Bass Angler Loves Offshore Fishing

He’s no stranger to lengthy runs, however when professional bass angler Ish Monroe wants a break from the game he’s pursued for greater than 20 years, the Oakdale, California, fisherman settles in for a journey that lasts longer than any event he’s ever entered. We’re speaking about Southern California offshore fishing — a purely leisure diversion that helps him scratch the itch with out all of the strain.

Alongside along with his bass rig — a Skeeter FXR21 with a 250 Yamaha SHO — Monroe additionally owns a 34-foot Blue Fin middle console with twin 450 Yamahas for day tripping. Nevertheless, after spending numerous hours behind the wheel, a extra relaxed choice proves irresistible to him as a topwater plug to education bass.

“I’m going extra usually on head boats as a result of I get to go anytime I would like and these guys are all the time dialed in,” Monroe mentioned. “You’re keen on fishing, so between tournaments, you need to do one thing associated to fishing, however you don’t need to go bass fishing as a result of it’s your job.

“Head boat fishing is completely completely different since you don’t have the stress degree of competitors. It’s eat, sleep, and fish. On the longer journeys, you’ve gotten two days of journey out and again, so that you’re principally catching up on sleep.”

Rod-bending, freezer-filling continuous motion’s a straightforward promote, however for Monroe, the stress-free vibe and a way of camaraderie pleasantly distinction the extremely aggressive bass fishing event scene. “You’re onboard with a bunch of fellows that fish, so that you speak about fishing, you speak about gear. I deliver my very own sort out, however the boats are absolutely stocked and the meals is superb. It’s like an all-inclusive trip.”

Offshore Fishing in Southern California

For brief excursions, Monroe likes the California Daybreak, a 55-foot catamaran out of San Francisco Bay that runs about 30 miles to the Rittenburg Financial institution, north of the Farallon Islands. There, he’ll goal halibut, lingcod, rockfish and striped bass.

For longer journeys and a broader assortment of straight-up sea monsters, he’ll pack up his  7- and 8-foot Daiwa Proteus rods strapped with Daiwa Saltiga reels and head south to San Diego. There, he’ll board the 90-foot Vagabond for an 8-day journey that’ll fish all the best way right down to the waters off Baja California. These long-range journeys might see absolutely anything, however Monroe’s largely on the lookout for yellowfin and bluefin tuna, yellowtail, grouper and wahoo. Reefs appeal to the underside fish, whereas the pelagic tuna largely roam open waters in fixed seek for bait colleges. Wahoo reside the pelagic way of life, however head boats usually discover them lurking over deep-water rocks.

Complementing the long-range excursions with a couple of 3-day tuna journeys all through the summer time, and a handful of halibut and lingcod outings on his boat, Monroe sometimes books a post-Thanksgiving journey for yellowfin, wahoo, and yellowtail.

“By way of sport fishing, I like the tuna and yellowtail as a result of the combat is so thrilling,” Monroe mentioned. “For desk fare, yellowtail is scrumptious. You possibly can grill it, fry it, bake it — I make fish tacos. However the halibut and lingcod are superb, particularly beer battered and fried.”

Ask Monroe about his high bass fishing recollections and he’ll level to a trio of Bassmaster Elite Collection wins and 10 Bassmaster Basic appearances. On the offshore boats, his spotlight reel features a private finest 293-pound yellowfin tuna (identical journey his spouse caught a yellowfin weighing 275 kilos), a 3-fish halibut restrict that weighed 80 kilos, 30-pound lingcod, and a yellowtail rally with a lot of the fish falling within the 30- to 40-pound vary.

The Contemporary and Salt Connection

Realistically, the saltwater recreation doesn’t provide loads of direct parallels to Monroe’s bass fishing, however the heavier sort out and much more strenuous offshore ways maintain a couple of thematic connections. One among his private favorites — fishing anchovies for halibut — reminds him of precision bass ways like flipping current-washed cowl or dropping finesse baits to suspended bass he’s watching on reside sonar. “It’s all concerning the timing, having the suitable rod, reel, and the suitable approach,” Monroe mentioned.

Then, there’s the ever-popular response chunk technique. Monroe’s famend within the bass world for his topwater frogging expertise and through the prespawn season, he’s an ace with a spinnerbait. Protecting water and triggering aggressive bites are very important. Taking this precept to the long-range head boat, Monroe finds a leveled-up thrill with one of many ocean’s quickest, most vicious, and tastiest fish — that tiger striped hellion we name wahoo.

“Catching these fish on a wahoo bomb is essentially the most enjoyable you’ll have on a head boat,” Monroe mentioned. “You throw it on the market and reel as quick as you possibly can wind. They’ll cease your reel deal with from turning the best way they hit it. I caught my private finest, a 70-pounder, this fashion. If I might do one factor the remainder of my life, it might be wahoo fishing.”

Expounding, Monroe notes that his experience in punching topped-out grass and floating vegetation offers key perspective. As he explains, whereas it could appear to be fish may very well be nearly anyplace on a “fishy” wanting spot, there’s all the time a purpose. “It’s fascinating to see how predators relate to (offshore) construction,” Monroe mentioned. “Wahoo will sit within the shade of a kelp paddy, like a bass in a mat.”

That Angler Aggressive Spirit

There’s additionally lots to be mentioned for Monroe’s inner alarm clock. After years of early rising for predawn launches and dawn takeoffs. He loves getting a bounce on his offshore fishing buddies and regardless that the long-range journeys see him fishing daylight till darkish, the considered that subsequent drag ripper proves purely magnetic. “I attempt to be the primary man to rise up,” Monroe mentioned. “I need to be fishing on the crack of sunshine, even earlier than I’ve breakfast.”

Throw in some night-time tuna jigging and these long-range journeys can preserve an angler going almost around the clock. Contemplating the comparatively quick window of wonderful alternative, Monroe doesn’t thoughts. In addition to, there’s loads of time to sleep on the lengthy trip house.