2015 PFIC/UPSAC Catalina Get Together
Derby Day — Saturday, July 18, 2015
“Well, first time that’s happened.” Only once in 14 years had the PFIC/UPSAC Catalina Get Together experienced rain and never during the day of the derby. That would change. What started as a beautiful day saw clouds emerge followed by thunder, lightening and a steady rain from tropical hurricane Dolores. The combination resulted in an abbreviated James Liu Memorial Derby at the 2015 Catalina Get Together.
Although the derby was shortened by about an hour no one seemed to mind. It was just too wet to keep fishing and no one knew when the rain would stop. A couple of times the rain seemed to slack and then here it came again*. Finally things calmed enough for a quick awards ceremony and it was over — although when the rain did eventually stop everyone went back to fishing.
The results: 1st Place — Hashem Nahid; 2nd Place — Rita M; 3rd Place — Christina Ballard; Honorable Mention — Arcadian; Jr. Division Winner — Kyle.
1st Place Hashem
2nd Place Rita
3rd Place Christina
Junior Division winner Kyle
3rd Place Christina
Junior Division winner Kyle
Unfortunately it was a very small crowd this year and one of the main questions was if this would be the “last” Get Together? The sentiment was no! Given the fun and good companionship exhibited during the weekend all agreed that they at least would be ready for an event in 2016. But there wasn't.
KJ and a bonito
Luckily the fishing had been good with the variety including bonito, kelp bass, sheephead, opaleye, garibaldi, halfmoon, sculpin (scorpionfish), grass rockfish, blackperch, blacksmith, rock wrasse, senorita, giant kelpfish, moray eel, ocean whitefish, sand bass, kelp perch and even one horn shark. Some big fish and some small fish, and just enough fish to keep things interesting.
Rita with a kelp bass
The average rainfall at Avalon for the month of July is .01 inches. Derby Day saw .33 inches of rain at Avalon including .23 of an inch between 12:40 and 2 PM, the scheduled end of the James Liu Memorial Derby.
Kyle with a horn shark
Hashem with a bonito
Kyle with a bonito
Cabrillo Mole — 7/18/2015 — off and on amidst the festivities.
Species—23 Kelp Bass, 5 Garibaldi, 4 Halfmoon, 4 Sheephead, 3 Sculpin (Scorpionfish), 2 Rock Wrasse, 1 Opaleye, 1 Giant Kelpfish
The rest of the story:
Thursday — July 16, 2015
Hashem and myself took the first ferry over from Long Beach at 6:15 AM. We wanted a full day of fishing at the Green Pleasure Pier (GPP) and we got it. It was the usual mix of fish including an amazing number of small kelp bass.
Amazing too was the number of large opaleye, amazing both in their number and their unwillingness to take a bait. It wasn’t unexpected since the opaleye at the GPP always seem more wary than those at the Cabrillo Mole aka the Mole. It’s one reason that James Liu finally started fishing a 2-pound fluorocarbon line when fishing at the GPP. We did not have 2-pound fluorocarbon nor did we have any ghost shrimp, my preferred opaleye bait, but we did have frozen peas.
The opaleye would swim over, take a perfunctory look at the peas, and them swim off. The water was crystal clear and their behavior was easily observed. Nevertheless we did manage a few opaleye as well as the other usual species. Somewhat unexpected was a sand bass, the first I have taken at the GPP.
Green Pleasure Pier — 7/16/2015 — 8:45 AM-3:30 PM
Species— 155 Kelp Bass, 15 Rock Wrasse, 2 Sheephead, 1 Opaleye, 1 Ocean Whitefish, 1 Sand Bass.
We knew Rita and Kyle were coming over on the 3:00 ferry so we decided to check into the motel and then head out to the Mole. The Mole would turn out to be be a little different, minus its usual thick canopy of kelp (due to the warm water that kills giant kelp). It made fishing a little easier (especially when bringing in bonito) but also meant less of the kelp-loving species such as kelpfish. But, there were still plenty of fish.
Sure enough Rita and Kyle were on the afternoon ferry and we talked to them and agreed to meet up for dinner at Antonio’s. However we got in a few hours of fishing before dinner and once again saw a nice variety of fish.
Cabrillo Mole — 7/16/2015 — 4:30-7:30 PM
Species—8 Kelp Bass, 7 Garibaldi, 4 Halfmoon, 2 Sheephead, 2 Sculpin (Scorpionfish)
Friday — July 17, 2015
Friday and Saturday would be dedicated to fishing the Mole and we were at the Mole early in the morning Friday hoping to see boiling water and schools of bonito. We would not be disappointed. Fishing in many ways mimicked the 2009 Get Together, which had seen a plethora of bonito along with numerous other species.
Action was steady throughout the day with bonito, some large and some small, moving in and out. Most of the fish were the usual species although the total included a grass rockfish, a species fairly uncommon at the Mole. We stopped at 5:15 PM to get dinner with Rita, Kyle, Arcadian, and Christina (who had arrived on the afternoon ferry).
Cabrillo Mole — 7/17/2015 — 6:30 AM-5:15 PM
Species—14 Kelp Bass, 7 Garibaldi, 7 Sculpin (Scorpionfish), 4 Rock Wrasse, 4 Halfmoon, 2 Bonito, 2 Sheephead, 1 Opaleye, 1 Senorita, 1 Kelp Perch, 1 Grass Rockfish, 1 Blacksmith
After dinner Hashem and I headed back out to the Mole. For me it was a search for a morey eel. It would be an unusual night. I was using two rigs, one a rod equipped with a Sabiki and a float, which was floated out to sea in hopes of attracting a flying fish. The other was a medium-heavy combo loaded with 50-pound line and squid for a moral eel.
The Sabiki would yield no fish. The heavier rig saw pretty steady action. Fishing inshore, near the rocks, I dropped down the squid and had an immediate hit from something big, something that immediately went under the Mole and quickly was hooked onto seaweed or possibly a piling. It was big, it was strong, and I couldn’t even turn it. The heavy line was tangled up with something and I could feel the large fish but the rock/piling/seaweed eventually won the battle and I wasn’t too happy.
However, the next drop produced a morey eel, the elusive species I have been seeking for the past five years or so. So that quest was over — finally. Not 20 minutes later Arcadian who was fishing a short distance away would pull up another morey eel and some kids down the Mole would do the same.
Next up was a legal 15-inch kelp bass followed by another legal kelp bass and then a chunk of squid yielded a large blackperch. Blackperch on a big chunk of squid on a 3/0 hook? It never happens but it did. Soon after I pulled in a large opaleye on the same squid. Opaleye at night on squid? Just a little strange. Several additional legal-size bass showed before we headed hoping to be fresh for Saturday and the derby.
Cabrillo Mole — 7/17/2015 — 9:00-11:45 PM
Species— 6 Kelp Bass, 1 Moray Eel, 1 Blackperch, 1 Opaleye, 1 Halfmoon
Between the strange weather, the successful search for an eel, the bonito bite, and the fair number of usual species, it was one more delightful visit to Catalina, one I hope to repeat next year.
Thoughts were given as to how to rejuvenate the derby and increase the number of participants and they will be discussed later.
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For the Stat Geeks out there — Some statistics regarding the Green Pleasure Pier and the Cabrillo Mole:
I keep records of all my fishing trips and record the fish and approximate size. That’s then broken down into fish per hour and points per hour figures.
Based upon the 2002-2015 Catalina Get Togethers, this year saw the second highest points per hour figure from the Green Pleasure Pier at 44.4. The highest was in 2014 with a 45.9 figure and the third highest was 2003 with a 40.3 figure. The lowest years were 2012 with a 14.4 figure and 2010 with a 14.8 figure.
These figures are comparable to a trip I made in 1977 when I fished the pier three times and averaged 34.2 points per hour. [And there was no Mole in 1977.]
The Cabrillo Mole though was a different story even though bonito were present this year. The points per hour figure for the Mole was only 9.87, the second lowest for 2002-2015. The lowest year was 2006 which saw a 9.00 figure. The highest years were 2011 with a 25.4 figure and 2014 with a 21.7 figure.
However, the Mole is the place to go for variety and it has a better chance than the Green Pleasure Pier for pelagic species such as bonito.
Almost all of my single pier, single day records for species have been at the Mole.
Sixteen species trip:
Cabrillo Mole, April 26, 2013—Jack Mackerel, Kelp Bass, Blacksmith, Senorita, Kelp Rockfish, Garibaldi, Halfmoon, Opaleye, Grass Rockfish, Pacific Mackerel, Treefish, California Scorpionfish, Sheephead, Pacific Sardine, Black Seaperch, Spotted Kelpfish
Fifteen species trip: updated
Cabrillo Mole, February 1, 2021—Sheephead, Kelp Bass, Garibaldi, Jack Mackerel, Pacific Mackerel, Blacksmith, Ocean Whitefish, Halfmoon, Senorita, Giant Kelpfish, Rock Wrasse, California Scorpionfish, Pacific Sardine, Pacific Bonito, Opaleye
Cabrillo Mole, April 27, 2013—Kelp Bass, Pacific Mackerel, Jack Mackerel, Kelp Rockfish, Blacksmith, Treefish, Black Seaperch, Sheephead, Garibaldi, Senorita, Halfmoon, Opaleye, Pacific Sardine, Grass Rockfish, Spotted Kelpfish
Cabrillo Mole, September 19, 2010—Kelp Bass, Garibaldi, Senorita, Jack Mackerel, Jacksmelt, Opaleye, Halfmoon, Sheephead, Giant Kelpfish, Treefish, Blacksmith, Striped Kelpfish, Rock Wrasse, Black Seaperch, Finescale Triggerfish
Fourteen Species trip:
Cabrillo Mole, July 17, 2015—Kelp Bass, Garibaldi, California Scorpionfish, Rock Wrasse, Halfmoon, Pacific Bonito, Sheephead, Opaleye, Senorita, Kelp Perch, Grass Rockfish, Moray Eel, Black Seaperch, Blacksmith + 1 Spiny Lobster
Thirteen species trip: updated
Cabrillo Mole, December 21, 2017—Garibaldi, Kelp Bass, Sheephead, Blacksmith, Rock Wrasse, Striped Kelpfish, Giant Kelpfish, Opaleye, Largemouth Blenny, Halfmoon, California Scorpionfish, Senorita, Jacksmelt
Avila Pier, August 3, 2013—California Lizardfish, White Croaker, Speckled Sanddab, Brown Rockfish, Vermilion Rockfish, Yellowtail Rockfish, Bocaccio, Cabezon, Kelp Greenling, Blue Rockfish, Onespot Fringehead, Barred Surfperch, Jacksmelt
Cabrillo Mole, April 27, 2012—Kelp Bass, Pacific Mackerel, Jack Mackerel, Pacific Sardine, Senorita, Blacksmith, Opaleye, Treefish, Sheephead, Cabezon, California Scorpionfish, Kelp Rockfish, Halfmoon
Cabrillo Mole, April 23. 2010—Kelp Bass, Opaleye, Senorita, California Scorpionfish, Garibaldi, Rock Wrasse, Sheephead, Jacksmelt, Halfmoon, Kelp Rockfish, Treefish, Giant Kelpfish, Spotted Kelpfish
Twelve species trips:
Cabrillo Mole, September 27, 2014—Pacific Mackerel, Salema, Kelp Bass, California Scorpionfish, Opaleye, Blacksmith, Black Seaperch, Treefish, Grass Rockfish, Garibaldi, Sheephead
Cabrillo Mole, April 16, 2011—Blacksmith, Jack Mackerel, Kelp Bass, Halfmoon, Pacific Mackerel, Ocean Whitefish, Senorita, California Scorpionfish, Salema, Treefish, Kelp Rockfish, Brown Rockfish, Pacific Sardine + 2 Spiny Lobster
Cabrillo Mole, April 25, 2010—Sheephead, Garibaldi, Kelp Bass, Opaleye, Halfmoon, California Scorpionfish, Kelp Perch, Rock Wrasse, Kelp Rockfish, Senorita, Jacksmelt, Black Seaperch
Cabrillo Mole, April 24, 2009—Kelp Bass, Garibaldi, Giant Kelpfish, Opaleye, Halfmoon, Spotted Kelpfish, California Scorpionfish, Sheephead, Treefish, Senorita, Jacksmelt, Kelp Perch
Eleven species trips:
Cabrillo Mole, February 2, 2021—Blacksmith, Kelp Bass, Garibaldi, Sheephead, Jack Mackerel, Senorita, Halfmoon, Pacific Mackerel, Rock Wrasse, Giant Kelpfish, Opaleye
Monterey Coast Guard Pier, August 15, 2020—Senorita, Kelp Rockfish, Blue Rockfish, Black & Yellow Rockfish, Gopher Rockfish, Cabezon, Striped Seaperch, Blacksmith, Painted Greenling, Crevice Kelpfish, Coralline Sculpin
Cabrillo Mole, June 7, 2017—Garibaldi, Kelp Bass, Rock Wrasse, Senorita, Halfmoon, California Scorpionfish, Sheephead, Opaleye, Treefish, Salema, Largemouth Blenny
Cabrillo Mole, June 6, 2016—Kelp Bass, California Scorpionfish, Garibaldi, Kelp Rockfish, Halfmoon, Senorita, Sheephead, Blacksmith, Black Seaperch, Treefish, Salema
Cabrillo Mole, September 26, 2014—Kelp Bass, Pacific Mackerel, Garibaldi, Halfmoon, Rock Wrasse, Giant Kelpfish, Senorita, Blacksmith, Sheephead, Spotted Kelpfish, Black Seaperch
Cabrillo Mole, April 28, 2012—Jack Mackerel, Pacific Mackerel, Blacksmith, Kelp Bass, Treefish, Kelp Rockfish, Garibaldi, Pacific Sardine, Sheephead, Jacksmelt, Senorita
Cabrillo Mole, April 24, 2010—Blacksmith, Jacksmelt, Kelp Rockfish, Kelp Bass, Rock Wrasse, Senorita, Pacific Mackerel, Opaleye. Garibaldi, Blackperch, Giant Kelpfish
Cabrillo Mole, April 18, 2008—Kelp Bass, Halfmoon, Senorita, Opaleye, Giant Kelpfish, Sheephead, Rock Wrasse, Garibaldi, Brown Rockfish, Blacksmith, Jacksmelt
Cabrillo Mole, April 24, 2004—Garibaldi, Blacksmith, Senorita, Jacksmelt, Kelp Bass, Opaleye, Giant Kelpfish, Kelp Perch, Sheephead, Striped Kelpfish, Halfmoon
Pacifica Pier, June 12, 1977—Spotfin Surfperch, White Croaker, Walleye Surfperch, Sand Sole, Shinerperch, Staghorn Sculpin, Pacific Tomcod, Silver Surfperch, Redtail Surfperch, White Seaperch, Starry Flounder
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