally near the top of the number of fish caught but just seemed to be gone on Wednesday even though I specifically tried some cut mackerel for them.
As for Hashem, I think he limited out on bonito all three days but the lobster had disappointed. He is very congenial and talks to the other anglers and every visitor that comes up asking for information. He has pleasant company throughout the day. I on the other hand tend to fish on my own and concentrate on the fish. I’m not unfriendly but simply have little time for chit chat.
We both find Avalon magical. Hashem, living in Los Angeles, often makes several trips to Catalina each year, either single day trips or overnight where he stays on the GPP hooping for lobster all night long. I, coming from afar, figure that if I am going to make the trip I want a multi-day visit. That usually translates into somewhere between $400 and $500 a trip (bait $?, ferry ride-$67.50, motel $100 a night, meals $40-50 a day, parking at the ferry terminal $40-50). It’s not inexpensive and those locals who can come over just for the day have a real advantage.
Cabrillo Mole: 7.75 hours — 90 fish — 225 points (different points different fish)
39 Garibaldi
19 Blacksmith
9 Sheephead
6 Halfmoon
6 Senorita
4 Kelp Bass
3 Rock Wrasse
2 Opaleye
1 Scorpionfish
1 Giant Kelpfish
As I headed home I thought back to the many “Get Togethers” we had in Catalina and the derbies at the Mole. Perhaps we can set one up again when this Covid nonsense goes away. It will not have GDude or Boyd or Mike or Adam or Jimbojack or many others but perhaps we can get the new members of PFIC together and enjoy a day of fishing and camaraderie?
To: Pier Fishing In California
From: Ken Jones
Subject: A Trip To Catalina
Heading south and the counties roll by—Fresno, Tulare, Kern, and finally Los Angeles. I was on the road again and once again the destination was Long Beach where I would catch the ferry to Avalon on Catalina Island. By now, after 22 such trips over the past 20 years it’s an easily defined route, one where I know where to get the best gas prices, best food, and best places to stay. But no, that was before the specter of Covid-19 set in and made the regular irregular. It is what it is.
However, the ultimate goal is always the same, to enjoy the piscatorial delights at that magical island of Catalina. And even with Covid-19, the same mix of species, fish common to Catalina but somewhat uncommon to most mainland piers, is present and willing to engage in combat with anglers.
This though would be a special trip to Avalon. The Cabrillo Mole had been closed for repair for over a year and between that closure and Covid-19 the fishing pressure had been light. Hopefully the absence of anglers has increased the number of fish.
Planning though had taken strange twists. Originally the goal was to be at the Mole immediately after its opening. I would go with Hashem and we would both fish the Mole while paying shorter visits to the Green Pleasure Pier where he would seek out lobsters while I concentrated on the fish.
But the opening came the same time he was headed to Utah for some ice fishing. I could go alone but decided to wait until he returned. Then an illness in his family further complicated matters. I was getting nervous watching the reports of good fishing and wanted to join in but would wait. But, he said things should improve; how much notice did I need before going? Just a day or so. He finally called last Friday and said he had gone ahead and made hotel and ferry reservations. We would head out Monday morning and come back Wednesday evening. I would need to drive down Sunday for our Monday morning departure.
Saturday saw me quickly getting my supplies together. For bait I bought about two and a half pounds of shrimp with heads on at the local Asian market to go along with some leftover squid I had in my freezer. I also called Big Fish in Seal Beach and ordered some ghost shrimp and bloodworms. But, they were out of ghost shrimp! What? I finally said save me four dozen bloodworms and some fresh mussels.
The drive down Sunday was quick, four and a half hours, and then the trip to Seal Beach for the bait (where I added a couple of dozen lugworms. I now had bait and was seemingly set for Catalina.
I next checked into my dump (I mean motel) that would turn out to be the second worst motel I have ever stayed in (and so much for reviews on the Internet).
Given that I still had several hours of sunlight, I turned to a second goal for the trip, to fish the new piers at Pier J in Long Beach to add to my list (I’ve been stuck on 115 saltwater piers in California for some time). I headed down the Long Beach Freeway, took the Pier J exit, and then Scenic Drive turnoff which quickly took me to drive along Pier J and its rocky shoreline along with two new mini-piers of sort. Could I do a little pre-Catalina fishing? No, it turned out they were closed! All I could do was take some pictures of the piers and the scenic views (bay, ships and snow-capped mountains).
What next? I decided to head over to the finger piers that are found by the Long Beach marina. Unfortunately those piers were crowded and the fishing was slow. I finally decided to find some food and turn in early. However, I couldn’t sleep, was up at 3:30 and down to the ferry landing at 5:30 not realizing that they now don’t even open the parking gates until 6 a.m.
The early arrival did give me plenty of time for the normal tie-up ritual. The pier cart had its usual—bait bucket, tackle box, and misc. box on the bottom. On top of the cart would go my bag full of clothes and my camera case. Three tie down straps meant everything was secured to the cart and I didn’t have to worry about stuff falling off going on to or off the ferry. The rods were carried in a separate rod carrier. Hashem too was early and since the ferry didn’t leave until 7 a.m. we had a leisurely wait.
Finally the ferry ride to the island accompanied by a few dolphin and the sighting of the rebuilt pier. We were off the boat and fishing by 9 a.m. Hashem was seeking out bonito while I sought out the sheephead that were being reported in big numbers.
Tackle was simple: three rod and reel combinations. A light outfit fitted with ten-pound fluorocarbon line for fishing the bottom, a second heavier outfit with 20-pound line also for fishing the bottom, and a reel and longer rod equipped with 12-pound line for top species like bonito if they showed.
The light outfit was set up with my normal high/low rigs with size 6 Mustad streamer hooks. I usually use simple baitholder hooks (sizes 8-4) but wanted to try the longer shanked streamer hooks with the worms and they worked well. I could easily run the hook through the body of the worm while using a piece of worm just longer than the hook.
I tried a variety of hooks with the heavier outfit including the same size 6 hooks, some size 2 baitholder hooks, and size 1 Kahle hooks. Naturally the bigger the hooks and bait the less bites. Surprisingly, the largest sheephead were caught on the number 6 hooks.
There was a logistical problem with keeping fish to take home. I wanted to take home a limit of sheephead and hopefully some larger bass and other fish. I had brought along Ziplock bags but I didn’t have a way to keep the fillets fresh for four days. The motel room didn’t have a refrigerator/freezer and though my bait cooler had ice it was totally full of bait.
A second problem was the possession limit. You are limited to one day’s limit of fish even when fishing several days. Thus if you keep five sheephead on Monday you cannot keep any sheephead you catch on Tuesday or Wednesday.
I decided to roll the dice and only keep fish that I caught on Wednesday. As I fished I used up the bait and by Wednesday there should be room in the cooler for both fillets and ice. Of course I needed to catch some larger size fish on Wednesday.
In hindsight, what I should have done was to purchase a small Styrofoam cooler when I arrived at the island, fill it with ice, and keep the fillets in it until Wednesday when I would transfer the fillets to my bait cooler. Hindsight is 2020—duh!
Day One Fishing — 2/1/21
I would put in a full day of fishing. I fished the Mole from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and then following a quick snack from 3:30-5:45.
It was strange weather. It was initially overcast and we had light droplets of rain for the first few hours. It wasn’t cold but it was cool and we didn’t see the sun until the afternoon.
I primarily fished on the southern half of the pier moving around as conditions changed. The giant kelp is largely gone, and you no longer have the kelp fronds to use as a barometer on the kelp, but different kelp is there, on the bottom and largely hidden. It will still grab your line and this is where the 20-pound test line proved able to often break free while the lighter line would be lost.
The number and mix of fish was good with a variety of fish being caught. My main goal, sheephead, showed in reasonable numbers but not what I expected. They primarily hit on the bloodworms and shrimp with about 2/3 preferring the worms. There was a steady bite on the other species throughout the day.
Hashem was getting an occasional bonito and I finally stopped to cast out a bonito ball and feather in search of the bonies. I got one but then my right shoulder and arm started acting up (a condition I’ve had for about a month). After maybe ten or so casts I would have to stop until the pain subsided. I finally just decided to stick primarily to the bottom fish.
One interesting scene was to see the “opaleye hunters” that were fishing the end and corner section of the pier. They were going nearly fishless. These groups come over almost every day on the ferry, usually three or four in a group, they only stay for the day, and have specialized gear and bait (moss and/or peas) for the opaleye. Most of the time they will limit out or nearly limit out on the opaleye. This year there were very few opaleye due perhaps to the absence of giant kelp by the pier. Monday saw two to three groups of the opaleye specialists and the same on Tuesday but none on Wednesday. From talking to locals it sounded like these groups would have done far better if they moved down to the quarry area where apparently the opaleye were still found in good numbers. I have never used their slip bobber rigs when fishing the Mole but always have done fairly well on opaleye using a simple high/low baited with peas or ghost shrimp. This trip I didn’t have any ghost shrimp and only managed a few opaleye. You’ve just got to have the right bait and know how to use it.
What was interesting was that as it started to turn dark I pulled in four medium-size ocean whitefish in quick succession on my light outfit. They were further out from the pier but I didn’t lose any to the kelp. And then, still using the high/low with size 6 hooks, I began pulling in jack mackerel, Pacific mackerel and sardines. The jack mackerel were all good-sized, the macks were mid-size, and the sardines were about as big as they get. They were apparently all schooling together and it was one or two fish time after time.
About that time Hashem was all packed up and set to head to the Green Pleasure Pier for some lobster (they’re illegal at the Mole) so I stopped. But, it would have been very easy to run up some big numbers of the jacks and mackerel.
Cabrillo Mole: 8.25 hours — 82 fish — 186 points (different points different fish)
14 Sheephead
14 Kelp Bass
9 Garibaldi
9 Jack Mackerel
6 Pacific Mackerel
6 Blacksmith
4 Ocean Whitefish
4 Halfmoon
4 Senorita
3 Giant Kelpfish
3 Rock Wrasse
2 Scorpionfish
2 Pacific Sardine
1 Pacific Bonito
1 Opaleye
We would then head to the Green Pleasure Pier, which for me has always produced more fish than the Mole. Nighttime action is usually slower since many of the Mole species sleep at night but there are always kelp bass, sculpin (scorpionfish) and a lesser mix of other species.
I would only fish an hour but it was the worst results I have ever shown for that pier. The tide was low with a very strong current that made it almost impossible to keep your bait near the pier and there was not even a nibble away from the pier. I finally managed a single sculpin but it was by far the strangest conditions I had even seen at the pier. There was only one other angler and he went fishless while Hashem went without a single lobster (of any size). I decided Tuesday and Wednesday would be devoted to the Mole.
Day Two Fishing — 2/2/21
Another full day of fishing: 7:30-11 a.m., 11:30-4:30, 5-6 p.m.
Day Two started off sunny and somewhat hot (break out the suntan oil) and then it tuned cold and windy off and on. For an hour it would be windy and you needed your jacket on and then it was warm and short sleeve weather.
The fishing was steady although a little disappointing for me since I like a lot of variety and it was actually fewer species that the previous day (and none of the unusual fish that I will usually see each visit).
One unusual feature was that a large school of blacksmith had moved in and they seemed to attack the bait before the other fish could get the bait. I had seen the same thing on a visit in April 2011 when another school of blacksmith swarmed the waters. Smaller schools had done the same in 2004 and 2005. The good thing was that most of the fish were good-sized fish for the species
Once again the worms out fished the other baits and again the largest fish hit on the worms and smaller hooks.
It was also once again a slow day for the “opaleye hunters” who were fishing further down on the middle to north end of the pier. We would see an occasional fish but it was obvious they were not doing great, at lest not doing great on the opaleye.
Interesting was the talk with a member of the harbor patrol. It turned out that they had called the Fish and Wildlife wardens out on Sunday because of all the illegal fishing. Three guys were arrested with 17 illegal, under the size limit sheephead. They were in the process of lining up the sheephead for pictures when the wardens swooped in. Apparently that was only one problem of many and both the harbor patrol and Fish and Wildlife said they would tighten the enforcement.
I did see one angler pull up a horn shark, the third one I have seen over the years at the pier, and all were caught in almost the exact same spot.
Cabrillo Mole: 9.50 hours — 122 fish — 279 points (different points different fish)
29 Blacksmith
22. Kelp Bass
17 Garibaldi
16 Sheephead
11 Jack Mackerel
10 Senorita
6 Halfmoon
4 Pacific Mackerel
4 Rock Wrasse
2 Giant Kelpfish
1 Opaleye
Day Three Fishing — 2/3/2
It was a slightly shorter day of fishing since we would need to stop fishing a little earlier, fillet the fish I was now keeping, and finish cleaning up and getting everything packed for the trip back to the mainland.
Fished: 8:15 a.m.–1:00, 1:30-3, 3:30-5 p.m.
This day Hashem and I would pretty much have the pier to ourselves. I think we didn’t even see another angler until the afternoon.
However, it didn’t start off well. I was going to fish the far northern end of the pier by the crane but just after I started one of the harbor workers came over and said I couldn’t fish in that area. He said that area was in the Lovers Cove area and all fishing was prohibited. He was wrong, the entire area around the pier is in the Lovers Cove area but fishing from the pier is allowed. We’ve gone through this before and unfortunately too many “enforcers” who should know the law don’t really know it. In addition, right by the crane, is a bait cutting board on the railing installed by the harbor patrol themselves. People have always fished the area.
He then went on to lament how the previous day a group of people, “opaleye hunters,” (I won’t use an ethnic description) had been catching small bass, small sheephead, and even garibaldi (an illegal fish) and cooking them up right where they were fishing. He said they (the harbor district) were going to close up part of the pier to fishing including the end section. I was going to tell him he didn’t know the regulations of where I could fish but after listening to his story just decided not to bother. I didn’t ask him why the harbor patrol hadn’t stopped the illegal take and cooking of fish. I met the new Harbormaster on Tuesday and plan on talking to him about the issues. I would hate to see part of the Mole actually closed to fishing because of the stupid actions of a few knuckleheads. I keep hoping people will learn (and some do) but it’s an ongoing problem year after year.
As for the fishing, it remained steady but the blacksmith were replaced by garibaldi. It seemed every time a shrimp was used for bait a garibaldi would grab it. Many were huge size and put up a good fight but they are illegal. Luckily all were returned safely to the water with the exception of one that was grabbed by a pelican.
And though it was the day I needed to catch some good fish to take home almost every sheephead was in the 10 1/2 to 11 ¾ inch range. I did take a couple home but had caught many legal and larger fish on Monday and Tuesday. And, for some reason, the kelp bass seemed to disappear. They are normally near the top of the number of fish caught but just seemed to be gone on Wednesday even though I specifically tried some cut mackerel for them.
As for Hashem, I think he limited out on bonito all three days but the lobster had disappointed. He is very congenial and talks to the other anglers and every visitor that comes up asking for information. He has pleasant company throughout the day. I on the other hand tend to fish on my own and concentrate on the fish. I’m not unfriendly but simply have little time for chit chat.
We both find Avalon magical. Hashem, living in Los Angeles, often makes several trips to Catalina each year, either single day trips or overnight where he stays on the GPP hooping for lobster all night long. I, coming from afar, figure that if I am going to make the trip I want a multi-day visit. That usually translates into somewhere between $400 and $500 a trip (bait $?, ferry ride-$67.50, motel $100 a night, meals $40-50 a day, parking at the ferry terminal $40-50). It’s not inexpensive and those locals who can come over just for the day have a real advantage.
Cabrillo Mole: 7.75 hours — 90 fish — 225 points (different points different fish)
39 Garibaldi
19 Blacksmith
9 Sheephead
6 Halfmoon
6 Senorita
4 Kelp Bass
3 Rock Wrasse
2 Opaleye
1 Scorpionfish
1 Giant Kelpfish
As I headed home I thought back to the many “Get Togethers” we had in Catalina and the derbies at the Mole. Perhaps we can set one up again when this Covid nonsense goes away. It will not have GDude or Boyd or Mike or Adam or Jimbojack or many others but perhaps we can get the new members of PFIC together and enjoy a day of fishing and camaraderie?