Avalon 6/11

EgoNonBaptizo

Well-Known Member
#1
I took the 6 am boat out to Avalon for a 1 day fishing trip. I started off fishing mackerel on dropper loops, while fishing a float rig for opaleye. No opaleye were around, but I did catch quite a few small halfmoon and blacksmith. When I released the smaller fish, an immense (>24") calico came up from underneath the pier and ate them. However, whenever I dropped down a live baitfish with a hook in it, the bass immediately turned away. Although at one point it took a flylined senorita wrasse, it busted me off almost immediately and returned to its spot by the piling. At around 8:30, I met Reel Newbie, and we began fishing together. (I swear this was not planned) The sun came out, and fishing immediately slowed. I could barely scrape out a couple short calico and an almost legal sculpin. Casting a coltsniper jig, I was able to catch a jack mackerel, which I tried to send out on a wire leader, but it flew off the hook during the cast. I made the move to the GPP at around 12, and began fishing for opaleye. There were not very many around, but I managed two after picking through dozens of short calico. I also caught an amberstripe scad, the first that I had seen in several months. Around 3 pm, the bite for all fish slowed substantially, and I decided to try somewhere else. I dropped some of my gear off at the storage service, and took my backpack, a bucket with ice, and my medium baitcasting setup to Pebbly Beach. Initially the fishing was slow, but then around 4:40, the whitefish bite kicked off. I caught well over a dozen, and kept six nicer size ones. I returned to the Mole by 6 pm, and began cleaning/packing up, while leaving one rod out with mackerel on a dropper loop. I also fished a float rig for opaleye, and caught a nice sized halfmoon. I took the last (7:30) boat home.

Overall mediocre fishing (especially compared to some of my trips during the winter), but still fun, and it was great being able to meet site members.

Pics:
IMG_2505.JPG
Note the more gently curved lateral line in comparison to Pacific jack mackerel, fewer lateral scutes, yellow stripe running down its side, and the reddish-brown coloration in the lower lobe of the tail.
IMG_2506.JPG IMG_2509.JPG
 
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Rusty

Active Member
#3
I took the 6 am boat out to Avalon for a 1 day fishing trip. I started off fishing mackerel on dropper loops, while fishing a float rig for opaleye. No opaleye were around, but I did catch quite a few small halfmoon and blacksmith. When I released the smaller fish, an immense (>24") calico came up from underneath the pier and ate them. However, whenever I dropped down a live baitfish with a hook in it, the bass immediately turned away. Although at one point it took a flylined senorita wrasse, it busted me off almost immediately and returned to its spot by the piling. At around 8:30, I met Reel Newbie, and we began fishing together. (I swear this was not planned) The sun came out, and fishing immediately slowed. I could barely scrape out a couple short calico and an almost legal sculpin. Casting a coltsniper jig, I was able to catch a jack mackerel, which I tried to send out on a wire leader, but it flew off the hook during the cast. I made the move to the GPP at around 12, and began fishing for opaleye. There were not very many around, but I managed two after picking through dozens of short calico. I also caught an amberstripe scad, the first that I had seen in several months. Around 3 pm, the bite for all fish slowed substantially, and I decided to try somewhere else. I dropped some of my gear off at the storage service, and took my backpack, a bucket with ice, and my medium baitcasting setup to Pebbly Beach. Initially the fishing was slow, but then around 4:40, the whitefish bite kicked off. I caught well over a dozen, and kept six nicer size ones. I returned to the Mole by 6 pm, and began cleaning/packing up, while leaving one rod out with mackerel on a dropper loop. I also fished a float rig for opaleye, and caught a nice sized halfmoon. I took the last (7:30) boat home.

Overall mediocre fishing (especially compared to some of my trips during the winter), but still fun, and it was great being able to meet site members.

Pics:
View attachment 884
Note the more gently curved lateral line in comparison to Pacific jack mackerel, fewer lateral scutes, yellow stripe running down its side, and the reddish-brown coloration in the lower lobe of the tail.
View attachment 887 View attachment 888
Do the Jack Macks smell/taste
different than the pacific macks?

Also, unrelated question: how much do you estimate you spend on average for every trip you make to the island?
 

EgoNonBaptizo

Well-Known Member
#4
Do the Jack Macks smell/taste
different than the pacific macks?

Also, unrelated question: how much do you estimate you spend on average for every trip you make to the island?
Jack mackerel have a somewhat different odor, smelling less of blood and more of fish oil. However, they are milder than Pacific mackerel, and I prefer them over the latter.

Costs: $75 for the round trip ticket, $10-50 in tackle (depending if I have gone recently or need to buy more weights and such), <$10 in ice and <$10 in bait since I catch most of it myself. I generally don't eat on the island, while I bring my own water. I prefer to take 1 day trips as the hotel costs are ridiculous. I usually avoid paying the parking fee by having someone else drop me off.
 

Mahigeer

Senior Member
#5
The only way to save is to avoid the $18.00 daily parking fee if you can by getting ride.

Everything has to be transferred to the island. Thus, it costs more than the mainland.

If you buy a commuter ticket booklet (not advertised on their website), you save $90.00 on (5) five round trips.
Good for one year and for the residents of same household. No need to leave CC for reservation, or pay $5.00 fee for changing travel times.

You must have bought a regular ticket within last 30 days before you can buy the booklet.

The jack mackerel is a beter eating and not as good as bait compare to chub mackerel.
 

Rusty

Active Member
#6
so around $100 per trip, not that bad i guess, considering you get to hang out in a very special place! I wish there was a more economical option to travel to the island though
 

Rusty

Active Member
#8
Maybe we can get pfic members to chip in for a boat? 😆

Or maybe we can strike a deal with the Catalina Express company for members? That might boost their business as well as spread interest to new anglers.
 

Mahigeer

Senior Member
#9
Not to go too off-topic, but if you read my Catalina trip on a cattle boat, you would have noticed that I paid $75.00 for a 3/4 day fishing around the island. we went to two spots on the west side.

We actually fished net 3 hours. For about $100.00 give or take, you can fish two piers for about 11 hours at Avalon.
 

Reel Newbie

Well-Known Member
#10
Take a 4 day cruise to Catalina island and Ensenada? That’s how I got there. You get about 8 hours in Avalon and a 3 day cruise after that. Food’s good, amenities are good and you visit Mexico. Probably a good way to persuade any significant others the older bunch might have.
 

Ken Jones

Administrator
Staff member
#11
I don't know if I can do it but I would love to take a short overnight trip to Avalon this fall (Sept.-Oct). Would probably just stay at the Mole overnight to avoid motel charges. I am going to see Rita and Hans this weekend so perhaps they might be interested? Perhaps a mini-gathering?
 

Brock Norris

Well-Known Member
#12
the mole seems like a place id like to try i have a boat that i take to catalina so i have never tried the mole I'm in the middle of moving so a fall trip might be nice we all talk about the cost of going to catalina well owning a boat is definitely not cheap either ugg ha
 

Ken Jones

Administrator
Staff member
#13
I was curious about your amberstripe scad since years ago I had caught what at the time was called a Mexican scad, Decapterus hypodus (Guide to Coastal Marine Fishes of California, Fish Bulletin Number 157, Miller and Lea). Since the fish looked similar, I wondered if the names, common and scientific, had been changed? I contacted Milton Love at the "Love Lab at UCSB" who replied — "Yes, D. hypodus is a junior (discarded) synonym of D. muroadsi - and as you note the common name has also changed." So the Mexican scad and Amberstripe scad are the same fish.
 

EgoNonBaptizo

Well-Known Member
#14
They’ve been showing with some regularity around Catalina, though they rarely stick around structure for long. They’re getting fairly large (13-14 inches) and have occasionally been showing up in fish counts as “Spanish jack”. They are easy to distinguish from jack mackerel as they are more surface oriented, and are a vibrant blue with a bright yellow stripe right out of the water, which fades into green and amber as the fish dies.