Feature Report: Spitfire WON Charter

Chilly water makes for tough action for WON-Spitfire twilight charter BY BOB SEMERAU/Special to Western Outdoor NewsPublished: Aug 01, 2012

Print This Article Email This Article Digg This Article

WESTERN OUTDOOR NEWS/SPITFIRE CHARTER SCULPIN KING Sean Frazier of Carson found action despite a slow bass bite. MARINA DEL REY— Nobody hates to see lockjaw bass more than Spitfire skipper Jeremy Maltz. But that is what the special “Twilight to Midnight” WON charter aboard the 65-foot sportfisher had to deal with when water temps dropped dramatically and counts did the same. Twenty-eight anglers had signed up for what looked to be shaping up as a beautiful night on the water, filled with plenty of action. Conditions were back to more summer-like temperatures and the winds could be called light to variable as the “beamy”, 22-foot wide, Spitfire pulled out of Dock 52 at just after 4 p.m. “We’re going to head south and see what we can find down in the water off the beach by El Segundo,” announced Captain Maltz while leaving the breakwater at Marina Del Rey. Deck hands Chris Isaac and Andrew Iacovino got busy helping anglers rig up with leadheads and reverse dropper loops using the right knots and weights for the fishing ahead. Trip sponsor Lazer Sharp had sent along a huge assortment of hook packs for everybody aboard and Yo-Zuri Fluorocarbon in 20, 25, and 30-pound test rounded out the goody bags. Four Turner’s Outdoorsman gift cards valued at $50 were raffled off and WON charter regulars John Kasser and Fred Roberts both came up winners on the coveted prizes. TURNER'S OUTDOORSMAN WINNERS John Kasser, left, and Fred Roberts with gift cards valued at $50. The run south proved to show no sign and after an hour’s ride and a futile search, the skipper turned Spitfire 180 degrees and headed back up the coast. “I’ll run inside and see what we can see there and after that head up to Santa Monica,” explained a more than frustrated Captain Maltz. Spitfire had recently undergone a complete re-power and the new engines purred along into a breezy, late afternoon sun. With no sign of fish and stopping to set up on a few rock piles known to produce in recent days the decision was made to roll up to just below Malibu to a special spot “that just can’t miss.” All the while cook, John Corzell kept busy building burgers and such and feeding the hungry anglers through the dinner hour. At last the anchor was set, lines let down, and fish began to take cut squid strips pinned on ¾- to-1-ounce leadheads. Danny Romo and Christine Davis, make the run down from Bakersfield whenever they can to fish the Spitfire trips throughout the year and especially in summer months. Romo would fish hard most of the night. His efforts paid off as he would take the jackpot with a nice sandie that ate his squid strip right at the end of the night’s fishing. As darkness fell and the wind laid down the bass bite remained spotty. But once the sun had set the night-time predators turned up to fill in the void. Rays and small sharks were ready to eat a bait despite the cooler water temps. The action would mean that at least the rods would get bent and the lines would be pulled for some anglers that might otherwise have been skunked. David Rochan and fishing buddy Maverick “Mav” Franks, both of L.A. managed to go home with the lion’s share of the catch and it would be Franks that would be the hot-stick of the night. Frank’s led the charge up in the bow when his squid tipped leadhead was constantly being taken by sandbass, calico and even a sculpin or two. MAV FRANKS, HOTSTICK, right, showed that the bow can be the place to fish when things get slow. Fishing buddy, David Rochan, left, managed a pretty good showing of sandies as well. Sean Frazier of Carson bagged a nice sculpin as did Francis Lau and Jorge Sanjines. Lau fishes the WON charters when he can and said, “It’s always fun, and whether we get fish or not, all the prizes almost pay for the trip!” “Time to wind ’em up,” called the skipper at a bit past 11 p.m. “I’m not going to kid you, fishing was tough tonight and you just never know,” continued Cpt. Matlz, “ the colder water seems to have really shut things off.” Despite the slow bite, just getting out on the water on a clear summer night can be its own reward. Put that together with valuable swag from trip sponsors, a great boat and crew and even this trip looked pretty good. Contact Info: (310) 822-3625 www.spitfiresportfishing.com Dock 52, Marina Del Rey. DARK OF NIGHT could not stop Danny Romo, Bakersfield, from seeing his way to catch this jackpot winning sandie aboard WON-Spitfire Charter. HERBERT “HERBIE” TERRELL, left, has deckhand Andrew Iacovino display his sandbass taken aboard Spitfire. Herbie fishes with younger brother Luther Terrell on WON charters as often as they can get out. JORGE SANJINES, right, connected with a Malibu calico, shown by Spitfire deckhand Chris Isaac.