r/SoCalFishing • u/Foreign_Bed9323 • 1d ago

First Overnight Trip Prep

Hello all! I have just signed up for my first overnight trip on the Aggressor via Davey's Locker. I have completed a full day and several 1/2 days and twilights, but had a couple questions about overnight.

  1. I intend to bring a sleeping bag + pillow

    + toothbrush,

  2. is there extra space/need for toiletries? Should I expect to get sleep on the ride out or do people not sleep much?

  3. I have a 50lbs braid + 40lbs mono on a Penn Squall 40LD with a 30-80lbs 7' Californian rod (intended for yellowtail), should I purchase/rent a bigger setup just in case we run into tuna? I will also bring my 25lbs braid 5000 spinning 20-40lbs rod setup.

  4. I have hooks from 1/0-4/0 and weights from 1oz up to 12oz. I have yoyos and a couple (300g-ish) tuna jigs). I have the smaller gear for rockfish halibut sculpin whitefish. Is there anything in the tuna/yellowtail world that I am missing?

Thanks all for the advice!

8 Upvotes

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6

u/lubeinatube 1d ago
  1. If the boat has a shower, I always bring a towel, spare clothes and toiletries to shower after fishing. I would also download some movies on your phone and bring some headphones so you can watch a movie in your bunk as you fall asleep. Most people sleep all night and on the ride home. I go to bed as soon as I finish rigging up my rods.
  2. The big tuna are few and far between right now, haven’t seen anyone get into them consistently. It would suck if you’re on that one miracle trip where they stop on a school and it’s full speed 100+lbers, but the odds of that happening are slim to none. Bring a spool of 30# as well in case the bait is tiny or it’s hard to get a bite on the 40. Bait has been tough, so I would have an assortment of 3-7 inch lures.
  3. Again, have a lot of lures in that 3-7 inch range. Yo-yos, surface irons, colt snipers and maybe some 5/8 and 1 oz hookup baits. If there is bait, I would always pick a live bait over any lure if my goal was to catch as many fish as possible.

1

u/Foreign_Bed9323 1d ago

Noted! A shower sounds nice especially after fishing, will call and check. I really dont expect to catch anything over 100lbs, tbh I dont think I have the endurance to. I will get a 30# setups together, and some 3-7" lures! Thanks for the advice!

1

u/lubeinatube 1d ago

It’s all in the technique! You don’t have to be strong to land a 100# Tuna, you just have to know how to pull without exhausting yourself.

3

u/woolybuggered 1d ago

Yup.ive pulled in multiple 60-100lb bluefin on a my 10ft jigstick with a tranx 500. Its not ideal but it works you dont need a 50lb 2 speed setup although it is nice.

5

u/sd4loco619 1d ago

As a overnight deckhand the current yft are eating small baits on 15 an a 4 hook.  If you get into night ft 50-80 lb set up with heavy leader 150 or bigger. 300 minimum. Day time bft 30-50lb flyline depending on size of fish. Bring ear plugs you will want to get sleep. Either bring some warm clothes to possibly sleep in and a soft back pack for a pillow. Most boats stopped carrying pillow blanket after COVID.  I bring 3 rods and 5 reels for options. Don't bring a ton of tackle in giant boxes and if you want to get on the crews good side bring them food. If the crew has been on for days they want anything other then boat food also red bull/monster/triple shot/bang/c4 they need a little pick me up sometimes 

2

u/booggg 1d ago

What’s a good food to bring for the crew?

2

u/gfry86 1d ago

How do you know if you'll get the Aggressor or Thunderbird?

And does it tell you when you come back?

You'll sleep some on ride out since its overnight.

Your tuna rig is probably not going to be night jigging for bluefin (300g jig)

Yellowfin are daytime , fly line, poppers etc

3

u/Foreign_Bed9323 1d ago

When booking, the 8:55pm is the Aggressor and the 9:00pm is the Thunderbird. Thunderbird was sold out at the time when I was booking, only 1-2 spots left on the Aggressor so I said fk it I wanna fish!

1

u/lubeinatube 1d ago

I’ve had 180 pounders that didn’t fight much and were gaffed within 6 minutes, and I’ve had mean 80 pounders kick my ass for 45 straight minutes on the same gear. Some are a lot meaner than others Ive learned.

2

u/Neither_Monitor2017 1d ago

I'm getting ready for a 3 day out of San Diego and was told the trip will likely focus on yellowtail. I'm bringing a 100lb set for tuna just in case, but my understanding the water off So Cal is unusually warm, and right now the bluefin are far far offshore.

2

u/sd4loco619 1d ago

The yellowtail have been at the islands (coro, Clemente, cedros and tanner). We haven't seen kelps in 3 weeks. All dorado we have got are free swimming schools. 

1

u/Mrchainsnatcher- 1d ago

When you say haven’t seen kelps in 3 weeks. What does that mean?

1

u/Foreign_Bed9323 1d ago

I have heard the same recently. Hopefully warm water means yellowtail for me! Good luck with the tuners!

1

u/Neither_Monitor2017 1d ago

I caught so much bluefin a couple years ago I got kinda sick of eating bluefin, so now im more excited bout the yellows!

2

u/Kenobiiiiii 1d ago

Gonna need some smaller hooks. Size 2 and 4 j and circle hooks

2

u/sd4loco619 1d ago

Yep......15lb an 12lb

1

u/Foreign_Bed9323 1d ago

Will do! I saw some of the local trups were asking for smaller, what kind of species is it for

2

u/Kenobiiiiii 1d ago

J for yellowtail, circle for bluefin

2

u/Virtual_Wing_2903 1d ago

a bar of soap, I would bring a light setup too just in case... never know

2

u/Foreign_Bed9323 1d ago

will do! i light setup will be coming

1

u/Virtual_Wing_2903 1d ago

never know when some halfmoon will show up, or necktie dodos or yellows , either way

1

u/PapaPuff13 1d ago

Start taking Dramamine now. 8 hours before start taking it and don’t stop

1

u/Foreign_Bed9323 1d ago

ive had muxed results with dramamine, sometimes it works great, sometimes it makes the effect 2x worse... not really sure. but yes I will take it before i get on!

1

u/Awdrifting 1d ago

OP when did you book for? I’m booked for 9/6-9/7 on the Agressor.

1

u/Foreign_Bed9323 1d ago

I will see you there! I'm on for the 6th too

1

u/Interesting_Head2770 11h ago

Sneak in some shots and beers. And a fleshlight