I went on a 2-day trip to hunt for the elusive White Seabass (aka the "Ghost"), and for Yellowtails. This trip was scheduled on a full moon when the WSB are known to be on the chew. We have lots of live squid for bait. Among the gears I brought along was Major Craft Giant Killing Hiramasa rod paired with the Van Staal VM150. We'll be fishing at gray light the moment we reached San Clemente island. Everyone was prepping their gears the moment we boarded the Fortune out of 22nd Street Landing in San Pedro. The norm was dropper looped live squid with about 1 to 4 ounce sinker. At gray light on the first day, we started soaking dropper looped live squid. A few hours later, we had one angler hooked to a nice grade WSB. Several got bit by bat rays, and some scored some nice homeguard yellowtails. As the time passed and it started to get light, I finally got bit. The MC Giant Killing got bent and the VS VM150 started its melodic drag scream; it's game on! My bait was taken almost under the boat as the current was moving toward us. I tightened the drag and started lifting and cranking to pull the fish from under the boat. I was amazed at the power of the rod and knew I was hooked to a nice fish. Hoping it was a WSB, I kept lifting and cranking away to get the fight over with as I'm afraid that the 25lb leader spooled on my reel may not hold as the fight gets longer. Then I felt that familiar downward tug-tug-tug; I'm hooked to a nice halibut! A few minutes later, the fish was at color and was gaffed. Yes! My first keeper halibut after years of catching shorts! Aside from the nice halibut, I also bagged some sheepheads, lings, and rockfish. This time the WSB and Yellowtails eluded me. But pound for pound, I'd take the delicious halibut anytime. Coming up this July is my first Tuna-Pelagic trip for the year. I think it's going to be another epic trip as reports of bluefin and yellowfin tuna hookups are already coming in. Fish on!
The VS VM150 -- The little reel that can!
