Thread: Options 6/13/09 - My Birthday Yellow

Stew invited me to join him and some friends on a charter on the new six-pack boat, Options, out of Pierpoint. They wanted to get an early start, always ok by me, and we boarded and were on our way by 7:20 PM on Friday night Our crew was Captain Tino, second Augie, and Andrew on deck.

Now, right off, I have to say, this is NOT your typical six-pack boat! Options is a custom 50’ yacht, with a lot of space in the stern, a nice galley area with seating for six if you can squish in a little. There’s a nice kitchen, and there are four bunks just forward of that, and two more in the bow area. This is a big, comfortable boat!!


The crossing was pretty good, with a rough spot as we rounded the end of Catalina Island, heading to the bait ground. We anchored up a little after 11:00 to try to get some squid. We had enough on board, but it never hurts to try to get a little more. I came up to look around, and there were about 20 boats set up out there already. Not much on the squid float, and I headed back down to get some more sleep.

I got up again a little before 3:00 AM. It was quiet on deck. There were about 60 boats around us now, and there had been someone on deck soaking bait and watching the other boats for action. It had been pretty quiet so far.

We didn’t see anything going on anywhere until gray light. The Ultra sitting next to us gaffed a nice white seabass. As it got lighter, a few boats around us picked up a few yellows, most looking to be 15-20 pounds. It was hard to tell how they were fishing; dropper loop, lead head... Captain Tino had said most had been on dropper loop the last few days. We were mixing it up pretty well. By the time it got light out, we were all getting pretty frustrated. All the boats around us had hooked at least a couple of fish, and most had landed one. I had fished a glow in the dark leadhead until gray light, and then switched to dropper loop. All of our squids came back after a long soak with tentacles intact....

At a little after 7:00 AM, Stew, hooked into something, and headed for the bow. I asked him what he was using; leadhead. I switched back to mine, after agonizing for a second. Capt. Tino had told us “nothing under 40#” and my leadhead was tied on my 30#. I pinned on two smaller squid, and tossed it out anyway. Probably ¾ of the way down the 120 foot depth, I got bit, and set the hook... and started hoping 30 pound line would be enough!

I was towed across the stern, and toward the bow... where Stew’s fish and mine apparently engaged in an underwater dance. Tino pulled our rod tips together, and after a few over and unders, it was apparent there was another problem... someone else’s line was wrapped in as well. Fortunately, the other angler realized what was happening and joined us near the bow. “Just cut it off!” he said. He had a jig on, but rather than risk our only two bites of the day so far, he said just cut it. Seconds later, I was headed back to the stern, Stew back to the bow where his fish was gaffed a few seconds later, and mine in the stern a couple of minutes after that! Another good save by a great crew! The two were nearly the same size, Stew’s a little over 25 pounds, and mine just a little under.
About 20 minutes later, one of the other anglers hooked and landed another yellowtail, slightly smaller, and that would be our only exotics landed for the day. We didn’t see any of the other boats hook or land anything after that one, headed out to look for other spots at about 8:30.






Tino checked out all his favorite “secret” spots. One of them gave up a monster sand bass, probably close to 6 pounds, a few really nice white fish and sheephead. Some of them we wouldn’t even find a nibble. The current had gone completely slack. One spot we hooked up what might have been a nice seabass, but the fish made it to the rock while trying to pass the rod under the anchor line and was lost. I was the lucky one to hook into a bat ray that did an excellent seabass imitation for a few minutes. It got everyone excited anyway!

Tino called home late afternoon, to find out their open party trip for the next day had been scrubbed with not enough reservations, and asked if any of us would mind staying out a couple of hours extra. And we all reluctantly agreed! One more of Tino’s favorite spots was blessed late afternoon with good current, and we had a wide open bite on some really nice calicos, and a few big sheephead and whitefish mixed in there as well. We had a showing of some breezing yellowtail. A large school of 12-15 pound fish breezed behind us, and flurried past the boat a few times close enough to see... but would not bite.

Here's Stew with one of those nice calicos, too...



My sheephead...



I really had a fun trip on the Options, and I would definitely jump at the chance to go again. I would like to thank Stew for inviting me to join him and his friends on this great trip, and also the crew of the Options.

Options is offering a special price through July, with weekdays $1700 to Catalina, and $1900 to San Clement, or $1800 and $2000 respectively on weekends. If you’re looking for a great six pack to charter to the islands in July, you don’t want to miss out on this!!

Call today for information and reservations, 562-980-2009