3/4 Day On The Coroloma--What A Difference A Day Makes! - California Fishing

klymons · 08-06-2006, 04:59 PM

I was supposed to go on the Coroloma at 6AM on Friday, but guess who forgot to set the alarm and woke up at 10:30AM?

Of course, I had been working ten days straight without a day off, and I was suffering from extreme burn-out. Anyway, I made another reservation for Saturday and managed to show up at 5:30AM at Ventura Harbor's Harbor Village. You buy your ticket from a trailer that's parked at the curb. About 25 people were waiting to board--no "packed like sardines" problems today. The Coroloma is extremely wide, and sits fairly low in the water. Perfect for fishing. Anyway, as we left Ventura Harbor, Chris the captain announced we were heading south to The Deep Hole, approximately three hours away.

The passengers were a mix of regulars and family rent-rodders. I got to talking with some of the regulars who fished on Friday at The Deep Hole and they said that the calico bite was very good, and limits were the rule. Later, as I leaned against the bulkhead to get some "catch up" sleep, visions of mano-a-mano battles with burly bull calicos filled my dreams. We finally reached the famous Deep Hole, and Scott the deckhand began broadcasting chum. The first visitors were hordes of baby macks, swarming around the boat nipping at everything in sight. After catching a few macks, my bass rod went bendo with a vengeance. I swung the fish on board. It was the biggest smelt I have ever seen, probably about two pounds. Then, about 15 minutes later, the guy beside me was hit hard and chased his fish down the deck and back again. When the fish finally came up to the side of the boat, I saw it was a huge halibut, 30 lb. class easy. After two abortive gaff attempts, Jason the deckhand pulled him aboard.(The two failed attempts were the fault of the fisherman. As Jason tried to gaff the fish, he started to pull on the fish. Everybody looked at each other--this was the jackpot winner, hands down. Meanwhile, back to the calicos, a few people caught some keepers, but most were dinks. I seemed to have a corner on the dink market, it seemed like I caught millions. Then the bite shut off for everything. Then--just minutes after the captain announced were leaving--people started hooking up again, so we stayed. Meanwhile, I caught a keeper johnny bass, but still hadn't caught a legal calico. The whole time, the crew was bantering back and forth and cracking jokes, while they continued untangling lines, unhooking fish, and congratulating people--especially the kids--when they caught "a good one." As for the passengers--what a great bunch of people! I was probably the only "stranger" on the boat, but everybody--including the regulars--was friendly to me. Sometimes on the LA boats, the regulars will shun the newcomers. Meanwhile, back to fishing, it slowed down again and we moved to another spot. This spot wasn't as good, but I did end up catching a juvenile ling, and finally--a keeper calico. Fishingwise, it wasn't my best day, but I felt I had a great day. Then the captain said we would be leaving in about a hour, then directed the deckhand to chum heavily. The whole day, he had been skunked and crew was good-naturedly messing with him. There were some huge boils in the nearshore kelp, so he grabbed his jig rod and and started casting and cranking. I started throwing the iron, too. But Chris the captain was the one who scored, as he pulled in a seven pound class bull calico.(I think he was relieved to chase away the skunk). All in all, I had a great time even though my keeper count was minimal. The Coroloma is a great boat with a great cast of characters: Chris the captain, Ray and Scott the deckhands, and Joe the cook. I will definitely be back. P.S. Tony, I introduced myself to Chris the captain as a HookUp member and he told me to have you call him. Also, Tony, you were right on the money--the Coroloma is a first class operation!

Beresford13861 · 08-06-2006, 05:49 PM

sounds like a nice boat/operation...im wanting to head that way soon.

Tony, let meet up there soon i wana fish your way!

BeachBear · 08-06-2006, 06:26 PM

I like reading your reports, they're very fun. Sounds like a really good boat.

klymons · 08-06-2006, 06:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BeachBear

I like reading your reports, they're very fun. Sounds like a really good boat.

Thanks! Your reports are very good, too--I always look for BeachBear posts. I forgot to mention that the Coroloma also has twilight trips. You could bring your family, wife, or girlfriend and check out the shops in the Harbor Village, plus there's a mexican restaurant near where the boat docks. Margaritas, fajitas, and anchovies for dessert.

Sounds like a plan for me and the wife in the near future!

DementedFish · 08-06-2006, 08:23 PM

Thanks for the report, it sounds like you had a good day.

Nick Velvet · 08-06-2006, 09:17 PM

Great report. Ive heard good things about that boat. Havent had a chance to fish out of Ventura yet.

Beresford13861 · 08-06-2006, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nick Velvet

Great report. Ive heard good things about that boat. Havent had a chance to fish out of Ventura yet.

key word "yet" same word im using!

klymons · 08-06-2006, 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beresford13861

key word "yet" same word im using!

Key word "yet?" Hey, forget the yet, and make it happen. This is a great sportfishing boat, and nobody's paying me--or pulling my arm--to say so.

Compared to the LA boats I usually go on, this boat is--if you'll pardon the old school venacular--totally "dope." And I am not easily impressed.

I tend to be hyper-critical, and if the boat doesn't meet my standards, I have been known to "not hold back."

The Corloma is the best sportfisher I have been on in recent memory. Make it happen!

bigminh11 · 08-07-2006, 12:24 AM

The Coroloma is a great boat. I've had some great trips on it too. Too bad most of the fish you caught were dinks but it sounds like you had a lot of action. Thanks for the report.

PlatinumHooks · 08-07-2006, 09:36 AM

Kly,

I'm really glad you had a good time. We'll be doing a an official Hook Up charter on the Coroloma very soon! Probably next Month

klymons · 08-07-2006, 11:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tony"PltnmHooks"Z.

Kly,

I'm really glad you had a good time. We'll be doing a an official Hook Up charter on the Coroloma very soon! Probably next Month

That would be very cool!

As soon as you have a date figured out, let me know. I may have to arm wrestle my manager to get the time off, but I outweigh him by at least 50 lbs.

I am really looking forward to meeting the HookUp guys. . .oh, by the way, Tony, Chris the captain said that every time he invites you out to go fishing, it's not so good. Oh, I said, do you think Tony is a jinx? Oh, no, he said, I'm the jinx. I tell him the bite is on, and it fizzles.

So there you have it, Tony, you can't wait for Chris to ask you. You must ask him, or be goose-egged, stuck in Skunk Purgatory listening to Elvis Costello: "Everything means less than zero. . ."

Hey, we don't want that happen, so call him ASAP!

And if we go back down to The Deep Hole, don't forget to bring the jigstick, surface iron, and lots of sliding sinkers, splitshots, and various sizes of live bait hooks.

And that being said, we'll probably end up fishing for rockfish so bring everything!

PlatinumHooks · 08-08-2006, 02:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by klymons

And if we go back down to The Deep Hole, don't forget to bring the jigstick, surface iron, and lots of sliding sinkers, splitshots, and various sizes of live bait hooks.

And that being said, we'll probably end up fishing for rockfish so bring everything!

LOL!

jerryG · 08-12-2006, 01:58 PM

Although it's been about 4 years since I last fish aboard the Coroloma I have fished it many times over the years and I agree completely. The Coroloma is a great boat guys. The Coroloma was built in San Diego and originally designed to be a 3/4 day out of Pt. Loma which is how the boat got the name Coroloma because it ran between trips Coronodo Islands and Pt. Loma. Hope you guys don't mind the boat history.

JerryG

klymons · 08-12-2006, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jerryG

Although it's been about 4 years since I last fish aboard the Coroloma I have fished it many times over the years and I agree completely. The Coroloma is a great boat guys. The Coroloma was built in San Diego and originally designed to be a 3/4 day out of Pt. Loma which is how the boat got the name Coroloma because it ran between trips Coronodo Islands and Pt. Loma. Hope you guys don't mind the boat history.

JerryG

Wow! I used to live in San Diego and I never even heard of the Coroloma until I found out about it on these boards. As for the history, that's totally cool.

Thanks for the info!

frank1623 · 08-12-2006, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PlatinumHooks

Kly,

I'm really glad you had a good time. We'll be doing a an official Hook Up charter on the Coroloma very soon! Probably next Month

Hopefully, I have a chance to join that event....