Opaleye Point 3/25
I visited the ledge to the right of Opaleye Point this morning for the incoming tide surging five feet at nine. Like last week, today I could find only one small patch of opaleye algae bait at Colorado Lagoon in Long Beach and it was muddy and full of leaves and petioles.
I wanted to fish the rocks near the end of Hawthorne Blvd. but as the swell chart predicted, the surf pounding west-facing shore was four feet and unfishable. A quick look from the bluff confirmed this.
Once I was at the south-facing and protected fish hole with a bucket of seawater, the bait washed out just fine with plenty of long green strands for everyone. I threw some of the shorter strands out for chum then began the WildEye sardine casting ritual.
As the tide had three hours before its peak, parts of the ledge nearest the kelp forest were exposed enough to fish from. I made 14 casts to different gaps and stringers with no hits. In order to fling the lure to the farthest reaches, I gave the 15th cast a big heave-ho and vvvvt… birds nest! The hook managed to grab hold of the net behind me, which I always keep close by.
Dang it, if the tangle was recoverable it wasn’t worth the 30 minutes of fartin’ around it would take to get the unit going again. There was enough light anyway to start with the opaleye bobber outfit. These days I am using a variation of the traditional rig, now with a swivel and egg sinker. Before, we used two split shots but when you made a hard cast, at times the weights would slip down to the hook.
Two hours and no bites while casting the whole length of the ledge, I did it again! Another vicious bird’s nest now in my baitcaster. This time I snagged my previously disabled rod that was lying behind me. It’s really not a good day. I spent 20 minutes taking the reel apart so I could cut the spoiled line off the spool.
All that work for nothing, as after re-rigging I kept in tune to my personal theme of 2009 by having no hits by eleven o’clock.
On the way back to the bluff trail I saw the birds were working a hundred yards off Opaleye Point. I stood and watched for a while to see if any game fish were also chasing the presumed bait ball but saw no sign of the finned ones.
Last week I spotted a backhoe on the shore near Palos Verdes Bay Club. I was thinking maybe they were installing a new stairway down to the beach but actually it is PV’s newest state-of-the-art butthole complete with hemorrhoids.
*****
Bishop Trip was awesome….The fishing was great and the scenery was beautiful as always….The first 2 pics are at the Owens Rivers (caught only some small pan trout but all were caught on lures)….The next 3 pics are from Pleasant Valley Res., caught my limit in about an hour, great fishing there considering they just had a trout derby the week before…..Even got a chance to break in my .243 and it was awesome….There is nothing like letting out your frustration by shooting things like beer cans and bottles (empty of course)…..See ya
*****
61.2 white seabass off Newport
Record trout at Diamond Valley Lake
Humpbacks spotted off LA and OC
Buoy off Redondo breakwall will measure toxic algae
So. Cal. marine reserve plan spawns debate
Record trout caught at Irvine Lake
Grunion reason for increased shark sightings?
Ventura River steelhead catch a break
Budget cuts spur DFG to dump trout
*****
Four-wheeled up to the Estelle Mountain area 3/20. These are the hills on the other side of the 15 freeway from my neighborhood. All of the easier roads are gated. You can only drive here if you have 4x4 and high clearance via Gavilan Springs Ranch Road off Lake Matthews Drive.
The other way is to walk in. If you exit the 15 freeway at Lake Street in Lake Elsinore and go east, park there and hike up dirt Lake Street past the yellow gate 1 to 3 miles. The farther you go the more spectacular.
The light wasn't that great, the sky was smoggy, but the poppies were at their peak. If you don't go there within the next week there might not be much to see.
*****
Hiked Chino Hills State Park 3/18. I didn't find vast acreage of poppies, only a couple pockets due to the whole place being overrun by mustard and thistles.
The best spot was on a ridge east of Upper Aliso Canyon on the northern border of the park.
Lower Aliso Canyon was ok but not enough to photograph.
