Our annual SFR charter aboard the PACIFIC DAWN was scheduled to depart from San Diego in search of Albacore and Bluefin Tuna. The plans changed as the Tuna have been a relative no show down south, so Capt Pat Cavanaugh decided to bring the boat back to VENTURA SPORTFISHING. After SFR found out about the move, we notified everyone of the decision and everyone was game to go after White Seabass and Halibut. Our trip consisted of 17 anxious anglers who were all at the dock early and ready for 2 days of fishing, we were greeted by Cap Pat and the crew and were soon loading and ready to get underway. After the safety briefing we held a raffle for some great swag from our sponors and some SFR swag. For this raffle we have swag from KEEPN IT REEL, SEAGUAR and OWNER HOOKS and everyone went away with some great give aways.

Our plan for day one was to head to Santa Rosa and search for White Seabass and Halibut in the morning and surface fish the afternoon for Calicos and shallow water rockfish. We arrived in the area at around 5am and searched for some signs of life, we anchored up and it wasn't too long before our first White Seabass was aboard. We fished hard until noon and our count was 13 White Seabass and 1 35lb Halibut, after lunch we headed around the island for the surface action. We had a steady pick at shallow water rockfish and several calico and several of the larger Calico were released by the anglers. After an exceptional dinner by the the new galley chef Eddie, most of us went down below and got some shut eye. While the crew stayed up and filled the bait tanks up with more squid.

Day 2 saw us headed back around the island to the area we had fished before and anchored up for more White Seabass and Halibut fishing. Within a few minutes we had our first Seabass on the deck, and the bite continued throughout the morning, our final tally was 23 White Seabass and 3 Halibut. The highlight of the morning was a 50 lb Halibut and sealed the JP, the two other Halibut we both a respective 31 lbs. The White Seabass ranged in size for 10 - 25 lbs with most in the 15 lb range. After lunch, we headed out to a little deeper water to finish the trip with some rockfishing. The quality of the reds we were getting was of the larger models with many going around 6 - 9 lbs. Our final count for the trip was 36 White Seabass, 4 California Halibut, 5 Barracuda, 12 Kelp Bass, 8 Whitefish, 4 Sheephead, 3 Lingcod and 151 Rockfish.

If you would like any of the pictures you can email me at john@sportfishingreport.com and I will gladly forward the to you. And, Thanks the the Crew and anglers for making this a very memorable trip for me.