Ultra Memorial Day 2-day Trip - 2008

[Sea Hag]

KennyMac and I carpooled to Newport Landing on Saturday night and met our 6 fellow anglers, most of whom we knew from last year. We had the same group of four as last year; Tim, Jim, Jeff and Dave, joined this year by their friend Benny, plus Brian’s father-in-law, Mike. This is the third year running now we’ve gone on this two day trip Sunday and Monday over Labor Day weekend, and its always been a lot of fun. For this trip, our crew consisted of Captains Brian and Charlie, and deckhand/cook Jessie. Brian had rallied the troops to get an early start, and we boarded the boat, already loaded with supplies and squid, and gassed up, and we were on were on our way before 7:00 PM.

The Ultra had some major work done in dry dock this spring. In addition to the regular cosmetic overhaul, the boat was equipped with all new electronics in the wheelhouse, and an impressive array of touch-screen graphics and computer system, and a camera that allows Brian to see what’s going on in the stern via camera link to the wheel house. A little rearranging in the bunkroom allows for an additional passenger, so the Ultra can carry 9 now instead of just eight. And an additional bunk was added for the crew in the back of the wheelhouse.

So, we arrived relatively early at the spot Capt. Brian had been catching seabass over the last few days, to find hundreds of boats. The secret was out. It looked like Lake Havasu in the middle of summer!!! We fished for a while in the dark after we arrived, and got nothing. Seas were fairly calm, but it was pretty cold out. The bite that had been wide open the last few days had fizzled to a few seabass and occasional yellowtail reported by the sportboats parked in the mass. We all turned in for a few winks, got up early, and fished hoping there would be a morning bite.. but there was nothing. The water around the boat was thick with squid. But no biters.

After sitting it out through breakfast, eggs to order with hash browns and bacon, and well into daylight, Brian pulled anchor and we headed for San Clemente Island. I took a quick nap. (This would be the pattern for the whole trip – fish for a few hours, catch a nap.) I got up when the engines shut down, and we fished the deep water off the island in Brian’s secret spot for some huge rock fish and one monster ling!! We did a few slow drifts. There was almost no wind, so we didn’t need a lot of weight. It wasn’t wide open by any means, but the fish were BIG, and we all got a couple of nice fish to hold our sacks from flapping in the late morning breeze.



Dave's Big Red



Jessie helping Jeff show off his big Lingcod



Ben with another nice big Red

Then we prowled around the island looking for some more interesting biters.

A few spots produced some wide open bites of calico bass! They were nice sized fish, but close in the kelp. You had to be on your toes to resist the urge to swing on them too soon, versus waiting too long and getting wrapped in the kelp! It was great fun, and awesome fishing! Most of the bass were released… ALL the big ones went back, with quite a few going 4-5 pounds. Jessie whipped us up burgers while Brian searched for a more promising location.



Kenny with a couple of the nice Sheephead he caught

After a few unproductive stops, we rounded the corner by the Naval base and drifted through a small cove with underwater cables and warnings not to drop anchor. Several drifts through there eventually produced three nice halibut, including the one Tim caught weighing in at just over 30 pounds, and claiming Sunday’s JP!



Nice Halibut I caught



Tim's Big Halibut took Sunday's Jackpot

A large brown shark was brought to the boat for a brief show and then released. Then later in the afternoon, Brian headed us back to Catalina to find a spot in the cove for the evening and morning to, see if the seabass would come back. There weren’t nearly as many boats. It had been cold and cloudy all day, and it was COLD, as we fished into dark with no takers. We had a late dinner (steak, baked potatoes and corn) and turned in for the night.

Back up at o’dark thirty Monday morning to try again for the morning bite: Nothing. It rained for a few minutes, and was bitterly cold for a late May morning. Waiting it out again until daylight, Jessie cooked up some awesome Belgian style waffles with fresh strawberries, whipped cream and maple syrup, and when breakfast was over we were off and on the hunt again. From spot to spot around Catalina island, we searched for seabass and yellowtail in some of the usual locations. A quick bite of bonito that looked like it might be fun quickly turned into wide open mackerel, and we made a move. Another great bass bite at the edge of the kelp produced Monday’s jackpot fish, and calico bass nearly 6 pounds, that was weighed in and set free, beating out my bonito from the morning bite.



One of my many Calico Bass - All were released



Kenny and Another Nice Calico Bass

When that bite finally fizzled after an hour or so, we started to look around again. An occasional bat ray came by to do its imitation of the “right kind” and get someone’s blood moving. The clouds gave way to sunshine mid-day. Jessie served up our choice of chicken sandwich or burgers. And before we knew it, it was time to call it a day.

Our final count for the two day trip was 3 halibut, 80 calico bass (and undoubtedly a couple hundred more released) 4 sheephead, 25 rockfish, and one lingcod.

Well, it was just another fun trip on the Ultra with some friends. Captain Brian put us on some really awesome calico bass bites, and did his best and a lot of running to try to find some exotics, but with the weather and crowds it just wasn’t happening. We would like to thank the crew of the Ultra, and the fabulous staff at Newport! The eight of us had a great time again, and plan to meet up again for another fun trip on the Ultra, same time next year!

[Mutt]

Looks like fun but man them reds are fugly lol

[Sea Hag]

Yes, they are... part of that is they live in such deep water when you bring them up that quickly their eyes pop out. Usually their swim bladder pops out as well. It looks like they have a HUGE tongue and they're sticking it out!!

I'm going back out on this boat this weekend. Monday the white seabass limit goes from one to three, and we'll be fishing Monday and Tuesday. We did this trip last year and got limits of seabass in about 2 1/2 hours...

Pictures from that trip have been in the Daily Breeze (local paper), Pacific Coast Sportfishing, displayed by the landing at the Fred Hall Fishing show, and in the ad the Ultra is running right now in several magazines. It was epic!!

[Ricky-Ray]

Any spot's still left on your trip this weekend???? Can I join you guys????

Oh wait I'm already on it....hahahahahaha T-minus 4 day's till Ghostbuster's Part Deux!!!!!!

[Sea Hag]

Just make sure you and Jason show up on the right day!

Hahahahahaha!!! Poor Jason!