01-26-2014, 07:47 AM
Its January 1987 and I have my little 18' skiff, making trip after trip on the weekends trying to land that 1st seabass of the year. Like any normal guy I have a 9-5 job, Monday through Friday, but Friday night its off to the Islands for some hunting. The skiff holds 55 gallons of gas, reels need new line (before spectra) and terminal tackle gets replaced as needed. Then there is food, beer and the cost of things that break every trip.
Skip forward to March, just ahead of Fred Hall and the first big score on the seabass happens. Unfortunately, I am stuck on the beach with a blown power head on my Mercury Outboard, a maxed out credit card and no easy way to get the skiff running again until I work enough to earn the funds. By June I am back in action, most of the seabass season gone by.......
I wish I could say I learned my lesson in 1987, but I didn't. Even today I get that voice in the back of my head that tells me I need to head over and find that first fish and get things started. 27 years of doing this tells me to have patience, and at least wait until there are signs or clues the fish are there for the hunting.
Southern California is a year round fishery. This time of year we have rockfish (until the closure), fair (at best) bass fishing, halibut and thresher sharks along the coast, and lobster. Just remember to save some for the seabass, and don't blow your wad.
Skip forward to March, just ahead of Fred Hall and the first big score on the seabass happens. Unfortunately, I am stuck on the beach with a blown power head on my Mercury Outboard, a maxed out credit card and no easy way to get the skiff running again until I work enough to earn the funds. By June I am back in action, most of the seabass season gone by.......
I wish I could say I learned my lesson in 1987, but I didn't. Even today I get that voice in the back of my head that tells me I need to head over and find that first fish and get things started. 27 years of doing this tells me to have patience, and at least wait until there are signs or clues the fish are there for the hunting.
Southern California is a year round fishery. This time of year we have rockfish (until the closure), fair (at best) bass fishing, halibut and thresher sharks along the coast, and lobster. Just remember to save some for the seabass, and don't blow your wad.
