<center><font size="1" color="#ff0000">LAST EDITED ON Jan-10-00 AT 00:29 AM (PST)</font></center><p>Today was one of those beautiful Santa Barbara winter days. Clear and calm all day and we even found a nice bite on the sandbass. Brian Long and I boarded the Stardust and headed out with 7 other passengers for the 7am departure. Bait was perfect 4 to 5 inch sardines. We rounded the corner just as the sun was rising and headed south to the horseshoe. We fished the reef and the kelp but had slow pickings. Brian caught a nice sculpin and there were a few sandies and a calico brought in with one on the rubber and the rest on bait. At 10ish we moved outside to some hard bottom areas where Jason said they caught some nice sculpin on Thursday. We made a slow drift uphill along a ridge in about 120 feet and the fish were chomping. It started out mostly sculpin but the sandies started biting pretty good and everyone caught a couple. The fish were 2 to 4 pounds and bit on both the sardines and the cut squid. Brian and I were using a rig with a 3oz torpedo on the bottom, a small no. 2 hook a foot up with squid, and a 2/0 with a live 'dine about 2 feet up from that. Brian had a sandie, a sculpin, a whitefish, and a cholate rockfish (released of course). I had 2 sandies, a sculpin, and 2 chocolates also released. The star of the boat was a lady with a rent rod who caught 3 sandbass, all around 4 pounds. It was a great afternoon and everyone caught some fish. What was really cool was that we caught a lot of fish, but only a couple rockfish, all of which were released after deflating their swim bladders. Jason did a great job finding spots with the "target species". Final count for 9 anglers was 25 sandbass, 13 sculpin, 3 whitefish, a couple sheepshead, and some nice brown rockfish released. Here's some photography from the trip<P>Sunrise<BR><img src="http://www.stardustsportfishing.com/images/1-8trip/sunrise.jpg"><BR>Deckhand Matt with the woman who caught all of the big sandbass on the boat (see message below =)<BR><img src="http://www.stardustsportfishing.com/images/1-8trip/jackpot.jpg"><BR>Brian with a sandie and a sculpin<BR><img src="http://www.stardustsportfishing.com/images/1-8trip/brian.jpg"><BR>And myself with a couple sandbass <BR><img src="http://www.stardustsportfishing.com/images/1-8trip/rob.jpg">

hey, just wanted to let you all know that i used my new calstar 900xl for the first time on that trip (along with the new calcutta 400S). All i have to say is that rod kicks some serious @$$. The one nice sandy i caught was just hangin onto the hook for the ride up after about half way up. he was beat. -alright, hey, jump on the stardust guys, i don't know about you, but if they're bitin, i'd rather be catchin bass than rockfish anyday.

Dear Rob<BR>Thanx for the mention. Our Cap'n really found us a great spot and the entire crew was incredible. Please let me knowwhen y'all are headed back out...I'll be glad to take your money again ;- ) <BR>NC