Avalon 2/10

[EgoNonBaptizo]

Yes another Avalon report, I'll keep it short and sweet because I'm tired: Took 7 am boat, stayed at Mole all day, stupid good bonito bite 10 am to 12 pm (limits+ for my fishing partner and I), two whitefish, one legal sculpin. Only caught 3 short sheephead (though not for a lack of fish, I just suck at sheephead fishing this year apparently). Lots of HUGE opaleye that barely respond to chum. Took the 6:30 boat home.

 

[Mahigeer]

Thanks for the report.

Have you stayed at Seacrest Inn?

 

[EgoNonBaptizo]

Thanks for the report.

Have you stayed at Seacrest Inn?

I have not, but it looks like its in a very convenient location.

 

[Mahigeer]

Where have you stayed?

 

[EgoNonBaptizo]

I rarely stay nights, but I have stayed at the Catalina Island Inn or at Hermosa.

 

[evanluck]

So were the Opaleye not biting? How were you catching bonito? Splashing bobber and feather? Stick bait? Would love to be able to target them more reliably on my next trip.

 

[EgoNonBaptizo]

So were the Opaleye not biting? How were you catching bonito? Splashing bobber and feather? Stick bait? Would love to be able to target them more reliably on my next trip.

I hooked three opaleye, but lost them all at the pier.

I got a couple on the splasher, but the vast majority were on a 42 gram coltsniper, bombed out as far as I could, allowed to sink for 15-20 seconds, then fished with long sweeps.

 

[evanluck]

Thanks! That's helpful! So you think that casting distance is important?

I hooked three opaleye, but lost them all at the pier.

I got a couple on the splasher, but the vast majority were on a 42 gram coltsniper, bombed out as far as I could, allowed to sink for 15-20 seconds, then fished with long sweeps.

 

[EgoNonBaptizo]

Casting distance made the difference between catching and not catching fish.

 

[Ken Jones]

When we were there on the first, and the bonito were on top, Hashem was successfully using a splasher rig with a feather (which he described). I was simply using a bonito ball and a feather. On the second, when the bonito were running under the surface, guys were successfully using heavier Megabaits with success. They were casting, letting the lure sink, and then retreiving. On the third, I think most of the bonito were on the surface and Hashem was using his original outfit.

I think in all cases the bonito were a fair ways out there although at times they followed the feathers into fairly close water.

 

[Mahigeer]

The purpose of long distance casting is to increase the area that the lure can travel, and cover.

If the fish is around, it will hit the lure/feather. Should it miss the lure (very common), it will chase the lure close to the pier.
I had one miss so many times that I stopped reeling about 20 feet from the pier. It finally hooked itself about 15 feet from the pier.

I even saw one bonito jump out of water to hit the lure or when it missed it.


I have had bonito hit 5 feet from the boat too.

 

[EgoNonBaptizo]

I had a couple fish hit the lure in close, but a lot of my bites were within 10 seconds of starting the retrieve, around ~50+ yards from the Mole. Between 10-12, for about half a square mile, bonito were puddling fairly far from shore, and only by getting in that body of fish was I able to get consistent bites.