Men's size medium.
The suite was worn once in fresh water.
$350.00

Prefer Pick up, Vacaville.

I attended my second Simply Fishing tournament this weekend and 1st let me say Ruben puts on a great event for a worthy cause.  I hope a lot of money was raised.  I am richer by meeting some new people, learning a few new names and putting a face to names I've seen a lot on the board.  You meet the nicest people at these events, unfortunately I meet one really nasty rude landlord the next day.

Sunday morning a few of us from Group site 4 were heading out for a little redemption.  Eelkram took off first with his new Viking kayak for a maiden voyage. (Congrats Mark).  Naoaki, Dray were either out before me or behind me, not sure.

My plan was to head south after leaving the cove.  After going past the left side of the large rock in the middle of the cove I settled into a pace of about 3.5mph for the long run.  I was messing with my FF as I was getting just outside the cove in about 45ft of water I looked up and noticed a very large swirl in the water about 30ft in front of me.  You know the kind that makes you think twice, pause just a moment, and look down in the water to see if you can find what made it.  I quickly put that thought out of my head and peddled my Revo 13 at a steady pace.

About 20 seconds later, BAM!

I'm not sure exactly how to describe the collision other than it must be what getting rear-ended at 40mph feels like (I've never been in a car accident with another car but, well, knock on wood)

The impact was violent and pitched the Hobie ass over nose.  I landed face down in the water with the yak on top of me.
As soon as I hit the water I knew what had happened, frankly I felt dread and  panic.
Get out from under the boat.
Get the boat turned over, now, now, now, get it flipped.
Get back in, NOW!  Shit, missed the first attempt. 
Stop, slow down.  Get your legs way behind you, KICK!  Get in, sit your ass down and breath.

I start taking inventory of myself and gear.  The drive is still in place, good.  I spot my radio's flashing light and circle around to pick it up.  The impact knocked everything every which way.  Rod over there (floating, yes), water bottle and hat over there, and tethered stuff hanging off the sides.

Then I called out on ch69 for help.  My other thought was to warn those nearby.  Apparently mister grey is hunting Hobie's today.
2 guys finally got over to me. I was shaking some, pissed off, adrenaline overload was in full effect.
Then Mark Lee and Naoaki and maybe Dray and someone else, I can't remember now.
We paddled, peddled in as a group.  I checked the middle hatch but there wasn't enough water in the boat to be concerned.

When we reached the beach (no reference to "The Fixx") we turned the yak over and checked it out.
Not a scratch, not an effing scratch.
The only damage was a couple of cuts on my forehead and a bruised psyche.



Shark? Whale?  I have no picture, video or witness.

I arrived at Timber Cover at 0630.  My first surf launch was very easy in the almost flat conditions.  Recovery was a little more exciting (see below)
I didn't know where to go so I just started searching blindly just outside the kelp beds.  I started south first, then worked my way north about a half mile.  I got into several schools of small blacks but was getting frustrated with a lack of success for keepers.

 I finally hooked what I thought at first was someone's discarded old tire.  Felt almost like being hung up in the kelp but as I'd gain line it would make a run back down.  After 3 good runs I finally netted a 28" fat orange ish whatchamacallit.  OK, so my rock fishing newb brain struggled to remember how do you tell if it's a forbidden fish or dinner?  It looked orange like a bowl of cheetos......... that means  something, but what?
OK, rub the chin!  Rubbed it front to back - smooth as a baby's butt.  That can't be good. 
Rub it back to front, feels like he forgot to shave this morning.  Uh, confusion set in.  So I took it's picture and released it. 
Can someone tell from this picture........... forbidden or food?  My guess is that I released a nice Vermillion that I thought was a Canary.

Later I hooked into a freight train, at least that's what it felt like compared to all those little blacks I've been catching.  After a good fight I finally netted my personal best Ling.  33".  Yes, finally a fish too long for the hawg trough.

I'd of taken his pic fresh out of the water but he tried to kick my butt out of the boat twice. 

I had to cut the fishing short and get over to Lake Sonoma by 2pm for warm water self recovery practice.  So now for the surf landing...........

I pulled the mirage drive out, stowed the rudder and was paddling in with speed trying to time it between the waves to hit the beach.  Unfortunately 2 small children were playing in the water.  I had to back paddle to keep from running over a little girl, but the wave behind caught up and lifted the kayak straight for her!  I reached way back to my right into the wave face and braced while turning the kayak to miss her and surfed that wave in LIKE A BOSS.
Yep, surfed that hugh 2ft wave like I knew what  I was doing.   

The water was calm this morning.  OTW by 0615, off by 1130.

I started just north of the green buoy, pick up a small black on my first drop and another 15 minutes later.
The bite slowed and I tried different color grubs and hunted around some places I hadn't been to before and picked up a couple more small blacks.

Then I went back to a small reef where I picked up two undersized Lings last Sunday.  I got a hook up and we had a long hard fought argument about whether that fish was comin' in the boat or not.  Netted a medium size black on my upper jig when something tried to pull my net to the bottom.  WTH?

Turns out I had a double hookup and the other fish was a doozy.


20 inch black.


Picked up a Ling before I headed back in.


I was pretty happy with my haul on my 3rd time fishing for rock cod in my Outback.