getting a little bigger

I was able to surfboard troll my deeper water spot because the winds were lighter and the waves were small.  I ran into some fishing friends who just finished throw netting and they were just leaving when I hooked up with the 10.5 inch (head to fork) papio. Nothing like performing for an audience!

Something took my next two baits off my hooks. An hour into my trolling run, the 14 inch (head to tail) papio hit all the way out by the first break.  I was about to reel in the oama to check it when the papio struck. I felt the initial strike as if I was whipping the live oama, very cool.  14 inches is a small papio but sadly, the biggest of the oama season for me.  The larger papios others have caught were landed at first light.  Ugh, I may have to start fishing earlier in the morning.

There are still some smaller oamas at the usual spots, but not as many as a week ago.  Some of the oama we’ve hooked and lost were the 5 and 6 inch variety so those will be out to sea soon.  Typically, oama season ends in August but this is an especially good and long season.  Get your oama before they and the papio are unreachable.