Trip Report Malibu trip report and fish ID help (I don't blast unfamiliar fish :) - Spearboard.com - The World's Largest Spearfishing Diving Boating Social Media Forum

gettin'wet · 02-09-2011, 02:12 PM

I hit an oldie-but-a-goodie spot in Malibu on Saturday and was rewarded with awesome 20ft vis (

), no current, and little surge

It was a really nice surprise, considering I was expecting to get crap vis but was just dying to get wet after a few weeks out of the water. Lesson learned again: Just get out and dive as often as you can.

As I swam up to the reef I immediately noticed a ton of life and action all around me. There were about 15 Opaleye just chillin and not even phased by me as I swam through, there were a handful of kelpies that were young and super curious... I swear two of them were following me around and swimming up to my mask. There were a bunch of perch that I don't ever take, but then there were also some rubberlips which I've never taken but understand are pretty good eating. Maybe next time. There were even some daytime bugs peaking out the cracks.

Anyway, I spent a lot of time just freediving the reef and the kelp and I was really enjoying myself since this is the most life I've seen in the past four or five dives. People have said it before, but I'll say it again... you'll see more and be more involved if you just chill out and enjoy the ride instead of trying too hard. BUT THEN the Calico started to show

. Now since I lost my gun in the rocks at Pt. Dume a while back, I was only armed with a janky old pole spear so I was mostly practicing my super stealthy stalking techniques (ha) and didn't bother trying to take one, but my boy nabbed a nice 16incher for us to grill up later so we didn't come home empty handed

After he got cold and went in, I stayed out to check out another kelp bed and maybe try to pull a big bug out for us. That's when I started to see these fish which I can only describe as looking like small Amberjacks. There were three or four of them of decent size... I'd say about 18" long and about 8" tall and not very thick, silver/grey in color with the profile of the Atlantic Amberjacks I've seen in photos. Can you guys help me figure out what this fish was? I know it wasn't a perch or any kind of rockfish, and probably not yellowtail. I've never seen WSB in the real world, but I'm fairly certain they weren't WSB from the millions of photos I've looked up and seen on the board during my two and a half years of obsession so far

. Sorry I don't have a photo to show you guys. Anybody have an idea?

...just wondering if they might be worth taking next time I'm out

5869 · 02-09-2011, 02:53 PM

Its a long shot but maybe Ocean Whitefish?

ApneaAddict · 02-09-2011, 03:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 5869

Its a long shot but maybe Ocean Whitefish?

That'd be my guess too.

If it was an ocean whitefish, you should shoot it next time. They're pretty good eating.

*CaptainLeo* · 02-09-2011, 03:20 PM

It might have been spot fin croaker. They are shaped like you described. That would be my guess. One question, where in the water did see them? Down deep or up shallow?

Scolinos · 02-09-2011, 04:24 PM

golden trevally?

gettin'wet · 02-09-2011, 05:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ApneaAddict

That'd be my guess too.

If it was an ocean whitefish, you should shoot it next time. They're pretty good eating.

I don't think it was... but if I ever see one I will def put a cap in his a$$

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaptainLeo

It might have been spot fin croaker. They are shaped like you described. That would be my guess. One question, where in the water did see them? Down deep or up shallow?

Yep that's what I think it was. I got a PM with a couple photos and I'd say that's the fish I saw. To answer your question Leo, they were shallow... I was in about 20 ft of water and they were probably half way down, maybe 8' - 10' below the surface kind of hovering in the kelp.

Thanks for solving the mystery for me guys

... I'll go back this weekend and try to get one or two, I've heard they're pretty tasty.

gettin'wet · 02-09-2011, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scolinos

golden trevally?

Just curious, do we get Trevally here locally?

ezcompany · 02-09-2011, 05:45 PM

there was a guy that said he caught one in MDR area. he is a well respected guy on the forum but he failed to take a pic. this was just around the time when that wahoo was caught locally.

kev the sea dog · 02-09-2011, 06:51 PM

Great report! Sounds like an all around awesome day!
Damn I love diving!
Peace.

fishnstix · 02-10-2011, 12:29 AM

trevally, really?


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02-09-2011, 02:12 PM	#1
gettin'wet Glaucus guides my spear Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Woodland Hills, CA Age: 33 Posts: 805	Malibu trip report and fish ID help (I don't blast unfamiliar fish :) I hit an oldie-but-a-goodie spot in Malibu on Saturday and was rewarded with awesome 20ft vis (), no current, and little surge It was a really nice surprise, considering I was expecting to get crap vis but was just dying to get wet after a few weeks out of the water. Lesson learned again: Just get out and dive as often as you can. As I swam up to the reef I immediately noticed a ton of life and action all around me. There were about 15 Opaleye just chillin and not even phased by me as I swam through, there were a handful of kelpies that were young and super curious... I swear two of them were following me around and swimming up to my mask. There were a bunch of perch that I don't ever take, but then there were also some rubberlips which I've never taken but understand are pretty good eating. Maybe next time. There were even some daytime bugs peaking out the cracks. Anyway, I spent a lot of time just freediving the reef and the kelp and I was really enjoying myself since this is the most life I've seen in the past four or five dives. People have said it before, but I'll say it again... you'll see more and be more involved if you just chill out and enjoy the ride instead of trying too hard. BUT THEN the Calico started to show . Now since I lost my gun in the rocks at Pt. Dume a while back, I was only armed with a janky old pole spear so I was mostly practicing my super stealthy stalking techniques (ha) and didn't bother trying to take one, but my boy nabbed a nice 16incher for us to grill up later so we didn't come home empty handed After he got cold and went in, I stayed out to check out another kelp bed and maybe try to pull a big bug out for us. That's when I started to see these fish which I can only describe as looking like small Amberjacks. There were three or four of them of decent size... I'd say about 18" long and about 8" tall and not very thick, silver/grey in color with the profile of the Atlantic Amberjacks I've seen in photos. Can you guys help me figure out what this fish was? I know it wasn't a perch or any kind of rockfish, and probably not yellowtail. I've never seen WSB in the real world, but I'm fairly certain they weren't WSB from the millions of photos I've looked up and seen on the board during my two and a half years of obsession so far . Sorry I don't have a photo to show you guys. Anybody have an idea? ...just wondering if they might be worth taking next time I'm out __________________ - Asi Ifrah "I'd rather dive than breathe" ..

02-09-2011, 02:53 PM	#2
5869 Doing Tables Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Pretty much still in a barn. Posts: 2,141	Re: Malibu trip report and fish ID help (I don't blast unfamiliar fish :) Its a long shot but maybe Ocean Whitefish? __________________ http://www.wongspearguns.com/ http://www.divingcharters.com/

02-09-2011, 03:20 PM	#4
CaptainLeo Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: O'side, CA Posts: 2,580	Re: Malibu trip report and fish ID help (I don't blast unfamiliar fish :) It might have been spot fin croaker. They are shaped like you described. That would be my guess. One question, where in the water did see them? Down deep or up shallow? __________________ Capt. Leo Duarte www.Ariessportfishing.com

02-09-2011, 04:24 PM	#5
Scolinos is the ocean's lover Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Los Angeles Posts: 380	Re: Malibu trip report and fish ID help (I don't blast unfamiliar fish :) golden trevally? __________________ Matt Scolinos Los Angeles, CA Motivation fueled by Obsession

02-09-2011, 05:45 PM	#8
ezcompany Registered User Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: S. Pasadena Posts: 964	Re: Malibu trip report and fish ID help (I don't blast unfamiliar fish :) there was a guy that said he caught one in MDR area. he is a well respected guy on the forum but he failed to take a pic. this was just around the time when that wahoo was caught locally.

02-09-2011, 06:51 PM	#9
kev the sea dog cold? wait you'll numb up Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Alhabmra, CA Posts: 331	Re: Malibu trip report and fish ID help (I don't blast unfamiliar fish :) Great report! Sounds like an all around awesome day! Damn I love diving! Peace. __________________ "You can learn from an ordanary bamboo leaf what ought to happen. It bends lower and lower under the weight of snow. Suddenly the snow slips to the ground without the leaf having stirred. Stay like that at the point of highest tension until the shot falls from you. So, indeed, it is: when the tension is fullfilled, the shot must fall, it must fall from the archer like snow from a bamboo leaf, before he even thinks." The Master

02-10-2011, 12:29 AM	#10
fishnstix feesh killah Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: torrance Posts: 655	Re: Malibu trip report and fish ID help (I don't blast unfamiliar fish :) trevally, really?

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