Incredible fishing on the Pacific Edge! I was working as 2nd ticket with Capt Mark Wisch on a 1 1/2 day trip for one of those adventures I know a crew will never forget.

We left HH and tanked up with some squirts around 3pm and set our course to the squid grounds on the backside of Catalina with high hopes of some good fishing for our passengers…Jim and John Rygiol, brothers that had shared many an adventure together.

I ran through the drill on the way over for the guys and got them prepared as much as we could; in hopes we would find and sink a few hooks into a few. Mark was on the wheel…and on the phone gathering all the last minute information from members of his code group that had fished that morning. It all paid off in the end!!!

Rounding the East End and working up the back, the weather was definitely not the flat calm we enjoyed on the trip across the channel. But we pulled into the zone and got the gear together and in the water by 5pm and hooked into the first part of our slam which was a 24 LB halibut to kick the skunk right off the boat...and lay the groundwork for what was to be the best trip of the season to date!!!

We fished into dark for not much more than a nice dinner and increasing weather. Mark made the call to move into the calm of Cat Harbor for a few quality hours of rest and we enjoyed the respite. Just prior to lying down, Jim produced a box of earplugs…putting us on alert that John could do some serious snoring. Well, truth be told they both could saw some logs!!!.

Mark woke me up at 2:30 and said it was time to make that move back and we were soon on our way to the spot we would spend the rest of our trip. Lines were in around 4am and we had our first swim by on the toad Yellowtail around 6 am and hooked two, landed one and we were on the board early on. Then shortly thereafter is when the real party started or should I say when the TANKERS crashed the Yellowtail party!!!

A matched pair of tankers

All I can say it was fishing of a life time for a good hour. We limited out on a beautiful grade of seabass before we pulled the hook and left them chewing. All the fish were 30 to 42 LB and along with our 24 LB butt and 25# yellow, we rounded out the first inshore slam on the Pacific Edge. The friendly rivalry between the brothers was a crackup to watch and listen to as John had his sights set on a 40 pounder…but of course first timer Jim made the grade and took big fish honors!!!

Jamie & his personal best

We were pretty much done by 9 am with a very happy crew and a mountain of fish to clean. So Captain Mark made the call to retire to Little Harbor to get into phone range to make some connections and get out the filet board. Once done with that project we, gave them an option go fish bass or try for more yellows or to enjoy some of there fresh catch in Avalon at Armstrong's.


Toasting a trip well done


Well…the overwhelming vote was lunch on shore and it was a winner our fish was prepared 3 ways and was absolutely delicious…a perfect recipe for lunch and laughs and memories that will last a lifetime!

Want more information on how you can get a shot at this fantastic fishing now underway at the offshore Islands…call the Pacific Edge store at 714-840-4262 or check the web at pacificedgetackle.com