The Eagle Has Landed

[Bill McIntyre]

Those of you who follow my bitching and moaning will realized that its been a frustrating year for me. Last year I had shoulder surgeries in December and January and had been out of the water for 6 months before my first trip on May 8. My buddies had to cock the gun for me so I could avoid injury to my shoulders, but I got a 50 pounder- the runt of the litter in my avatar. I went on to have a decent year.

This year I had no surgery and no excuses, and I started early. However, the only fish taken from my boat were by the young punks who have no respect for their elders. I know I'm not great at this, but I don't think I'm worse than last year, so its been a bitch. But today it got better.

I headed out with Mark Meyeda and Jake Wright, and we immediately questioned our decision to go. It was windy, bumpy, cold and nasty with a thick marine layer. When we arrived at out first spot, a friend was anchored on the side of the bed where we might have liked to start, so we went to the other side so as not to crowd him. It was nice to be anchored on the downwind side of the bed anyway because it was slightly less choppy and we didn't have to struggle as much to keep from falling over the side as we suited up.


Conditions were perfect, 61 degree temperature with 15 to 20 foot visibility and big schools of mackerel and sardines. We all felt like we would see one any minute, but we were all wrong. We finally got back to the boat to lick our wounds, run some hot water down our wetsuits, and then hide in the cabin with the forced air heat on. We saw the two guys back in my friend's boat, so we pulled anchor and motored over there. It turned out that my friend's dive buddy had shot a very big fish, and they felt like it must be at least 60 pounds. My friend was tired and cramped from getting the fish off the bottom, so he said he was going to rest for an hour or so and invited us to anchor next to him, but I thought that would be rude so we moved to another bed.

The bait was very thick and active at that spot too, and the vis was not quite as good as the first spot, but still good for white sea bass. I worked down the outside of the bed and was finally getting cold and tired, so I went inside a bit and started working back to the boat. While I was hanging at about 20 feet, this beautiful fish cruised by. It has been so long that I almost didn't know how to react, but I managed to get the gun extended toward it and pulled the trigger. As often happens, for a few seconds I thought I might have missed, but then it woke up and really started taking line. I was struggling to short line it as best I could in hopes of keeping it from getting to the bottom, and it pulled me quite a way through the kelp bed, kicking as hard as I could to get breaths. When it finally seemed to be tied up and I thought I might be over it, I was exhausted. I looked back at the boat and saw Jake on the swimstep, so shouted and waved for him to come help. Mark saw the commotion too, so both arrived about the same time.

It was going to take me quite a while to recover enough to dive for that fish, so the young studs came to the old fart's rescue and got the fish out of the kelp. It was greatly appreciated.

We made one more move and the guys tried their best, but no more fish were sighted. It turned out to have been my day to have one just swim by in the wrong place (and it was about time, dammit )

We couldn't get a good weight in the bouncing boat, but back at the launch ramp, the fish weighed 62 pounds. Not a bad start to my season, even if it was a bit late.

My friend with the other boat was back at the ramp too, so I loaned them the scale and their fish weighed in at 71 pounds. The fish were not very thick, but they sure were good size.

I shot the fish with a 58 inch open track Wong hybrid with a 9/32" shaft, a 9/32" Mori slip tip rigged with Spectra, Three 9/16" bands with Mori's heavy stainless wire wishbones, and a Riffe reel filled with 3 mm Spectra line.

Its so good to have that monkey off my back.

[Natedogg]

Congrats!
That's a great big ol' fatty Bill! Still able to show us young punks that it can be done on such lignt gear.

[Bill McIntyre]

Thanks Nate.

I know you know how we have argued this subject on Spearboard lately, with so many SoCal divers going to 65 to 69" all wood guns for local diving, but I don't consider what I'm using to be "light gear" for local diving. It seems that most of my big white sea bass are taken in limited vis, and my light gear shoots as far as I can see and is so much easier to swing. I can't understand how people can use those cannons in the kelp. I have to be able to point the gun at a fish before I can kill it.

But I guess it shows how there are different ways to skin a cat.

[Pastor]

Much respect Bill! That's more poundage of fish than I will probably land this year

I know what you mean about not knowing how to react to a fish on the first couple of times you see one in the season, I'm the same! I get this UH! What's that? UH! Gotta aim! UH! Gotta pull the trigger! and the fish has gone, it's like I need a couple of fish to get the confidence boost and that instinct back.

[foxfish]

I do enjoy reading your reports Bill, is there any truth that you guys eat a little piece of raw flesh from those huge bass?
How would you describe the white bass stocks nowadays compared to say 20 years ago?

[Marwan]

bill ..great catch SIR!!..
about WSB,,i see its the prize fish in california..i heard very little on how its cooked though...care to share any recipes?

[Bill McIntyre]

Originally Posted by foxfish

I do enjoy reading your reports Bill, is there any truth that you guys eat a little piece of raw flesh from those huge bass?

I've heard of it, but I think its mostly something mentioned by one CA author who's writing was influenced by cannabis. I've never seen anyone do it.

How would you describe the white bass stocks nowadays compared to say 20 years ago?

They are much more plentiful now than 20 years ago. A ban on inshore gill netting seems to have made the difference. Halibut stocks have also been rising since that ban.

[foxfish]

Originally Posted by Bill McIntyre

I've heard of it, but I think its mostly something mentioned by one CA author who's writing was influenced by cannabis. I've never seen anyone do it.


They are much more plentiful now than 20 years ago. A ban on inshore gill netting seems to have made the difference. Halibut stocks have also been rising since that ban.

Good book though!
That is great news, do you spear halibut?

[Bill McIntyre]

Originally Posted by foxfish

Good book though!
That is great news, do you spear halibut?

It is a good book.

I've only taken one halibut in the last few years, but I keep meaning to try harder. My problem is that I'm always carrying a gun suitable for white sea bass, and I don't want to shoot a $90 slip tip into the bottom with multiple bands. But I need to carry my small gun and start staring at the bottom more.

[beamjoel]

congrats Bill!!!!!!

Nice work and the buddy system is often the safest way to go anyway!!
It can assure your safety and the landing of the fish.

I will be taking my new GR gun out this weekend if the Red Tide lifts??

good luck and thanks,

Joel Beam

[blaiz]

NICE FISH BILL!! Next time Im on the west coast I hope you dont mind me looking you up! Id love to get in some WSB or YT action. Looks like you would be the guy to learn from!

[BatRay]

Very nice, Bill! Thanks for letting us know about your latest exploits

[calinitalia]

Nice start Bill. Hope the rest of your season goes as well.

[Erik]

Wow, I need to get out to CA someday... I can't imagine hunting something that big. Cheers.