Hunting the Elusive Grey Ghost – The Art and Science

Wow grasshopper! you have learned your lessons well my friend. Very informative and spot on info I might add. I play the game a little diffently, but the details are very similar. There's more than one way to skin a kitty right? Can't overstress the "confidence part" very important in all fishing as far as I'm concerned. That's what keeps you focused especially when the bites come few and far between. It's easy to drift off for a momment and miss your only opportuity......... I love the "look for AIs"  You condensed a lot of research into one place. A lot of great info for nubies and experienced anglers. Thanks for your efforts Scott. You know, doing everything right still never insures a grab, but it increases your chances for sure. Sometimes there's just no beating shit assed luck either......... Consistancy is the mark of truely skilled angler. Thanx for sharing your skilz

Great write up Scott!

+1 on the importance of staying focused and putting in the hours. When I hunt for wsb, the only thing that I'm interested in killing is the target species or a hefeweizen.    That kind of mindset keeps me on task and prevents me from straying into RF territory.

All it takes is just one bite and don't eff up when it happens!

Nice write-up and a good read. You make it sound easy!
I'll say this: Beginner's luck only happens once! 

The HMB bite in 8/11 was straight out from the green buoy in 75-90 FOW. It was a surface bite. The bite last year was 4-5 miles south of the harbor about a mile south of the buoy that marks the south end of the reef. It was an August bite also. The WSB are heading south to Catalina so I would guess that Monterey will be your best and maybe last shot at them for 2011. The full moon is 10/11/2011. Fish it hard guys.

Scott,
Thinking of giving it a try on 10/11 Tue if I can round up a posse. Best rating at solunar.com as you have said.
Danny

The HMB bite in 8/11 was straight out from the green buoy in 75-90 FOW. It was a surface bite. The bite last year was 4-5 miles south of the harbor about a mile south of the buoy that marks the south end of the reef. It was an August bite also. The WSB are heading south to Catalina so I would guess that Monterey will be your best and maybe last shot at them for 2011. The full moon is 10/11/2011. Fish it hard guys.

Scott,
Thinking of giving it a try on 10/11 Tue if I can round up a posse. Best rating at solunar.com as you have said.
Danny

Danny

The forecasts look good for the next 6 days but the fan is going to be on particularly in the afternoon. The wind is rotated to the north which means you will have a quartering tailwind going home. Launch as early as possible and good luck!!! Don't forget the beer. I am working on Tuesday so won't be able to join you.

Scott

Scott,
Thinking of giving it a try on 10/11 Tue if I can round up a posse. Best rating at solunar.com as you have said.
Danny

Danny

The forecasts look good for the next 6 days but the fan is going to be on particularly in the afternoon. The wind is rotated to the north which means you will have a quartering tailwind going home. Launch as early as possible and good luck!!! Don't forget the beer. I am working on Tuesday so won't be able to join you.

Scott

Thanks Scott. I won't forget. Let's go "Get Some" as Sledge would say.

Danny

I work for a sustainable seafood outfit. Up till last week, I would see 10 to 60 fresh local every morning in the bins. Not one fish came in this week.
Some of us have caught them further north than the "usual" spots. Not surprising with all the barracuda and threshers being caught at Dux.

Those northern fish were caught "Catalena" style, in shallow water, in the foam line near wash rocks or cliffs, on transition between rock and sand.

Thanks Sharky.  We have some pretty good intel and have crews going out every day till Wednesday. I'm pretty confident we will find them. You should join us.

Scott,

I put your article up on the front page.  Thanks much!  Expect an NCKA t-shirt when I get around to having a run done this winter.  That goes for any other of you aspiring writers.  If you have an article accepted for front page publication, I'll send you a shirt (when I get them!).

-Allen

Awesome Article Scott!!  thanks!

Very comprehensive.  Now I gotta go out and get one.

Allen

Thanks Scott, nice of you to take the time to pass along a wealth of useful knowledge.  Mike

thanks for the great read Scott...I was talking to John the old harbor master as I was heading out last weekend 9-22-13...He was telling me as i loaded up and dragged down to the water he had just seen(7 a.m) three large WSB swim under the pier and go around inside then head back out through the moored sailboats by MBK,i also heard from another fishing guy I bump into out there a lot that folks landed two large ones by the scuba diving beach...I want badly to catch one  some day and this article gives me some ideas for how to rig and such...good reading
thanks much.........
Craig

White seabass caught from Monterey Bay by commercial anglers in the last decade (in lbs). These numbers are from the DFW site. I'm just posting it here for reference.

2000: 24,475
2001: 54,692
2002: 23,333
2003: 7,685
2004: 180
2005: 71
2006: 2,292
2007: 2,889
2008: 2,388
2009: 15,043
2010: 76,455
2011: 112,047

White seabass caught from Monterey Bay by commercial anglers in the last decade (in lbs). These numbers are from the DFW site. I'm just posting it here for reference.

2000: 24,475
2001: 54,692
2002: 23,333
2003: 7,685
2004: 180
2005: 71
2006: 2,292
2007: 2,889
2008: 2,388
2009: 15,043
2010: 76,455
2011: 112,047

The largest migrations of WSB to Monterey occurred when there was 2 successive La Nina years. Squid catches in Monterey also increase during La Nina years. The interesting thing is that the El Nino years before and after the 2 La Nina years have an increase in migration. This year it looks like a weak El Nino which may explain why few made the trip north. Fishing reports suggest that most stayed at the islands and south of SLO. La Nina years tend to be drought years so let's pray for another drought. 

2000: 24,475 La Nina
2001: 54,692 La Nina
2002: 23,333 El Nino
2003: 7,685 El Nino
2004: 180 El Nino
2005: 71 El Nino
2006: 2,292 El Nino
2007: 2,889 El Nino
2008: 2,388 La Nina
2009: 15,043 El Nino
2010: 76,455 La Nina
2011: 112,047 La Nina