Exploring Andrew Molera 10/31

Mentally I had wanted to fish at Pt Sur for a while. I had some vacation time this week and explored this area a bit yesterday. It was very unique experience.

Yesterday’s condition was not idle. Swells were small (2-4ft). The weather was a mix of sunny, overcast, and windy. Fishing was excellent.

Hiking was long. From unloading place to the beach is 1-mile walk. This is only launch place I have known. The road is packed dirt, wide and easy to walk with kayak wheels. It took me ~15 minutes to get to the beach – a good warm-up exercise.

I launched from Molera beach. The beach has a mix of pebbles and sands. A series of shore breakers were rolling in sets at interval of ~8 seconds. I did not time very well. Breakers were coming down onto my kayak. I decided to punch through and hit 3 breakers in row. Luckily the breakers were not big. I got all wet, but managed no roll – hurray!   

After paddling out the cove and turning right, I saw a big field of kelp beds. Actually, kelp was everywhere between Pt Sur and Molera beach. Beneath was a huge area of reefs. I fished in kelp beds and on reefs at 50ft and 80ft. The wind was a little too much and made my kayak like a sailboat. It was challenge to keep it straight down with 4oz jig headers. I had many snags and lost a few of hardware.

After changing fishing techniques - tie my yak to kelp strings and have still fishing, I caught 1 cab, 5 reds and other RF and released a ling and reds, blues and olivers. These reds were huge. I had a few 22, 20 inchers that weighed at 7, 6 pounds (see pictures). I believe there are a lot of reds with good quality dwelling in the area.

Enjoy …

A string of reds and 1 cab, with big sur river behind. Water is clear and calm.

A walk-in campsite - a big grass field. It has faucet water, restrooms, trees. At this time of year, not alot of people camp around. I have few neighbors - very quiet.

Great report.  The ocean looks like a lake in the background.  Thanks!

Thanks for the great report eyeatbay!

I've fished Molera lots of times but always from shore. Last time I really wished I had brought my kayak because it was like a lake. Still caught a fatty ling from the point but those kelp beds north of the point looks like cabezon city! I also saw a huge steelhead re-entering the ocean from the river (and it was September! It was crazy!). Can't wait for steelhead season to open in December.

I hope to fish there from my yak before the season closes. Maybe on Sunday if the WX cooperates..? We gotta hook up sometime.

Thanks!
PK

Hi, PK - Love to hook up with you. It always is better to have companys. I did alone yesterday, but should not. This upcoming sunday is not available for me. Next time I will ping you if it's OK. I'd like to share my observations to fish at that place for anyone's future adventure. I'd also like to hear other's fishing experience at Pt Sur.

Here are some observations on fishing at Pt Sur. Leave you to judge whether they are pros and cons, which depends on your perspective.
• 1-mile long walk to Molera beach. Although it is long, the road is packed dirt, wide and easy to walk with kayak wheels.
• Launch should be fine from the northern part of the cove if swell is NW. Otherwise, I would avoid that place. With southern swells, shore breakers could get worse than yesterday, which would exceed my confidence level.
• Fishing is excellent. I believe there is a good quality of fish living there. Recommend getting them if you adventure out.
• Avoid windy days. Yesterday was not good.  The wind makes hard to fish, especially where kelp beds are everywhere.
• Views from the water are magnificent in a sunny day – crescent shorelines, sandy beaches, Pt Sur station and rocks, and big sur mountain ridges.
• After paddling out the cove, please take a moment and look at land marks. I had hard time to locate Molera cove when coming back. With assistance from GPS device, I knew I was going in right direction, but did not recognize the cove until reaching the mouth of the cove!   
• Big Sur River is cool. Water in the river is clear and clean. A big section of river is kayakable. I did not know if it is possible to kayak down from the parking lot when water level is high in the summer.
• Parking is not allowed at the gate where you unload your kayak. You need to park somewhere else, then walk back – kind of suck.  Buddy system works better.

Eric

Nice report - looks like a great area.   

Hello Eric,

Nice report and cool pics of 'fat' rockfishes.  Thank you for giving us your observation of the area.  Can't believe you actually did the 'long' walk.  I surveyed Adrew Molera last summer but the 'long' walk put me off and by dive/kayak buddies were not interested to go drive that far.   When I was there the beach was heavily blanketed by fog and I can only see upto 10 yards away from the beach due to fog.  If my observation is right, summer fishing there can be tricky due to 'heavy' fog & wind; but with gps, of course, you can find your way back...  The water too was 'brown' due to soil run off from the river, at the time.  Anyways, I know a guy who actually launched his kayak on the river and avoided the 'long' walk...perhaps, certain times of the year.. early spring/summer, the water level level in the river is a little higher. but this guy also had to walk his kayak in the river where some spots were really shallow.  If I'm doing it with a buddy, I don't mind the long walk.  Doing it alone can be very lonely in that 'long' trek from the parking lot.

hey, I'm in on cool adventures.  Right now, I can only go every Sundays.  But I have a lot of vacation hours right now for last minute adventure during weekdays; just need to find 'new' fishing buddy to go with.
-Ron
South San Francisco

Great report, great catch. Way to go adventuring man! Beats the pants off fishing at the GG bridge doesn't it?

It looks like good fishing out there.

I am up for it in the future if anyone else is up to it.  I have the wheels and only need the company to make it worthwhile.  I am also put off by the long haul but it would not be that bad with others along.  My availabily is mostly weekends but I live in Seaside so the drive is short for me.

wow, great report! thank you for the details and nice pics!

john

way to Eric,
i have always wanted to fish that place but the conditions have to be right! which at this place is far and few between. buddy system would be the way to go! i remember i made the walk down their year only to be tried around by the wind......as they say it came out of nowere! glad to see you made it out their and came back safely with catching some nice fish :smut003

jade pirate aka chef

Is that the ocean or a lake in background.  Great catch.

jason

Great report Eric. I've planned to check it out several times but never succeeded. If you see a good opportunity to go again this month let me know. I'm interested.

It looks like good fishing out there.

I am up for it in the future if anyone else is up to it.  I have the wheels and only need the company to make it worthwhile.  I am also put off by the long haul but it would not be that bad with others along.  My availabily is mostly weekends but I live in Seaside so the drive is short for me.

Hello Etienne!

What do you mean by "I have the wheels"; are you talking about your 'very nice' sailing boat in the pic?  Pete is talking about going to Garrapata this Sunday, 11/5/06; that's a very short drive from Seaside, lucky.  I might join Pete if the north coast hookup does not materialize for me.  Are you free this Sunday? Garrapata is fishy a long as the wind does not come.

-Ron