i launched from kellogg street today in hopes of getting into the sandbass action, and was not disappointed.
the mission was to hit the bait barge, a long ways away from any launch point that non navy float tubers have access to.
today i was to play the role of captain oOlie, captain of the SS Sealion Decoy.
today's rig was the daiwa luna 203 (freshly serviced and feeling awesome btw new gears, the pinion was polished btw, thanks again chuck. and lubed with xtreme reel + it spins soo freely) mounted on the okuma guide select series GS-C-862H an 8'6" two piece casting rod designed for salmon and steelhead, 12-25, 1/2-4oz. heavy power, fast action bend, or parabolic, depending on the pressure you apply, i'd probly call it moderate.
spooled up with a fresh spool of bass pro shops excel in the 10 pound test before i left the house.
the first few nibbles i got were on the 5 inch glow w/holo flk 5 inch mc swimbait (poured by Cory Sanden) on the 7/8ths ounce bullet jighead with a perfect Gamakatsu hook (poured by John Cassidy of Angler's Arsenal and Western Plastics).
those first few nibbles were in the Kona Kai channel, missed them all, made my way over to the first navy dock for a lone 10" sandy before i was told to leave.
so i began kicking my way over to the bait barge, at this point, the tide was slack, so i didn't have much help getting to the barge. on the way over i longlined this nice 16" sandbass right in front of the SEAL tour bus/boat. i was full bendo on it when they got up to me.
i kept going and eventually made it to the barge, and got right into them.
i got a few sandies, and some cudas of various size by accident. one which stole my bait, so i rigged up another of the same, except this time in the blue tinge color. the sea lions loved to mess with me, and it seemed that every time i hooked a barracuda that the seagulls and seals would start laughing at me.
one large cuda i hooked got taken by a mammoth sea lion, probly in the 400 pound range, and it happened about 12 feet from me.
then the current picked up, big time.
i was stupid to tube out there with a tide like we had today, ripping and hard, i struggled to not get sucked out of the bay, and switched to a 5" mc in brown bait with silver on a 1 oz hammer head, it was eaten readily. big bendo!
yeah!
same fish.
i stayed for awhile catching a few more sandies, and a tiny bonito.
the barge crew was kind enough to offer me a ride to shore, thanks guys, getting back in that kind of current would have been very unpleasant.
times are good, enjoy yourselves.
