Where the heck have I been...?

Well, I've been super busy to sum it up...The month of June was brutal in terms of work. However, I will not disappoint with this post.

Shortly after my last post, I managed to pick up ANOTHER bicycle! Yeah...I figured, if I was riding more on the street, why not pick up one made for it. I knew I wasn't ready for an actual "road" bike, so I decided on a nice Hybrid. My uncle picked up a Cannondale Bad Boy 1, so I wanted something like his. I didn't want to shell out $1,500...so I did some research and ultimately decided on the Trek "PDX". 

It came with funky ass handle bars and run-of-the-mill pedals, so I ditched those and got the Bontrager Straight Flat Bar and Redline Pedals...this thing is a rocket on the street! It has mechanical pull disc brakes too! 


Here are some results...I'm hovering around 175-176 pounds right now...not bad considering I weighed on the north side of 194 pounds 7 months ago...here is the proof...a certified and routinely inspected scale at my uncle's restaurant...Git Some!

 An integral part of my regimen is attacking Sycamore canyon on a weekly basis...every Thursday after work...the Santa Cruz works flawlessly...I've even graduated by conquering Backbone,Overlook,Guadalasco,and Watertower upwards and downwards! 

But let's not get it twisted...Fishing will always be number 1 in my book...with all this cycling talk, it does NOT cloud the issue of Fishing. I've been putting in work at Casitas...

 And Diamond Valley Lake...even in the presence of an epic Algae bloom...the fish were still on the chew...

I also fished the Huntington Flats for pig Sand Bass and wide open California Scorpionfish(Sculpin)

 Then I also fished on the local stomping grounds(Anacapa Island) for White Sea Bass...but no luck on those bastards...I guess they don't call them "Grey Ghosts" for nothing...I did manage a nice haul of the usual suspects...Lingcod and Barracuda filled the void...

Some bad news came upon me and my uncle these past 2-3 months...The Qualifier 105 is now out of commission due to unforeseen damage to her hull during a routine inspection back in March. Now it has sent all of the Mochizuki anglers in a mad scramble to try and hop on another boat. My uncle and I are torn between the Vagabond or the Red Rooster III. Both are 6 day trips and will be also targeting Offshore Bluefin Tuna, Yellowfin Tuna at Guadalupe, and Yellowtail at Cedros. A decision should be reached by the end of this week. It's coming up fast! 

Either way, my preparation is still on schedule. Both of my custom Phenix rods are close to completion. Here are behind the scene shots of the Black Diamond Hybrid PHD809XH "Tuna Tamer" and the PHD700X2H "Whopper Stopper". They're the ones on the left...and will feature the same scheme and wrapping as my first Phenix(the one with my name on it...). These new ones will feature the Fuji SiC Titanium Guides and Black and Gold New Orleans Saints themed ALPS double-locking Reel Seats. The "Tuna Tamer" is an 8 foot beauty rated for 30-80lb fishing and the "Whopper Stopper" is a beast rated for 40-100lb fishing. My Shimano Talica II workhorses will be mated to these rods fairly soon.

Aside from this, I've been busy gathering all the terminal tackle...Ringed Owner Circle Hooks, trolling feathers and cedar plugs, various Iron Jigs, Rod belt, tools, Wind-On Leaders and not to mention filling up my reels with the appropriate Braided, Monofiliment,and Fluorocarbon lines. It's funny how I barely almost have all things gathered considering I've been hard at it since last November!!!

I also picked up a real nice Yo-Yo rod for the Yellowtail at an insane price. It's a custom limited-edition Baja Fish Gear Super Seeker SS 6480H-8'CT. It features Lime Green and Black coloring, triple wrapped Fuji SiC Titanium Guides, X-Wrap over cork-tape handle and the Turks Head. It's an 8 foot Jigstick rated at 30-50lb...a real beef stick for hauling those tough Yellows off those rocks...I named it the "Incredible Hulk"...very fitting. It's the perfect match for my Avet JX Narrow...I can't wait to see her in action as well...

 I guess that should do it for now...I know I'm forgetting other shit, but I'll post them on the next go around I'm sure...
'Til next time dudes...outro...

Your Captain,
El Pero Aquatico