LJ 10/1
 

Launched to a pleasantly non-crowded launch around 5am. Met A&J at the launch. Nice to meet you guys. Proceeded to the pier for bait. This was my first time hitting the pier so I was looking like a newb out there. Caught mostly jumbo macs (95% greenies). A&J were a few minutes behind me. I noticed a few things regarding making bait at the pier:

A. When you have a mac on the line, it attracts a frenzy and more are going to get hooked, but be careful because it tends to foul up your sabiki.

B. As soon as the sun is up, the bait shuts down.

C. The bigger macs seemed to be higher in the water column and the smaller greenies and the spaniards seem to be lower.

After filling up on bait, I wanted to try the canyon for homeguards gobbling squid. I've heard of some reports of LJ bonies with squid in they're bellies and wanted to take a chance but wasn't able to cuz my ff wouldn't turn on. But there was a TON of bait action 3/4 mi. west of the pier. There were schools of mini macs and anchovies being pushed up by larger macs and bonies. Had on zing that loaded up and came unbuttoned and also a few scraped baits. Bird action was in every direction all morning. Next weekend's tourney looks to be a halibut tourney unless something changes. It was nice to get out there since I haven't been out since the Moyer tourney.

Conditions:
Temp was low sixties with pockets of mid sixties. 0-2 knots of wind. Overcast with little chop. I saw maybe 10 yakers all day and 5 inshore PBers and 5 way outside hanging around a party boat.




PS. A&J, How'd you guys do?

NM, it was nice to meet you, too.
It was mostly slow for us. Up north, we only got leopards and a small bonie. Later (much), down south landed a yellow about 3:00PM that Aaron somehow managed to get away from a big knothead after a long tug-of-war.
About the mackeral at the pier...they often get better just when it gets light, especially if the lights are not over the water in the dark. We think the mackeral split for a short time because of a predator, i.e. barracuda, wsb, etc. Julie lost the bottom 3 hooks on her sabiki when something large and toothy latched on. That fish probably scattered the mackeral for awhile.

good to know. Congrats on the yt, I think those are few and far between nowadays...