Fishing with Maggiemizer

[mojomizer]

Woke up a bleary eyed Maggie and Carol at 5:00 AM. Loaded the truck and was at the storage facility by 6:00 AM. Topped off the tank with 50 gallons of gas and headed to Dana Point Launch ramp.

What a cluster did not realize they had a outrigger race that day. The rudest people I have had the pleasure to meet. The ramp was backed up because people were sitting around on the loading dock socializing tying up the facility.



Finally I had enough and used the alloy to make a hole to get out and picked up Carol and Maggie Bow first at the end of the dock.

Picked up a nice scoop of sardines at the bait barge and saw Jettywolfs friends on a Southern California vacation.



Headed out offshore to find some Dorado perfect for Carol and Maggie's first real offshore expirience. There was some nice tuna reports but not for Carol or Maggie on this trip. 35 miles out water conditions 73 degrees and cobalt blue found a kelp paddy away from the crowds and loaded with Dorado....... So I thought. There was a Cargo ship that was boarded by the Coast Guard.... A back up CG Cutter came up told me to get out......... rules he stated was 2 mile radius from the ships. I was at 1-3/4 miles. Anyone know of that rule? Left those fish boiling and jumping from some chum I threw. Well whats the saying "plenty of other fish in the sea." Just not Kelp Paddies.

Followed a current break like a shark weaving in and out of a bloodline and found another kelp paddy stacked against the break. The tell tale flash of neon green and gold was evident.



Maggie hooked up with her first ever Dorado.



Tip for you guys chasing these out here. Though dorado are voracius eaters........ water temps are not optimal and they can have a case of being picky. When you hook up one leave it in the water swimming and throw some chunked up sardines in the water with some on the hook the followers will usually eat these.

Since Dorado does not freeze very well.... keep what you eat for dinner fresh. My personal limit for the boat was 4. Fresh Ceviche on Tostada shells and Macadamia crusted Mahi Mahi served with a mango salsa. Was going to take pictures but the family made too quick work of it all.

Maggies fish.



After playing with the Dorado some recon for future trips....... found where the commercial swordfish stick boats were hiding and on the way back more winter rockfish spots....... but earlier found a pod of dolphin for Maggie's and Carol's viewing.



One important reason for my bow rails.



Dolphin were holding Yellowfin tuna up to 35 lbs. To big for Maggie and Carol at this point so nature watching was on the agenda.

The water and weather was great..... Seeing smiles on Carol and Maggie priceless.


Mark

[Bullshipper]

Nice day, nice post. Great when you see dorado off of California.

[S L Dave]

Awesome Mark!

It was a beautiful day yesterday. I went out to the 152 - 277 and the water had dropped 6 degrees over night. No fish :x

I made the 27 mile trip out in well under an hour on flat seas...coming back in was not so fast. :roll:

[skfmj]

Mark,

Good One!! Went out yesterday too with my son and a his friend and friend's dad. First Dorado for my son as well. Small fish but still fun, especially for the kids. So far none yet on the fly. I am 0 for 2. Had them hit the fly but these guys are small, so I need to tie up some smaller stuff. Oh well.

At one point the kids got board so we stopped for a swim break. You can see the East end of Catalina in the distance.




SLD

I was at the 277 for a brief time yesterday. We attempted to troll but there did not seem to be much happening, and the kids got board so we ate lunch and moved inside. Saw more paddies with fish on them but they were down and did not want to come up to play.

BTW Finally got some electronics!! Now I have to figure out how to work the stuff. Took me an hour just to figure out how to display the depth finder signal, of course the manual would have helped tremendously, but as with all things - "When all else fails consult the manual." Also they don't print manuals anymore, the just give you a PDF.

[Sculpin]

Awesome post from the "izers" :D . Way to go. Looks like a great trip at sea. I love those Durado's they just blow me away the shape and color. I don't know about the not fishing for those yellow fin's knowing that they were around Mark. You have more will power than me :D . Great photos man. Keep up the good work.

[mojomizer]

Bullshipper thanks for the kind words....... Dorado is a treat off of California hopefully they will stick around a few months and grow to a decent size.

Super Dave I have Terrafin SST charts for the latest info of water temps. PM me and I will share the info........it's a tool that may help conserve gas and find the fish. Also if you have not done already. Favorite place this site:

http://www.tempbreak.com/

Hint: Keep an eye off of Ensenada I call it the back door....... usually there is a cooler upwelling that extends offshore...... every once in a while the upwelling shuts down (back door opens) and allows warm water to flow northward along with the pelagic yellowtail, dorado, tuna and marlin. You can practically follow the fish up the line and ridge. The 425, 302, 182, 181, 209, 277, 152 in that order. A warm water push from weather off of Baja California helps greatly.

Richard/skfmj one day you are going to have to tell me about the cryptic skfmj.

Great to hear that your electronics finally came in. I would love to read your review of your awsome set up. Awsome your son catching his first dorado too (pictures please)

Wow I do not know if I would swim out there. I know that the Great Whites we have seen in the spring probably migrated to Guadalupe.



Though I have been tempted. Guess I grew up in the JAWS generation :shock:

One day we will have to fish Calicos on the fly at San Clemente Island.



Pics taken fishing with Super Dave. By the way SL the yellowfin went off on the Mackeral Bank a week later.



Leave you with some boring but useful reading material.

http://books.google.com/books?id=Qdzg0V ... lt#PPP1,M1


Thanks all

Mark

[Sculpin]

I know what you mean about the ramp scene Mark. I have no patience for people that think the place is for socializing or for photo op's. I had a day last year with about 8 trailers waiting to get in and I was up to bat and the guy below in the water had a brand new tupper ware boat and was having pictures taken of him standing next to his new piece of plastic :shock: . Well needless to say about 3 of us lost it and laid on the horns at almost the same time. He got the point real quick.

Get in, get back on the warf, or out of the way, and let the others launch!

[mojomizer]

John thankyou for the understanding and kind words. The tuna was hard as other boats were hailing their hook ups.

The decision was not mine for me......... The mind was able but wrist said heck no I had surgery on it 5 days earlier...... Bone chip, tendons and bone were scraped from the damage the bone chip caused and sent to pathology.

The orthopedic surgeon was not very pleased monday. He was not happy that his cast was modified because it stank from fish cleaning. Carol removed the cast and changed it. Nice having a emergency room nurse around........ sometimes (no more cheese burgers and greasy chile fries)

Ahhhhhhh all is well so no worries........... I type better with one hand and finger :lol:


Tight lines and bent rods.

Mark

[Ironwoodtuna]

Mojomizer,

Man, Oh, Man,

Those kids first experiences are now etched in their memories and hopefully will grow into the obsessions, like we all have for fishing.

It is awesome to see and experience kids getting excited about things like this...PRICELESS!

I love when my wife comes out for a day on the sea with a rod in her hand and a smile on her face when she hooks up with that first fish...

The area of seashore you guys get to fish is really scenic and beautiful. That YFT cut in half is alittle scary with the kids swiming, guess it was a different area than where it was caught.

Looked like a great day with the family and some tastey treats for dinner!

Tightlines, Marty

[mojomizer]

Thanks Marty it is great to fish through young eyes. The initial doubt of pulling on something that pulls back turning into confidence and then mastery into actual technique. Awsome

As far a Great whites it is my own paranoia people regularly dive and swim offshore water with no problems......... I get the willies swimming in deep water. The Great Whites migrate down the Southern California Coastline in the spring from the Farralon Islands near San Francisco to Guadalupe Islands 220 miles south of the border. That picture was taken at Guadalupe Island a few years back. I was fishing on a long range boat out of San Diego ( you will have to try that fishing someday) I was fishing lazy with on leg hanging over the rail.........The deckhand Travis says Mark look below you. A shadow 18 foot long and 3 foot across the head was 5 foot below the waterline.... my feet was back on deck in a nano second. Hairs were standing on the back of my neck.

We call those Great Whites the taxman getting their share of yellowfin tuna.

This spring on woman at Catalina Island was thrown out of her kayak and with luck the kayak was positioned between her and the Great White pushing water at one point she was standing on the shark. People who were fishing nearby assisted in her rescue.

A few weeks later in Oceanside a tri-athelete was not so lucky. Bitten and bled to death.

The next week a surfer in baja was bitten and died. :shock: We do not taste good apparently and usually spit out.

You should come out and do a long range trip out of San Diego catching 200-300 Lb. Yellowfin tuna.

Mark

[Sculpin]

[quote="mojomizer"]John thankyou for the understanding and kind words. The tuna was hard as other boats were hailing their hook ups.

The decision was not mine for me......... The mind was able but wrist said heck no I had surgery on it 5 days earlier...... Bone chip, tendons and bone were scraped from the damage the bone chip caused and sent to pathology.

The orthopedic surgeon was not very pleased monday. He was not happy that his cast was modified because it stank from fish cleaning. Carol removed the cast and changed it. Nice having a emergency room nurse around........ sometimes (no more cheese burgers and greasy chile fries)

Ahhhhhhh all is well so no worries........... I type better with one hand and finger :lol:


Tight lines and bent rods.

Sorry to here about your wrist man. That sucks. I hear ya on the great white thing too. I used to windsurf alot in my youth and we would go down to Pistol River all the time and I used to water start sooooooo fast when I fell in on the outside it wasn't funny. I had a pro windsurfer from California (Matt Pritchard) tell me if you fall in at any spots along Cali or Southern Oregon there is probably a White within a few hundred yards of you at any given time :shock:

[Daddy'O]

Looks like a great time Mark! Thanks for sharing!

Wayne

[JETTYWOLF]

you mean you passed up on 35# Tuna because of the wife and kid(s)??

Don't quit yer day job. If I did that I'd be walking my own plank!

Big Fish, women & kids = big time FUN, even if they don't make it to the gaff hook. Bring the wife and daughter in October. They'll be on ever giant Redbass, Shark or Tarpon! Or they'll be flogged.

Nice pics of my white feathered friends. I miss them...they miss me.

[CarolMizer]

Hmmmm,
Was not my decision to go for the smaller fare. I was bugging to go out for the main dish, not the side dish!! Just had to keep Mark from using that wrist, (Man, was that one UNHAPPY fisherman)


Just gotta love the determination though. He should be all healed up in no time at all. Same surgeon fixed my wrist, almost same problem but mine was a little more extensive. (I was fishing salmon in Oregon after a month, so I have faith he will be as good as new)