I threw up twice
| Ratings | Best Travel Date | Cost | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
⭐🞿🞿 |
All year round | $120 | 6-8 hours |
TLDR tips:
- Expect to get sea sick (even with motion sickness pill), so don’t eat much before the trip
- Share fish bag with your partner to save $2
- Wear jacket! cold and windy on the sea
Time Stamps:
- 12:00 PM: (Optional) Lunch at Downtown
- 1:00 PM: Boat departures
- 2:20 PM: First Fishing Spot
- 4:00 PM: Second Fishing Spot
- 5:30 PM: Boat begins to return
- 6:30 PM: Arrival at dock
Cost:
- Boat Ticket: $70
- (Optional) Supplies:
- Motion Sickness Medicine: $5
- Sun Screen: $7
- Fish Bag: $2
- Fish Raffle: $3
- Equipment Rental: $22
- Fishing License: $20
- (Optional) Fish Cleaning: $1-2 per fish
- Parking: $5
- Total: $110-$130
For those venturing into ocean fishing for the first time, I’m here to share my experience and insights.
I boarded the “Dolphin,” hopeful that we might spot dolphins or even whales during our journey since I know there’s some trips by the coast that offers such tou. I was wrong because all I get to see are a lot of seagulls…
Sundays offer a special treat where one adult can bring a child on board for free. Hence, this day, the boat was bustling with children.
There are also many seasoned fishermen joining us, their fancy equipment and confidence slightly intimidates first-timers like us.
Check-In and Preparations
The check-in process at the office was hassle-free. We got our fishing licenses and rented gear (fishing rods and weights) from the counter, with abundant parking nearby. The boat’s boarding process was quick as well, with the staff assisting us on assigning bags for our “catches”.
Tip: it’s cost-effective to share a bag with a partner, as each bag costs $2, something I find interesting is that there’s a $3 raffle for the person who lands the largest fish (waiving the $70 boat ticket).
Setting Sail and Baiting
Shortly after departure, the crew prepared live fish from the onboard tank for fresh bait, alongside other options like squid strips. After an hour into the sea, we received a briefings on how to ocean fish (different than your regular fishing): we were to drop the hook, attached to a heavy anchor, down to the ocean floor, then raise it slightly above the seabed. This is where the fish congregate to bite; We were also advised that the area at the tail of the boat experiences the least turbulence in order to avoid dizziness.
Fishing Begins
After about 1.5 hours, the boat finally anchored, and everyone was eager to cast their lines. No specific spots were assigned, people could choose any available space. Learning to operate the fishing equipment only took a couple of tries, but the real challenge was sensing the bites with the boat’s constant movement.
I caught my first mackerel in under 10 minutes, followed by another. However, we started to feel queasy (even though we had taken motion sickness pills). We were far from the coast, with moderate waves, and the temperature dropped considerably, shifting from sunny to windy. The cold wind, turbulence, and motion sickness made it hard to keep myself continuing fishing. I took a break and headed to the restroom to throw up.
Feeling better afterward, I resumed fishing and caught my first sculpin, a peculiar-looking, venomous fish (they had to remove its spines before unhooking it). Unfortunately, I fell ill once more and vomited the second time.
Time passed quickly, but due to the time I spent resting, I estimated about 1.5 hours of actual fishing. The boat repositioned once mid-way. Those prone to motion sickness like myself have considerably less fishing time.
Return
The boat started heading back around 5:30 PM, and the temperature continued to drop with the wind becoming harsh and the sun setting down. I was weak, feeling, due to the effects of throwing up twice and missing my regular dinner. The journey back left me cold and miserable.
In the end, the crew helped clean and fillet our catch: even with all these comforts, we still caught 5 mackerels and 2 sculpins. We cooked them, but they didn’t taste different from store-bought fish. Overall, the experience was mid, and quite expensive at $300 for just a couple of fish.
I believe we would have enjoyed it more without the motion sickness, I never thought I could get seasick before going into it. A few other first-timers also struggled with seasickness, so it’s something to keep in mind to lower your expectation. Overall, it was a unique experience, but I gave it a one-star rating due to the physical discomfort I endured.
Your support keeps our adventures alive. Join us in exploring!