A warm night of buggin'

[Matt]

Launched Tuesday night at about 645 at SI with some buddys going on my first yak hooping trip of the season, first time hooping in the new Trident. Took 3 hoops, 2 eclipse style, and one traditional 32 with the bait box rigged "portugese" style with the bait box suspended across the large ring with some dyneema and tuna clips. Got to the "secret" spot that was easily identified with 30 some glow stick filled bouys! Threw our nets down full of some fresh dead macks and some frozen yellowtail scraps. Did our first pull roughly 45 minutes later for 1 legal and a ton of just shorts, on the second pull in the same vicinity (roughly 25' and 33') netted 2 more legals and more shorts. Both Mike and Rusty also netted a legal. After this the crawl seemed to shut off for a bit, although Rusty netted one more, pulled our hoops and headed to the bali hai shoal and set hoops for a last ditch effort, Mike pulled up another legal in less than 6' of water, all I got was stingrays in the second spot, we quickly called it a night and headed on in for a total of 7 bugs for 4 guys. Talked to the Harbor Patrol who checked our licenses, bugs, and bug cards and he said we probably had the most success of anyone he had checked all night. Loaded up and headed home, I got all 3 of my legals before 10pm, also this was hands down the warmest night of hooping that I have ever experienced!! Good luck to any heading on out!!!


Matt F.

As soon as I find my camera cord I will put up some pics!

[Handymansd]

Sounds like I missed a fun trip! Congrats on a couple of great dinners!

[Iceman]

Tuesday was a good night to be out, warm, no fog and no wind messing with the burn of your cigar! Any night you come home with some tasty critters is a good one.

[Tman]

No pics = BS....

[tackle dummy]

Matt, its always an estimable experience fishing with you. I am glad that Rusty got some bugs.

Sorry about the "sex panther" bait I was using.

G.

[Dan]

es·ti·ma·ble (st-m-bl)adj.
1. Possible to estimate: estimable assets; an estimable distance.
2. Deserving of esteem; admirable: an estimable young professor.

great word! keep read the Times.

[Sherm]

It was the same last night. Calm winds, warm air, three legal bugs and a good cigar. Glad you got some. Lots of just shorts out there.

[JrBasser]

hey matt quick question. with the suspended bait cages, what happens when a lobster is sitting on the cage and/or rope?

[Rusty]

Matt, thanks for showing me the ropes (and for the hoops, bait, hooping advice etc). Gino (tackle dummy), your bait stank sooooo bad dude, but it was great hoopin' with you... and Mike too. Let's do it again next week!


A little more report... In about 30 min waiting to pull traps I got 5 spotties on the gulp shrimp. It was a nice way to kill the time and definitely worth bringing the bass stick for those who don't already do that.

[fishpatrol]

I was out there on tues also . I think i talk to you matt anyway a great night . No keepers but the budlights and cigars were still happening. Are the harbor police sittin waiting everynight. Looked like they were giving a pboater the bui test. next time ill launch out of kelloggs. kinda new to lobsters fishing whats the best bait besides live cut up? thanks any tips will help. PI Does a 12 ft.wooden boat with electric trolling engine go into pwer boat catagory or kayak land?

[dgax65]

Originally Posted by fishpatrol

PI Does a 12 ft.wooden boat with electric trolling engine go into pwer boat catagory or kayak land?

From the CA DMV website

What Vessels Must be Registered?

Generally, every sail-powered vessel over eight feet in length and every motor-driven vessel (regardless of length) that is not documented by the U.S. Coast Guard which is used or on the waters of this state are subject to registration by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). The vessel must be located in California.
Vessels previously registered in other states must be registered in California within 120 days of being brought into the state, if it will be used upon California waterways the majority of the time.
The term vessel applies to every description of water-craft used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on water, except the following:

• A seaplane on the water.
• A watercraft specifically designed to operate on a permanently fixed course and guided by a mechanical device that restricts the watercraft's movement to the fixed course.
• A floating structure that is designed and built to be used as a stationary waterborne residential dwelling, which, (a) does not have and is not designed to have a mode of power of its own, (b) is dependent for utilities upon a continuous utility linkage to a source originating on shore, and (c) has a permanent, continuous hookup to a shoreside sewage system.

The following vessels do not have to be registered in California:

• Vessels propelled solely by oars or paddles.
• Nonmotorized sailboats that are eight feet or less in length.
• Nonmotorized surfboards propelled by a sail and with a mast that the operator must hold upright.
• A ship’s lifeboat (a dinghy is not a lifeboat).
• Vessels currently and lawfully numbered (registered) by another state that are principally used outside California.
• Vessels brought into California for racing purposes only (exempted only during races and tune-ups).

[Corey]

Nice job, Matt!

[Tman]

Que bueno....

[Matt]

Originally Posted by JrBasser

hey matt quick question. with the suspended bait cages, what happens when a lobster is sitting on the cage and/or rope?

Not too sure what happens, but they seem to fall in the bottom of the hoop net and in theory are wating for you to measure them!
I like that style of rigging the bait cage as it seems to add to the presentation of the bait pocket in the bottom of the hoop net, I do know that Jim Salazar highly reccomends it and that is pretty much as good as it gets in my opinion.

[Sherm]

I started suspending my cages last year. I just tied some cord to some large swivels and attached them to the bait cages. I like to attach the swivels catty corner from one another. That way the bait cage seems to spin when you lift it and hopefully any bugs on the cage will go down into the net as the cage spins underneath it.

That's my theory anyway and I'm sticking to it.

[JrBasser]

Sweet thanks. Just wasnt sure if it was gonna throw em out of the hoop or not. but i guss it you pull straight they'll fall off into the net.

[T-Rex]

Originally Posted by Matt

Not too sure what happens, but they seem to fall in the bottom of the hoop net and in theory are wating for you to measure them!
I like that style of rigging the bait cage as it seems to add to the presentation of the bait pocket in the bottom of the hoop net, I do know that Jim Salazar highly reccomends it and that is pretty much as good as it gets in my opinion.

Matt,

So you use a bait cage and put bait in the pocket? Sounds like a great idea!

[Matt]

Actually what I do is load the bait pocket with dead macks or yt or bonito, then zip tie it shut, I then take my "Portugese" style rigged bait cage and attach it to the outer ring and it is suspended. Seemed to work the other night decently, I can hardly claim to be an expert though, so please don't even mistake me for one, I just figure the more bait the better chance at catching some bugs!

FYI there was definitely some pickpocketing by the seals going down! My bait cages are definitely not at all square anymore, and one big sealion managed to chew through my zip ties on the bait pocked in the bottom of my promar traditional hoop net and I had tied it shut with at least 4 zip ties(industrial thickness). Good luck to all!


Matt F.

[JrBasser]

",,,with dead macks or yt or bonito"

weird I've always heard live yellowtail worked best!

Thats funny though because when I dove friday night I found a half eaten perch with fat legal lobster eating him tail first... the lobster went into a hole and i grabbed the perch to lay in out in the sand to see if I could get the lobster to come out and grab it and it kept trying to swim away from me with tail half. How did that one happen?? The lobster stalk and pounce him??