Fishing report August 13th, 2014

[YumaJames]

Well, went out fishing in the Caballo area last few days, wanted to go to Area 51 but it was too windy Saturday to Monday. Pulled up a few fish, then pulling up about a 5- 7 pounder then about 50 feet from the surface DIOS MIO!!! WHAM!!! something grabs the fish and I literally just about get yanked out of my seat and into the water. Barely had time to react, fortunately my line/leader snapped before I lost my rod and reel. Loosened the drag, kept fishing, caught a few more fish, then WHAM!!! happened two more times.

Tiburon?

Going out again in about 2 weeks, this time bringing steel leader line and tiburon setups. Y suerte.

 

[dmcauley]

Looks like a seal to me

 

[YumaJames]

Don't think it was a seal because I was fishing in that area for a few hours and never seen any seals come up for air, and in the past I've thrown small fish to seals who've been hanging around the boat and they never seem interested in them. Have only been boating in the Rocky Point area for about a year, and I've seen pics and heard a little about sharks in the area from the guys who work at Safe Marina, (Miguel, who works at Safe Marina, seen a shark at Area 51 about a month ago but couldn't catch it) and they/I still think it was sharks. Which kinda surprises me, because something went after my fish three times that day, and I haven't had that happen before. I don't know of another species of fish around Rocky Point that would go after fish like that near the surface (they were hitting my fish about 50 feet down). Although I've never had sharks go after my fish before, it sure felt like a shark because it hit hard and fast, and when I pulled up those fish they were sure shredded.

 

[dmcauley]

The best way to ruin your day is to throw a fish to the bane of all fisherman. They live to steal your bait. The last trip out to the 51 we hooked up a 6 ft mako and it gave us a great fight.the reason I say seal is because the tail looked chewed off ,which happens often from seals.
The several times I've hooked into big sharks they have thrown the bait after striking or simply severed the line I have seen 15 and 20 lb catches torn in half leaving only the body though, similar to your photos.
The way you describe the first big bite indicates to me that a 70-100 lb grouper, which the Caballo is famous for, gave you a run for your money. They have been known to follow a catch up the water column and steal it but that tactic is something I've experienced more w/ big blacks which you don't usually get at the Caballo.
The fishing is only going to get better in the next couple of months. so keep fishing the deeper reefs and you will eventually start catching some nice fish.

 

[YumaJames]

Great points! Sounds like you've had alot of fun out there. You're absolutely right about Area 51, have been dying to get out there. Was real hard for me to get out this summer, seemed like it was near impossible to coordinate time off with good weather, but am heading out again in a couple weeks and will keep the fingers crossed. Thanks!

 

[Stuart]

Just so you know, I've had similar days on the Caballo -- turned out to be black tip reef sharks. Couldn't get a bait down past them and if somehow you did, you couldn't get a fish back up through them. When the sea gives you sharks, change to wire leaders and throw a few in the cooler. They were mostly smaller models, 25 to 30 lb. range. and there were a LOT of them! Blacktip is very good eating. I have another area out near the 43 that the blacktips like to school up on and we play catch and release with them until we get bored and move on to somewhere else. They are usually there in the fall, other times of the year, not a single one. Weird.

 

[YumaJames]

Interesting, thanks Stuart.

 

[dmcauley]

That area out by the 43 has been quiet for 3 years now but I would sure like to find them again. No catch and release on my boat, too tasty