no tanks
07-25-2006, 04:06 PM
The Yellowtail from shore are always a blast and it's good to read those stories but, what about the islands? I havent read anything lately about Yellows and what they have been up to...Maybe I missed the thread.
I read that Nate ran out to Catalina last week and Mark poked a very nice WSB but I would have thought the YT were thick. They saw one all day.
With family and business keeping me busy, I finally got in the water last Friday for the first time all season (ouch). We hit the front side of Catalina (Eagle)and I worked hard. The current was pretty good and nothing other than Barracuda and Bonita. We moved closer to the Island. The water was 74 and fairly clear. This place had some Sardines on the top and Blacksmith at around 25'-30'. A small reef area and sand on the outside. The first fish showed his face after an hour. I was already down and he was moving quick. He gave me one chance and I blew it. An easy shot and I was too confident -Lesson learned. I dove the area for another hour or so for nothing.
We moved outside Emerald and I quickly swam to the drop off. Not much of a current, plenty of bait and it just felt good again to be here. The bait would scatter and a school of Bonita (80-100) would cruise through. This happened time after time but, no other fish.
An other hour and a half; I'm just about to swim back to the boat when the bait scatters again. Gotta drop. At about 25' three YT come swimming from my right - the two smaller fish swim in front of me and the bigger goes behind me. Do I take whats easy or go for the larger one that I cant see? Well, ofcourse I want the bigger one so, I slowly angle my body to the left and hold, not looking at the fish and hoping it will fold out as planned. He starts to come into view and begins to angle towards me (nice). Im lined up and waiting to see how close he will come. He gets closer, closer, I pull the trigger and down he goes. I have a decent shot so I dont give him much but, I need air and he wraps up. After a few dives I get my 'annual' fish on the deck.
A short while back, for a period of about four years, I would average four days a week in the water - Life happens; enjoy it.
The fish had some nice fat Sardines and Mackeral in his belly - 29.1#
Dive safe,
Phil Polanco
I read that Nate ran out to Catalina last week and Mark poked a very nice WSB but I would have thought the YT were thick. They saw one all day.
With family and business keeping me busy, I finally got in the water last Friday for the first time all season (ouch). We hit the front side of Catalina (Eagle)and I worked hard. The current was pretty good and nothing other than Barracuda and Bonita. We moved closer to the Island. The water was 74 and fairly clear. This place had some Sardines on the top and Blacksmith at around 25'-30'. A small reef area and sand on the outside. The first fish showed his face after an hour. I was already down and he was moving quick. He gave me one chance and I blew it. An easy shot and I was too confident -Lesson learned. I dove the area for another hour or so for nothing.
We moved outside Emerald and I quickly swam to the drop off. Not much of a current, plenty of bait and it just felt good again to be here. The bait would scatter and a school of Bonita (80-100) would cruise through. This happened time after time but, no other fish.
An other hour and a half; I'm just about to swim back to the boat when the bait scatters again. Gotta drop. At about 25' three YT come swimming from my right - the two smaller fish swim in front of me and the bigger goes behind me. Do I take whats easy or go for the larger one that I cant see? Well, ofcourse I want the bigger one so, I slowly angle my body to the left and hold, not looking at the fish and hoping it will fold out as planned. He starts to come into view and begins to angle towards me (nice). Im lined up and waiting to see how close he will come. He gets closer, closer, I pull the trigger and down he goes. I have a decent shot so I dont give him much but, I need air and he wraps up. After a few dives I get my 'annual' fish on the deck.
A short while back, for a period of about four years, I would average four days a week in the water - Life happens; enjoy it.
The fish had some nice fat Sardines and Mackeral in his belly - 29.1#
Dive safe,
Phil Polanco