Islander 08

   them fishies never heard me coming!

Me, Tall Paul, and Slowmo will driving down to San Diego from Santa Cruz and have one open seat and spot on the kayak rack, would be nice have another in the "carpool" to help with gas (not the "SBD," silent but deadly type ). Send me a PM if interested. We could hit the I5 at 152 if that helps with someone coming from the north. We will be driving my van and kayak trailer so it's a easy load with plenty of room.
Steve

Anyone else planning to bring SCUBA equipment?  Lobster at the bank is supposed to be better than SCI, and either way the diving is a beautiful way to spend the afternoons (when the bite has cooled).  Could come in useful in a SBD environment too... 

Hello fellow Islanders,

Some good thoughts here about what to bring, and perhaps as importantly, what to leave.

As we get closer to the trip date, I'll start a thread here to get us all thinking and talking about how to pack for the trip, and how to rig for quick launch and recovery. We all did pretty well, but a bit of planning and a
"less is more" approach will pay off now that we've learned a couple of lessons.

I've got my tackle in order, and now I'm focusing on streamlining my rigging for easy launch and recovery. Would you or any of the others that have done this trip before like to give some advice about how are yaks should be rigged? I try to keep things simple with just my seat, a plano box in the tankwell, a fishfinder, and a scotty rod holder, but I'm not really able to picture the process for launching and landing from the mothership. Suggestions?

Yaks are on racks.  You come out when ready to hit the water & say "that one is mine".  Space available, they bring it down & you rig for teh awesome crew to hoist it over the stern & into the water where you step off the swimstep into your tupperware.  They hand you your paddle & sticks & you drift off to get set up, rods in holders & bait tank running.  You paddle back to the you mamaship & they splash some fresh bait into your tank & life is good.  To remember:

Deck space is limited so think be ready to set up fast - seat, bait tank, rest ready to rig as your tank is filling & you are floating.  Don't try to get everything set while on deck. $-6 people can set up at a time, & those who are not setting up are waiting for YOU to finish before they can start
You have the luxury of a mothership to come back to at lunch.  Don't rig like yo have to be on the water for 13 hours.  You can come back &, if you are really screwed, you can radio back & say "when you bring me my beers can you bring the pack of the #1 circle hooks from the tackle box marked XXXX"
You want to streamline your setup process as much as possible.  Think like you are in line to launch and someone you REALLY don't want to tick off is standing beind you ready to go.  Rig efficiently, try it at home before going & think about what you can do while drifting off rather than while on the deck.

Hope that helps!  & if I can't find someone to take my spot I just might be there with you!

You definitely do not need a ton of tackle to take with you every time you head out,
nor will you need a ton of rods on your kayak.
You can have certain things that you can rig OTW in a large dry bag. Put the bag on the deck as you paddle off and once you are out of everyones way you can set up. Things like your FF, rod leash, gaff, pliers, knife etc. can be easily set up OTW. The quicker the guy in front of you launches the quicker you gan get OTW and start fishing and visa versa.
Hunters Pa was right in that you can radio the Islander and they will bring you whatever you need. It will help to have the GPS coords to give them.
ONE IMPORTANT NOTE:
Listen to what the guys who are helping you launch have to say. If your kayak is bobbing up and down with the swell and they say " Not yet", then it means NOT YET!
I made the mistake of thinking I could hop on and ride that bronco no probs. I slid right off the other side and right into the drink. The up side was that is was quite refreshing actually; but lesson learned.
You guys are going to have so much fun.
The trip of a lifetime is not an understatement.

Oh yea. One more thing. If someone hooks into a YT~ GIVE HIM PLENTY OF ROOM!!!!
It unfortunately happened. Fortunately not to me.
You sure do not want to be the guy who lost the fish or the guy who caused it to happen.

Shit...I have non-refundable tickets to Vegas that week-end or I'd be all over that extra spot.

Shit...I have non-refundable tickets to Vegas that week-end or I'd be all over that extra spot.

Vegas is there 24/7. Sometimes you just gotta cut your losses.
Besides, you will probably come out ahead on the Islander.

Shit...I have non-refundable tickets to Vegas that week-end or I'd be all over that extra spot.

Vegas is there 24/7. Sometimes you just gotta cut your losses.
Besides, you will probably come out ahead on the Islander.

Yeah, but plane tickets x2 = ~$320, Two nights at TI = ~$420, tickets to Mystere x2 = ~$160. The Mystere tickets might be refundable, but the plane tickets and hotel were booked on-line and are non-refundable. So best case I'm out $740 + $800+ for Islander = Dustin is broke and about to be laid off in a few months!

Yeah, but plane tickets x2 = ~$320, Two nights at TI = ~$420, tickets to Mystere x2 = ~$160. The Mystere tickets might be refundable, but the plane tickets and hotel were booked on-line and are non-refundable. So best case I'm out $740 + $800+ for Islander = Dustin is broke and about to be laid off in a few months!

17-1 odds of winning a new kayak worth over a grand. Four? nights on the Islander. Food is taken care of on the Islander, Vegas it is not. And I am guessing that you will be paying for two to eat in Vegas which means you ain't gonna be eatin' at Micky D's. Fine dining I am sure. More cha ching.
If you go to Vegas seriously keep tabs on how much extra you end up spending so you can be justified in kicking yourself in the ass. 

Tote!!!!

 

If you go to Vegas seriously keep tabs on how much extra you end up spending so you can be justified in kicking yourself in the ass

 Your a Cruel Man.... 

I've been walking around like I've been kicked since I had to put this spot out there.  But, my reasoning for backing out is wife on travel (kids are 2 & 5), midterms (40 year old back in  school), selling our house & buying another, huge regulatory compliance report at work & I'm STILL trying to figure out how to make it work.

BUT, if we get the new place there will be a spot for meeting up & grilling about an hour before San Diego for next year & 15 minutes from a freshwater bass lake.

ANYONE who was on it last year will vouoch for what an AWESOME trip it is.

I've been tracking the reports out of Fisherman's Landing and the most recent boat to report was the Prowler on Oct 14. For a 1.5 day trip with 11 anglers they got 21 Yellowtail and 5 bonito. On Oct 6th they were still catching Dorado. Hopefully it's a good sign for us next week! 

Does anyone remember the Right color for fish traps when going for Calico?