GETTING PREPARED FOR MY FIRST OCEAN WATER TRIP THIS YEAR, SET ON MAY ON A PRIVATE BOAT. GETTING THE FAMILY AND FRIENDS TOGETHER. TRIP IS ARRANGED THROUGH L.A. HARBOR.FOR MANY YEARS IVE FISHED THE ISLANDS OF ALL SHAPES AND SIZES. BELIEVE IT OR NOT ,I HAVE 30 YEARS UNDER MY BELT AND NEVER CAUGHT A WHITE SEA BASS. IVE TRIED MANY DIFFERNT TACTICS AND HAVEN,T GIVEN UP. ALL THOSE FISHED AND CAUGHT SEABASS ON A REGULAR BASIS , NEED YOUR PROFESSIONAL ADVISE. ANOTHER NOTCH ON MY BELT WOULDN,T HURT.

THATS WHY THEY CALL THEM THE GHOST FISH, I KNOW GUYS WHO HAVE BEEN FISHING OVER 25 YEARS AND NEVER CAUGHT ONE, JUST GOTTA BE IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME, APRIL MAY AND JUNE SEEM TO BE THE BEST MONTHS TO CATCH THEM, KEEP LOOKING AT THE FISH REPORTS AND SEE WHERE, TIME OF DAY, WEATHER, WATER TEMPS, ANY SQUID AROUND ETC.. GOOD LUCK.

Louie - I'm sure others have plenty of WSB tips - but heres how I've hooked them over the years.

Fish a glow jig head or a sliding egg sinker all the way down to the hook - 2-3 squid doubled or tripled over the hook to stay on during the blue perch invasion.

You want to get a decent cast and work the bait across the bottom - slowly - always stay in touch with your bait - try and feel for that "bump". It doesn't hurt to fish another rod out of the holder with a jig and 3 squid a few cranks off the bottom - when they come through - they'll even bite a spark plug - but you want to be ready to hook more then one.

Fishing for WSB is one thing finding them is another. Here are some things I look for when at Catalina.

First you should get to the island the night before or early in the A.M. and meter around looking for the squid. Once found stay there even if you have your own bait, and fish. Squid die right after they spawn and that can bring in the WSB. I have found that the gray light bite, early morning and late after noon are the magic hours for the fish.

Second fishing the gray ghost a lot of the time is done close to the island around structure. So you should WATCH OUT FOR BOILER ROCKS! I have seen people hit these on the way in or out and it sure doesn’t look fun. Also a lot of times there is an alpha spot when fishing WSB so don’t get to close to other boaters. Most of the time when the other boat has its limit whey will wave in the next boat in line and if you’re the man you should wave in the next boat. I have been both on the giving and receiving end of this and it sure helps when we all work together.

Third look for beaches with the right conditions. An off color, very light blue to an almost milky white will show you where the tide is ripping along the beach and this may also produce fish. Fishing beaches is also done in shallow water so WATCH OUT FOR THE INCOMMING SWELLS! While anchored close to the beach the tide and swells will change so please keep an eye on them at all times.

Last when scouting beaches look for birds, mostly seagulls, sitting on the beach. The more birds the better and if they look like they are feeding at the surf zone that’s even better. Sometimes after the spawn and die off of the squid they can be pushed up to the beach. Even if there is a lot of birds sitting and not feeding it may mean that they are waiting for the squid to be pushed up onto the beach and this could be a clue to there the WSB are feeding.

I don’t know who is skippering the boat and he may already know all this, if not give it a shot and good luck

so cal that is a valubale info, reelvael has mention simular tactic, so i do appreciate all tthe feed backs, i can only say this forum is one of the cleanest place to learn and study all aspects of fishing, especialy for those ,like me .i always look postive on the callenges ahead , so i,ll keep my bait fresh.

IN THIS ORDER::
1/4 to 1 ounce sliding egg sinker, depending on the current, preferably 40 pound mono, with a 6/0 to 8/0 Owner aki j hook with two squid pinned on it.

A heavy white or glow jig with a red S on it, single 9/0 hook with two squid pinned on it tied to a minimum of 40 pound test.

A dropper loop, minimum 40 pound test with a 6/0 to 9/0 hook with two squid pinned on it with a 4 to 7 ounce torpedo sinker depending on the current.
hope this helps

i have the new kicker 15 white glow w/ skirt siwash hook heavy body

i have the tady tlc all white w/ siwash.

those should be okay, if not what do you suggest.

Louie - your good to go with those jigs. Go with 3 squid - not 1 or 2 - it looks like a squid orgy to the big WSB's... at least that's my theory...

Gabe is right on - I'd be fishing 40lb to keep em out of the kelp.

You could try the 'soft plastic' dual swim fins and mask along with the 'iron' barbed speargun shaft!

I saw a great video on WSB at catalina during the sqid spawning season. Hopefully this will help someone catch one. I'm new to boating and have had too many engine/electrical/fuel issues to make it out to catalina as of yet.

Looks like they like to be right next to shore with a lot of squid around.

Here is a link. It has the lakers Brian Shaw too with his kid.
http://www.976-tuna.com/download.php?list.20