Monday, June 24, 2013

Giant Squid Fishing 1/9/2013

Every 18 to 24 months in Southern California, we receive news reports about the giant Humboldt Squid passing through the waters of Newport Beach, beaching themselves on the shores en masse, consuming the local fish population and then moving on within a week.  Since I began my fishing journey, I’ve been watching the fish counts for local party boats for any reports of giant squid. 

victor_squidOn January 2nd of this year, I saw a report for 1 giant squid caught out of a Dana Point.  I bought a ticket for the next week and told my boss that I was leaving early to make the boat (squid are caught at night).  Due to poor weather, the boats were cancelled and I had to reschedule my trip for the next day and hope that the weather improved.  I was slightly anxious that the squid would decide that would leave for Mexico in the meantime, but I tried to remain hopeful.

I anticipated that it might be a bit cold fishing in evening so I brought a warm sweater with me and my wife brought one of those water-resistant sleeping-bag looking coats.  At the docks, there were several fishermen checking-in and we immediately assumed aspects of terror when we saw that several of them squid_on_the_deckwere wearing rain slickers and a few were wearing trash-bags.  One young man looked more worried than me; he was wearing a wife-beater.

After we launched, we spent about an hour heading out along the coast and watching the sun set.  By the time we reached our destination, the sun had set completely.  I was using my surf fishing rod, with 25 pound line, and a small squid jig.  I used my camera flash to charge the glow-in-the-dark segment of the jig.  Once the ship stabilized, we dropped our lines to 150 yards and waited.  After five minutes, someone shouted that he had hooked one and about five seconds later, my rod and it seemed every other rod on the boat arced down with the pull of squid. 

single_squid_on_deckThe giant squid attempt to jet straight down every three seconds which pulls the rod tip almost into the water.  Between tugs, you can bring the squid up a few yards.  The squid, upon reaching the surface, shower the deck with ocean water in their attempts to escape.  The crew members with the gaffs were occupied rushing from person to person.  Rather than wait, I grabbed the line with my hands and pulled it up to the deck hand over hand.  Upon removing the jig, the squid grab your hands which it about the most unsettling experience I’ve had.  Since the crew was busy, we just put the squid on the deck behind us.  The squid on the deck would flash back and forth between white and red, occasionally filling their bodies squid_beakup with air and blowing it out.  That night, my wife and I caught thirty squid between the two of us, keeping three to fry and use as bait.

The only drawback to the trip was the cleaning of the squid.  For a five-hour trip, we spent thirty minutes cruising to the fishing spot, an hour and a half fishing, and three hours cleaning the catch.  As you can imagine, it is very cold from nine to midnight on a boat offshore in January.  My wife and I spent the rest those three hours sharing each others’ warmth and hoping that we would get back to shore soon.  It was really a once in a lifetime experience because neither of us are willing to brave the cold again…at least not anytime soon.

Monday, June 10, 2013

Village Pond Park Bluegill Fishing 6/1/2013

As the day gets longer and the local ponds get more sunlight, the plant life in said ponds grows rapidly and it become very easy to catch sunfish.  One of the most enjoyable pWildGeeselaces in Orange County is Clark Regional Park where the water is crystal clear and only about a foot deep. You can watch the fish swimming about midday and if you drop some food in, you can watch as they swarm it.  This Saturday, I walked to Village Pond Park which is less than a mile from my house with a telescoping travel rod, 2 pound test, a small bobber, a size 20 hook, and a small piece of rubber cut from an old jig.  Sunfish spawn rapidly and are not picky eaters so they will bite at most baits and lures.

Village Pond Park is known more for the bird population than it’s fishing.  At any given time, there will be more than one hundred birds: mostly geese, ducks, and loons.  There are some fishing birds too that will watch you and try to grab any fish that you drop on the grass/sidewalk.

I only had about fifteen minutes, so I cast a few times and caught a three-inch bluegill that I released immediately and a seven-inch bluegill pictured to the left.  My wife took over and caught a five-inch green sunfish and a five-inch bluegill, pictured from left to right below.

VictorBluegillKatiesBluegillKatiesGreenSunfish

We kept the largest bluegill and returned the rest of them.  The bluegill will be used in a crayfish trap in one of the coming weekends.