A Saltwater Training
Session with Oliver Ngy’s Big Bass Dreams Featuring the Nomad Squidtrex Vibe.
I've known Oliver for a while but have never fished
together. Before this trip, he asked me what type of fishing I wanted to do.
Knowing his game was solid, my reply was easy: it's your call; show me
something. That's exactly what happened. Before this, I had never thought angling for Rockfish could be that much fun, but that's precisely what
occurred. Exposure and an open mind lead to broader horizons and dispelling
misconceptions; diversity creates a better angler.
The Journey
Ready to launch.
Leaving the launch ramp at Alamitos Bay, Long Beach,
California, I board Big Bass Dreams' spectacular Pathfinder 2600, a 26-foot
T-top Bay boat powered by a Yamaha 300 V6. With calm seas, we travel the
60-mile trek to San Clemente Island in a fast and dry 90 minutes.
Leaving from
Los Alamitos Bay, Long Beach, our destination is San Clemente Island.
The experience has taught me a new angling technique and
equipment at SCI.
Vertical Jigging with the Nomad Squidtrex Vibe
The Technique
Techniques catch fish, and lures and equipment are
interchangeable technique components. A technique becomes refined and excellent
when the equipment is matched well and balanced. This is precisely what Ngy has
assembled with his Rockfish vertical jigging system. Let's examine his
technique.
Jig an artificial lure vertically onto high spots on the
seabed while moving to each prime structure location based on
conditions and fish activity. We would either pitch slightly up current or
directly descend boatside. On this day, bites typically occurred once the lure
reached the bottom. However, monitoring the fall was paramount; the bigger fish
attacked the lure on the fall. We targeted multiple high spots between 130 feet
and slightly less than 200 feet.
Once your lure reaches the bottom, impart gentle pops of the
lure followed by a hanging glide and repeat. Occasionally disengage the reel's
bail/spool, allowing the line to play out and maintain contact with the bottom.
Most of my bites were subtle; the rod would become heavy during a lift,
indicating a fish had taken the lure. Without swinging or popping the rod, keep
the load on the rod and wind the reel to set the hook. Fish on, steadily wind
the fish up while maintaining pressure with the rod.
Rod and Reel
Both casting
and spinning gear accommodates the light vertical jigging system.
Ngy employed Nomad Design spinning and casting rods and 13
Fishing reels. He rigged both types the same way. This equipment is built
specifically for light vertical jigging. There was no dominant system. We
switched equipment to simply change to a different lure color pattern. A traditional
casting set-up features a right-handed retrieve; conversely, spinning gear is
typically left-handed. During a long day of fishing, switching from a
right-handed to a left-handed retrieve can alleviate hand fatigue from repetitive
motion; older anglers, take note.
Line
The details of everything always matter; this is especially
true with the line component of Ngy's jigging system. On some set-ups we used a 33-lb. Defiant
Smooth Casting Braid main line with a 35-lb. test Defiant Fishing Shock
fluorocarbon leader. This braid size is smaller than most anglers use when
targeting Rockfish.
The smaller line diameter creates less resistance when
passing through the ocean current, resulting in a better direct fall during the
lure's descent. Post-trip, I compared Defiant line to other braid and leader
manufacturers. Defiant lines are smaller in diameter than competitors with the
same pound test strength.
Line diameter may seem like a minor detail for this type of
fishing. When jigging, less resistance against the current is significant; it
keeps you in the strike zone longer. Again, balancing all components of a technique is
crucial to success. Despite being a light jigging system, this tackle can
handle large, robust, aggressive fish species.
Lure
The Nomad
Squidtrex Vibe 110-gram model.
Notice how I list the lure last in this
component breakdown? Most anglers go directly to the lure, placing
overshadowing attention.
All items of a technique system are equally important.The Nomad Squidtrex is a
squid-imitating-realism soft-bodied artificial lure. Nomad produces a range of
Squidtrex sizes and color patterns. Ngy's preference for the gear and the
targeted depths is the 110-gram model. 110 grams equals approximately 3.88 ounces.
As for color, it didn't matter. We used every pattern in Ngy's box; they all
were equally bit.
The Squidtrex's tentacles have plenty of
inherent action, even if the angler isn't manipulating the lure. When ripped,
the Squidtrex has a unique pulsing vibration like a lipless rattling crankbait. The color patterns have an ultraviolet glow, along with an
added squid scent. All these
enhancements create a unique, effective lure signature.
Various Nomad Squidtrex color patterns, 110-gram size.
The Squidtrex comes with BKK assist hooks
attached to the rear eyelet within the back tentacles. Ngy relocates the stock
assist hooks to the lure's open belly eyelet and adds a BKK Viper-41, size 1
treble, at the rear eyelet. Ngy explained that the treble has a better hook-up
ratio when fish attack the rear of the bait, which is commonplace.
Ngy's lure hook system rarely snagged the
bottom. A few times during our trip, two fish were boated at once, one on the
treble and one on the assist hook. Lastly, Ngy uses a BKK Fast Snap-41 tied to
the leader for lure attachment. The snap creates lure articulation and makes
changing lures fast and easy without retying the leader.
Set-ups
Conventional jigging equipment is on the left
side of the image collage, and Spin jigging gear is on the right.
The Nomad
Design NSPJOH682-4 conventional Slow Pitch Jigging rod, a unique rod in the
world of jigging, is paired with a 13 Fishing Concept A3 casting reel and
spooled with Nomad Design Panderra 30-lb. multicolor braid X4 and a 35 lb.
Defiant fluorocarbon Shock Leader with a BKK Fast Snap-41 size 3 or 4,
connected to a Nomad Design 110-gram Squidtrex Vibe.
The Nomad
Design Seacore Vibing Spin SCALS7215-30, a tool of versatility, is paired with
a 13 Fishing AL13 sizes 3.0 and 4.0 spinning reel. It's spooled with the
adaptable Defiant 33-lb. Smooth Casting Braid and a 35 lb. Defiant fluorocarbon
Shock Leader with a BKK Fast Snap-41 size 3 or 4. This combination empowers you
to adapt your technique to various fishing conditions, all connected to a Nomad
Design 110-gram Squidtrex Vibe, ready for any light jigging challenge you may face.
The Nomad Design Panderra multicolor braid, a
unique feature of Big Bass Dreams gear, serves as a depth indicator. Once you know the
color and its associated depth from a previous drop, should the line stop
before that color is reached, most likely a fish has intercepted your lure
before it reached the bottom.
Ngy’s favored Squidtrex jigging set-up is a Douglas LRS
C&84 multi-modulus hybrid casting rod paired with Lew’s Custom Inshore
Speed Spool SLP Casting Reel.
The Bounty
Scorpinfish
/ Stone Fish, Treefish, Vermilion Rockfish, Copper Rockfish / Chuckle Head,
Starry Rockfish, Bocaccio / Salmon Grouper, Ocean Whitefish, Olive Rockfish /
Johnny Bass, California Sheephead both male and female (fish names are listed in no order to the image).
We caught multiple species, some I've never seen before and
others personal bests. The action was nonstop, producing a fish on almost every
drop. It would have been easier to count the drops I didn't catch a fish on
versus the converse.
The Click Counter
Three anglers and a day of fishing, we broke the century
mark! 103 fished boated, all but six were released.
Descending Device
Anglers must have a descending device aboard
and available for immediate use on any vessel taking or possessing any federal
groundfish species. Descending devices send fish back to the depth from which
they were taken, resulting in considerably higher survival rates for Rockfish
sufferingbarotraumacompared to being released at the water's
surface.
With an
inflated air bladder, fish typically can't swim back down from the surface.
Upside down and floating, they are easy prey for sea lions and birds. These
predators are conditioned to this situation and stay close to fishing boats,
waiting for an easy meal.
Passing
by Catalina Island on the return trip.
Trip Highlights
A few additional noteworthy trip highlights, we had a window
of a few days to pin this trip based on weather
projections. Ngy monitored this and selected the day. The fast, dry-riding,
smooth Pathfinder 2600 made the one-way 60-mile trek in 90 quick minutes. We
never saw another fishing boat at SCI. I enjoyed a day of efficient angling
thanks to Team Big Bass Dreams and their excellent experience-based planning.
Once there, minimal driving translated into more time fishing, more time
catching, and more fun. It is hard to recall a day with this much fishing time
in all my angling adventures. What is there not to love?
Book Your Adventure
Team Big
Bass Dreams, Oliver Ngy on the portside, and Joshua Mogo.
Big props to Captain Oliver and Deck Boss Joshua; they are
an excellent team with a smooth operation. They made the day a pleasure, doing
what we love, fishing and catching on the big lake. Don't hesitate to schedule
a trip with Big Bass Dreams. Customized trips, they have it covered, gear, and
knowledge. Bring your fishing buddy, appropriate clothing, food, and a
fantastic attitude; that's all you need. Thank you, guys, for a great,
unforgettable day!
Captain Ngy is at the helm of his Pathfinder
fish-catching machine.
Check out Oliver Ngy’s action packed video of this trip on
YouTube at https://youtu.be/Iubm468ysRA?feature=shared links to the gear above are listed in the video description.
