Todos Santos 6-15 Islander

[Handymansd]

Wow, as usual an amazing trip with a great crew and good times by all. Probably lots of stories will follow so I will keep mine short...

Running into one of these full grown adults feeding on the surface, when your kayak would fit across the back of 1/2 it's tail is... quite flatly scary but also utterly amazing after cleaning out my waders, the highlight of my trip by far!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YtC-VagE4Y

Very Cool to see a full grown one up close....very close!!

I did not take pics, (stupid batteries) so maybe someone else can help share, but it was hands down the most beautiful place I have ever paddled.

Thanks Islander and Crew!

[chefchatten]

So it's been said before and I will say it again.... The Islander crew just kicks ass! Both the SCI trip and this one were top notch food and service. Plus they are all good guys.
They worked hard yesterday moving us mid-day trying to find better action. Loading kayaks with full bait tanks etc... def isn't taking the easy way.

All in all for me the trip was a blast! TS is a beautiful place to paddle around. It didn't have the oceanic feel that SCI has but fishing off shore islands are just amazing place to watch mother nature.

Day started off windy and overcast with quite a consistent swell coming
from the north. I went strait to the kelp for some slow but big calico
action. At about the crest of high tide they seemed to shut off so I
paddled to the outside to chase some birds and make a drift or two. After
about 45 min of chasing these small bird flocks I hear a
SSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHH. I'm like that's the biggest dog I have ever heard and it's about time to check my bait. About 2 seconds later.... half the fleet had to hear me yell Sh&*!!! One of the blue whales had came up with in a 100 yards of us. One guy got snotted on but he can tell that story. Long story short it was amazing to watch them from so close and so humbling as to what can happen out on the water.
Now realizing that I had been chasing birds on crill with whales below I figured it was time for a drift bouncing a dine off the bottom. So 234 ft later my weight hits the bottom and with in 2 min ZINNNNNGGGG. I gave it a pull and it felt like a box of rocks or a old lobster trap so i reeled and reeled with little hope. About 75 feet off the bottom the box of rocks decides to make a run to the north and almost spooled me. With so much line out to start with it made for a great fight and about 25 min later i looked over and saw the right color. My first MX yellow tail was on board and around 18#. Unfortunately it was the only one of the day but not for lack of trying. (and not to bad for me as it took the jackpot)
After the morning session we loaded up the kayaks and made the 3 mile move to punta ?? In the mean time the sun came out the wind calmed down for a bit and we all headed out. The spot was very rugged and beautiful...almost everyone had a chance to hook up with bass, ling cods,1 halibut and some other species as well. All in all I had a blast and it was nice meeting some new faces.

First of the day


TS South Island


My first MX yellow





sun came out and I found these two on a boiler rock


location two



pile of fish

[Corey]

Sounds like a fun trip. Great story on the whales & yt. Nice variety, too. You guys even got a trigger.

[Useful Idiot]

Whoever caught that trigger is responsible for turning it into ceviche! mmmmm trigger ceviche, muy bueno.

The whales sound friggin awesome, must be something else to be paddling around the biggest creatures on earth in the smallest boat on the water

Those Islander trips have a way of being epic even when the fishing's not the greatest. Definitely a highlight of my year when I get onboard.

[yakrider]

friggin awesome that must have been something to see that whale...

and then to top if off wit a ...nice!!!

how cool is that!!!!!!

[tylerdurden]

Sounds like a great trip. Lots of nice tasty bottom critters there. Weather looks better than the last trip a couple weeks ago.

[steveooo]

I NEED TO GET ON ONE OF THOSE TRIPS!!!!!!!!

[bajadog]

Great report...

[steamroll]

This was my 3rd trip on the Islander. The first 2 times, we fished San Clemente Island. I was excited to fish some new territory.

Sunday afternoon prior to loading the boat


Todos Boilers ....I thought for sure these things would be loaded with Calicos..but I got no bites in the first hour




I got a 2 good zings on my flyline dine but no dice...
The yellowtail were everywhere feeding on krill, I had 3 come up and bump into my kayak.

Punta Banda -



This area was very cool. We had a wide open lingcod bite right next to the boat, I got limits of lings, a big cabbie and a legal butt. Along with a few calicos on bait (but that doesn't count )









I forgot to take a picture of lunch...but I can't still remember it very well

1/2 Lb Burger
Lettuce
Tomato
Onion
2 cheese
5 strips of THICK cut bacon
1 WHOLE Avocado

!!!!

[aclozer]

Loved the trip as well. Great people and a great time.
BTW; Did anyone take any pics that would have a Blue Whale in it? Personally I just froze and didnt even think to pull out the camera.

[h2ofishfo]

[quote=Handymansd;25736]Wow, as usual an amazing trip with a great crew and good times by all. Probably lots of stories will follow so I will keep mine short...

Running into one of these full grown adults feeding on the surface, when your kayak would fit across the back of 1/2 it's tail is... quite flatly scary but also utterly amazing after cleaning out my waders, the highlight of my trip by far!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8YtC-VagE4Y

Very Cool to see a full grown one up close....very close!!
....sweet video documentry ..that narrator though could make a turd sound like a amazing creature he good!!!

[sbsyncro]

Wow, sounds like the conditions were with you on this trip (unlike our trip a couple weeks ago). Nice to know that there actually are some fish living there! :-)

Thanks for the reports - I love that shot of the mixed bag of fish - it really shows the diversity of available gamefish, and the different techniques and styles being employed by everyone fishing. A couple of those lings look like big thugs...

'grats on a great trip. Who got the JP? (the yellow tail?)

-Brent

[Minix008]

Dude, i was there too. I seen that big whale also. It looked like a sub' on top of the water. I chartered the Azteca and caught the same things you did. It was a nice trip but the marine layer was so so thick.

Great trip tho'