NorCal Kayak Anglers

Kayak Fishing Zone => Hookups and Fishing Reports (Viewable by Public) => Topic started by: LoletaEric on September 03, 2017, 05:58:08 PM

Title: Shelter Cove - 8/31 and 9/2/17 - Vid added
Post by: LoletaEric on September 03, 2017, 05:58:08 PM
Thursday at the Cove:

- Slow rockfish and lingcod bite near shore;
- No salmon contacted;
- Active halibut bite - mostly shorts;
- 3 thresher hookups that stuck long enough for wild action and rapid heartbeats!
- 7 hours fishing and then an ab dive.

Mission accomplished.

*************************************************************

Saturday's report:

Brotherhood. That's what we did today.

Greg contacted me recently regarding a Shelter Cove trip for he and his good buddy Nolan. In his email to me, Greg opened with "I feel like I know you from reading countless reports!" Words like that mean a lot to me.

Greg and Nolan traveled north from the Bay Area Friday and stayed at one of the inns at the Cove. I hadn't heard from the guys since we'd texted a couple days earlier, so when I pulled my truck through the parking lot at their hotel at 540AM and didn't see any kayaks I wondered if they'd made it up... A minute later as I headed down to the launch in the dark I saw headlamps and kayaks on the ground - my guys were early and eager to get on the water!

I often tell my joke about how many men I've met on the internet...  Jokes aside, I have come to really appreciate making the in-person connection after getting to know people online. After introductions we hustled to get our gear ready amidst a busy Saturday ramp where many sport boaters were heading out early and a fleet of commercial boats were already pulling up their anchors and heading toward the salmon grounds.

The presence of the commercial fleet was a bit of a surprise to me, and I hoped that all of the increased pressure wouldn't put the salmon off the bite. By the time my guests and I were on the water and heading toward the outside I could see good numbers of people trolling and mooching south of the Whistle where fish have been caught recently, so I considered our options. We would head for our own space where no one was fishing just north of the Whistle on the inside.

An early undersized lingcod for Nolan and bites for Greg and I had us warmed up and hopeful for a good day of catching, but the real object of our trip had been clarified at the ramp at our pre-paddling meeting - the guys wanted a salmon.

As we made our way on to the spot where I felt we had our best chance at an early fish I was thinking about how the bite has been tough and how much I wanted to get these guys on a nice fish. When Greg announced he had a fish on I quickly reeled in my line and paddled right up on him to get photos and video and to be ready to assist with netting if necessary. Not knowing what Greg had on, I was thrilled when I saw his line move away from his boat with the fish coming to the surface - this was a salmon!

Greg did everything right by letting the fish run a bit and tire, and soon he pulled his first kayak king salmon into my waiting net. This early score had all three of us hooting and hollering, and we got our baits back down in search of more. It wasn't long before Greg's on again, and soon we had 2 kings bled and on ice! We were so stoked!!

Hearing nothing but slow reports from the sport fleet on the radio, I was very pleased that we had our own little bite going on with no one else around. It wasn't 15 minutes later and Nolan had a salmon on now! As I paddled up to him his fish was right under his yak, and Nolan's like, "It looks different..." He'd hooked a nice coho around 8 to 10 pounds, and right as I approached Nolan the fish got squirly and darted under my boat getting tangled in my dangled line and soon freeing itself from Nolan's hooks. Nolan hooked his salmon, and guide learned a lesson! Grateful that it was a coho and not a take-home fish...

We continued on, hoping our bite would last and that it would produce a bigger model Chinook, but that turned out to be it for salmon bites. Guide tip of the day: get on it early!

As we moved toward mid morning we ended up out by the Whistle where the action was pretty consistent for lingcod, rockfish and a few sole including a Petrale that we kept. When all was said and done we had done 8 straight hours on the water and landed 10 species. What was great though was that these two men - both PhD chemists I'll point out - had a fantastic attitude and were an absolute pleasure to be around for the day.

We got back to launch where it was hot out with people playing all over the place. The guys had each brought a cooler with ice along on their yaks, so the fun had really just begun as now we were taking two full coolers of fish up to an also crowded cleaning table.

Cold beers while fileting fish is another favorite part of these trips, and sharing the stoke with my new friends really hit the spot. As we took care of the day's catch we learned that few salmon were caught for the day, so our early good fortune felt all the more special - I definitely don't mind how such a scenario accentuates one of my trips!

The end of the day had arrived, and my guys needed to get back home to family duties. Their 36 hour Cove Adventure was coming to a close. As I went to shake Greg's and Nolan's hands I thought back to the morning's introductions with warm smiles and firm handshakes that had sprouted from an internet connection and Greg's email message that had really been a stroke for me.

I felt honored and so pleased to have helped to introduce these two outdoorsmen and family men to the offshore wilderness and some of its potential.

These parting handshakes would now be Bro-hugs.

Glad to have gotten acquainted with two new friends.  :smt001
Title: Re: Shelter Cove - 8/31 and 9/2/17
Post by: Fisherman X on September 03, 2017, 06:09:54 PM
Sounds fantastic!
Title: Re: Shelter Cove - 8/31 and 9/2/17
Post by: LoletaEric on September 03, 2017, 06:10:47 PM
Last 2 Thursday pics and on to Saturday:
Title: Re: Shelter Cove - 8/31 and 9/2/17
Post by: LoletaEric on September 03, 2017, 06:18:46 PM
More from Saturday, September 2, 2017 at the Cove:
Title: Re: Shelter Cove - 8/31 and 9/2/17
Post by: The X Inn Keeper on September 03, 2017, 06:19:41 PM
Thanks for another awesome report brother
I just can't say it enough,
Life is Good in the Cove!
;0)
Title: Re: Shelter Cove - 8/31 and 9/2/17
Post by: LoletaEric on September 03, 2017, 06:22:28 PM
Quote from: yakhopper
Thanks for another awesome report brother
I just can't say it enough,
Life is Good in the Cove!
;0)

Who would've thought that you'd become the ambassador of the Cove that you have?  Great to have you and Verna in Humboldt, Eric.  :smt001
Title: Re: Shelter Cove - 8/31 and 9/2/17
Post by: Fisherman X on September 03, 2017, 06:25:27 PM
Quote from: yakhopper
Thanks for another awesome report brother
I just can't say it enough,
Life is Good in the Cove!
;0)

Who would've thought that you'd become the ambassador of the Cove that you have?  Great to have you and Verna in Humboldt, Eric.  :smt001

Hear, hear!!
Title: Re: Shelter Cove - 8/31 and 9/2/17
Post by: LoletaEric on September 03, 2017, 06:27:23 PM
Last of Saturday's pics:
Title: Re: Shelter Cove - 8/31 and 9/2/17
Post by: KPD on September 03, 2017, 06:36:28 PM
Always fun to see what's happening up there. Thanks!
Title: Re: Shelter Cove - 8/31 and 9/2/17
Post by: CptSloppywood on September 03, 2017, 06:54:32 PM
Wow. What a great time for everyone. I feel the stoke!
Title: Re: Shelter Cove - 8/31 and 9/2/17
Post by: Spring45 on September 03, 2017, 07:34:11 PM
Awesome!!
Title: Re: Shelter Cove - 8/31 and 9/2/17
Post by: gw on September 03, 2017, 09:19:02 PM
Olive

Eric, nice talking with you at the cleaning table.
Title: Re: Shelter Cove - 8/31 and 9/2/17
Post by: Nolanduke on September 03, 2017, 09:37:45 PM
What a great time.  Im still reliving it over and over in my head.  Such a great day with my good friend and an amazing guide - Eric, you kick ass, sir.  Thank you for a truly incredible experience I will never forget.  For real!   
:beer2
Here are some pics I took out there on a surreal day at the cove. 
Title: Re: Shelter Cove - 8/31 and 9/2/17
Post by: LoletaEric on September 04, 2017, 08:25:56 PM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JQLAI8tmer4
Title: Re: Shelter Cove - 8/31 and 9/2/17 - Vid added
Post by: Bulldog---Alex on September 04, 2017, 08:39:38 PM
Definitely need to retain your services one of these days Eric. At the rate I am going, it could take me decades to figure out the different fishing areas at shelter.  :smt005

Alex
Title: Re: Shelter Cove - 8/31 and 9/2/17 - Vid added
Post by: LoletaEric on September 04, 2017, 08:52:53 PM
Quote from: Bulldog---Alex
Definitely need to retain your services one of these days Eric. At the rate I am going, it could take me decades to figure out the different fishing areas at shelter.  :smt005

Alex

Whenever you're ready, buddy.  :smt001

You were doing a pretty damn good job, IMO.  That was one of the only times I've ever pulled up in the dark and seen a powerboat waiting to launch - I was stoked when I figured out it was you.