With all of the nice lobster reports coming in, I decided to take a run out on a Thursday to try and beat the crowds. I took the Square Boma to work and planned on fishing for a while until it got dark.
This navy ship has just been out everywhere and all the time this year...
It was windier than sh!t out there and the white caps were throwing spray all over me. I ran deeper inside the bay until the winds died down enough to run out and set the nets. the wind went from 20 to 0 in all about an hour.
I got some good positioning right next to the jetty, but the kelp floating out was horrendous! I spent most of the time clearing kelp off my buoys to keep them from being dragged off.
I think I got a bug on every single pull, but almost all of them were 1/8" to 1/4" short.
I was clearing some bouy lines when my motor died. I tried to get out of there since the jetty was coming up on my really quick! The motor would start, but stall when I put in gear. I threw the anchor before I realized that I had a pot line spun on my prop... ugh and the pot was stuck too! I don't have power trim and trying to lift the motor manually while hanging off the back of the boat in pitch black sucks monkey nuts. thankfully I had duct tape, a filet knife and a gaff to attach the knife too. Unfortunately, I had to lift the motor in order to cut the line, but it was only at 10 seconds at a time and I did not have great leverage with the gaff handle.
After 45 minutes, I cut it free and the boat swung around right at the rocks... but the anchor held. WHEW! I was less than 10' from crashing into the rocks... what frightening experience. LOL
I continued to catch a bunch of shorts and every once in a while picked up a legal or crab.
I also caught the oddest thing... I got a legal in the net but noticed he was "Broken" in the middle.
When I picked him up, I saw he was empty!
The meat looked fresh, so I'm not sure if he molted in my net or a sea lion sucked the meat out of him! How bizarre!
I finally got to fish as all of the kelp had now passed and fishing was doable. I sent out a piece of squid on a C-Rig with 8lb test to just see what was around. I thought I had a halibut on, when I see this come up... A Banded Guitarfish! My first one ever and a really cool looking fish!
I also caught a micro calico bass and a round ray, but that was it for this type of fishing.
Anyway, my back is jacked and the boat & bugs are clean. Time for a nap before dinner.
My wife is not too happy with my story from last night, but I guess I'll just have to be more careful and maybe not stick so close to the jetty next time.
Final Tally was 42 total lobster and only 3 keepers out of that along with two huge rock crab.
Thanks for reading and I hope your hoops are filled with buttery bugs!