THE SOUTHERN CAL got back on the water for the first time in three years, and she’s now operating out of Oceanside Sea Center. WON PHOTO BY MIKE STEVENS
THE PRONTO AND SOUTHERN CAL in Oceanside. WON PHOTO BY MIKE STEVENSONE OF THE FIRST rockfish to hit the deck of the new and improved Southern Cal out of Oceanside Sea Center. WON PHOTO BY MIKE STEVENS
, but it’s also a vessel many old salts and cagey veteran sportboaters are very familiar with. <i>The Southern Cal, </i>now operating out of OSC, hit the water for the first time in three years on April 2 with 16 passengers including friends, family and business partners of OSC owner Ernie Prieto and one lucky <i>Western Outdoor News</i> editor.</p>
<p>That trip was really a “dry run” of sorts to make sure everything was in tip-top shapebefore taking its first group of open-party anglers out in the days that followed. Anglers on that first trip on Friday worked through tricky wind and current conditions while operating as far south as Del Mar and managed to bag 40 rockfish, 5 whitefish and a trio of sheepshead. The next two trips on Saturday and Sunday really piled up the sculpin (90 and 100 for 25 and 33 half-day anglers) along with better numbers of mixed rockfish and whitefish.</p>
<p>The <i>Southern Cal </i>will likely see half- and 3/4-day action moving forward with Captain Tim Linskey or Prieto spending time at the helm. Oceanside Sea Center is now packing the <i>Chubasco II, Pronto, Sea Star, </i>and<i> Blue Horizon</i> along with the <i>Southern Cal </i>rounding out the fleet at Southern California’s newest sportfishing landing.</p><div class=)
