Fishing in the rain can be fun and productive if you come prepared for it. Luckily, most everyone saw the forecast and came prepared for it. Here on the coast it only rained for a couple hours but apparently at the islands it rained all day. Not just a drizzle either, it was a legit rain storm. All the boats came in a little earlier than usual but not before catching they’re fair share of fish. Mostly and assortment of Rockfish species and Ocean Whitefish but there was some other fish caught too. Lingcod and Sheephead are common this time of year, but one lucky angler hooked and landed a nice Yellowtail. Today we also had another one of those rare fish uncommon to this area. The Erna B has caught a couple Tan Grouper which were previously never seen this far north. In fact, they are normally caught off the coast of Baja and hardly ever seen in US waters. Today, that same boat caught another odd ball rarely seen in US waters. Pictured here is a Popeye Catalupa, normally seen well south of the Mexican border. These fish are not nearly as rare as the Tan Grouper but our captains say they have only seen a hand full caught around here over the last 30 years or more. They are something to see in person too. The picture is great but truly doesn’t do the fish justice. The coloring is so bright and rich. They almost look neon when seen in person. The large eye is the trademark of this fish, hence the name “Popeye”. Proportionally, the eye is far too big compared to its body size and the gold color around the pupal when seen in person looks exactly like gold leaf. Obviously it has evolved this large eye for seeing pray in low light conditions in the oceans deepest depth. The Popeye Catalupa is a relatively small fish but its beauty and rarity made it the story of the day. After taking a few pictures, captain Mike Riddell on the Erna B safely released it back to the sea unharmed. For tomorrow (Sunday) we have taken our boats offline because of the weather. This rain is going to be done by lunch time and following it is 40 knots of clearing wind. Due to a gale warning we are taking the day off and hoping it mellows out so we can start our week off on the right foot. Give us a call if your thinking of going fishing so we can get you on the water. Online booking is also available 24/7 for those of you that are computer savvy. Today’s Fish Count: 9 boats and 222 anglers. 1,450 Assorted Rockfish, 625 Ocean Whitefish, 160 Lingcod, 1 Cabezon, 1 Sole, 5 Perch, 35 Sheephead, 1 Yellowtail, and 1 Popeye Catalupa.