Shaping up for late spring and down the line
There's no way I'll ever forget my first skiff trip on the Qualifier 105. Brian Sims was the captain then and we pulled into the Gap at San Benitos (the Bush) and settled back on the anchor on greasy seas under a grey sky.

The L.A. Rod and Reel Club had combined with Barry Brightenburg of Fish Trap Lures for the charter and the club members were the first ones up on the skiff. There would only be one run that afternoon due to the timing, so the rest of us were "stuck" on the big boat.

I've got photos of the skiffs taking off, the push of the outboard props and the wake the only thing to disturb the flat calm -- until the skiffs were gone and yellowtail boiled up within easy jig cast.

We'd already started cocktail hour, figuring not much was going to happen, and there was a deli spread out for the afternoon snack. Then swoosh, another bubble of white, another -- and they were moving closer. With nine of the 18 anglers gone on skiffs, the stern rail was wide open on the return from the rush to to the rod racks. Wait for the boil and cast to the target -- hell, cast to nothing and you still got bit.

It's still one of my favorite fishing moments -- jig sticks, pu pu platters and drinks all at hand, 15 to 20-pound yellowtail crashing the party. The skiffs came back and I'll never forget the late Dan Felger whipping up the spiciest Bloody Mary I ever tasted. He like them, though, and he loved those huge calicos on the skiff.

The skiff trips on the 105 are starting off real soon and the American Angler found some quality yellowtail down in the Cedros/Natividad/Benitos zone. It's a fact that the water conditions we have up here can reach almost all the way to Cabo, so it's a good thing that big south swell just rolled through and another may be on they way -- although not so good when you're working boilers on a skiff.

Good, blue, clean warm water is a great thing however, and that's why the news that Guadalupe is back in the picture is fantastic. Long range fishing is all about increasing your options and having the 'Lupe back on the table is huge for those wavering on whether to plunk down the cash for a summer/early fall 3 to 5-day.

Finally, the picture with this blog is Cape Pearce from the deck of the Royal Star. Both combined for another of my favorite fishing moments. But that's another story.