S.C. Harbor Event Results

Just wanted to chime in and thank Eric for a fun event.

After making bait, which was a hoot in itself, I paddled out into the kelp by the light house where I met Dennis (future NCKA-er I think). He showed me the way out further where I hooked up with my first halibut. Met Yakuza in the process and there was one other yak out there.

Easy water, easy bait, good people ... and fish! (in SC??  )  Hard to beat.

Ben

 Great time on the water for all participants, some maybe better than others. Nice conditions with some fog shrouding the fishing grounds. I passed the guys making bait and headed to pleasure point where I have seen people other than myself catch halibut    .  After paddling for 45 minutes got down there and realized I am fishing solo, everyone else must have been expecting NW winds maybe. Thank goodness for the radio or I wouldn't of had any company. Landed a nice little 27" halibut, my first for this area, whoopeee!!! That fish made my day, thought maybe I could place third but someone was sandbagging.

Results as I heard them

1st place 33" halibut
2nd place 30" halibut
3rd place 29" lingcod














Al I appreciated your reggae music even if the neighborhood didn't







A

This was the forecast. 
SUN...LIGHT WINDS...BECOMING W 5 TO 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES LESS THAN 2 FT. W SWELL 7 FT AT 8 SECONDS. PATCHY FOG AND SMOKE.

The forecast was waaaaay off.  It was FAC, really nice conditions.  Ran into my friend Khanh unloading his new charter boat (northcalsportfishing.com).  He said head to the yellow can and soak live bait.  So that’s what I did. 

Daviator and I split a $5 scoop of anchovies.  Probably got 60-100 pinheads in that scoop, so it was totally worth it.
My first hit was a sculpin (?) one a 4 year old papa bill’s custom 5” black and tan swimbait.  That’s a mean looking fish.  Back it went.





Picked up a couple other rockfish, both on plastic and anchovies.  Lost a legal ling trying to bring it in hot, bit right through my 30 lb leader.  Here’s a couple pics of Ben and his impressive SC hallie.  Good job fishfarmer!! 







Daviator devirginizing on a brown rockcod.  WTG man, nothing like the sweet smell of success.



Daviator surrounding by a bait boil.  A huge school of chovies was getting chased by something, I tossed in there with my swimbait, no joy.



I have to say this derby brought back the fun for fishing santa cruz for me.  I’d been pretty down on SC for a long time.  SC will never be Sur, but for a local convenient venue, it’s still not a bad option. 

Eric, thanks for putting on this event!  Nathan and I had a great time, and those hourly raffles really add to the day.    

We were a bit late because we were at the wrong launch so the herd had already left.  I was planning on following the herd.  MOOOOOO.  We made bait and I deployed my new 4 inch bait tube.  Compared to my 2 inch tube, it keeps the bait lively, BUT it is a drag.  So rather than drag that thing to the mile buoy or lighthouse, chose to head to pleasure point cuz its closer.  Lazy pays again  We had some nice raked baits but did manage two butts, one 33 inches and the other 22.5.  That was enough to win a cool color fish finder

I think my favorite part of the event was the radio chatter with the best being, " I am surrounded by fur bags.  If I dont make it, tell my wife I love her."    NOt sure who said it, but I almost fell off my yak.

We made bait and I deployed my new 4 inch bait tube.  Compared to my 2 inch tube, it keeps the bait lively, BUT it is a drag.  

E, when I first saw your baittube, i thought you were going to launch RPG's at 'em!  That sucker is pretty fat.  congrats on another W

Sorry guys,

I Was pretty tired when I got home last night and forgot to say what fish were caught and length took the top places,

Bigwavedave was correct:

1st was a 33" Halibut caught by Eugene Tsuji
2nd was a 30" Halibut caught by Ben Petersen
3rd was a 29 1/2" Ling caught by Kenny Eskew

Thanks again to all who participated and also a great thanks to Allan Bushnell for his hospitality.

Eric

I think my favorite part of the event was the radio chatter with the best being, " I am surrounded by fur bags.  If I dont make it, tell my wife I love her."    NOt sure who said it, but I almost fell off my yak.

that would be me  i was in furbag heaven. i even had one nearly board me - he breached three times in a row somersaulting not less than 15' in front of me.

Yes, thank you Eric & FW for putting on this event. As e2g mentioned, the hourly raffles are a great added bonus. I went home with an indoor rod rack, which I really needed - the bunched up in the corner method was getting old.

Lots of bait boiling just outside the harbor entrance - I wasn't planning on using live bait but couldn't resist throwing a sabiki out on a handline behind the yak. Picked up a few different squirmy little guys but they didn't end up paying off. Had a couple crabs hitchhike up in a jig but the only fish I brought in was a black rockie at the end of the day.

Congrats to the winners and to Al for the hali on the jig - just that morning, while introducing the neighbors to reggae & dub, he told me that he'd love to catch one on an artificial - good vibes, Al!

This was the forecast. 
SUN...LIGHT WINDS...BECOMING W 5 TO 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES LESS THAN 2 FT. W SWELL 7 FT AT 8 SECONDS. PATCHY FOG AND SMOKE.

The forecast was waaaaay off.  It was FAC, really nice conditions. 

Yep, it was so far off, I thought maybe I'd read a forecast for the wrong region... The wind did pick up in the afternoon, but no 7 ft swell.

WTG Er'body.

Congrats to all who placed.

Here come my pics of S.C.  I did not take many pics as i was actually busy fishing for once in my lifetime.

The night before the tourney we went to sophia's in aptos for dinner.  HUGE TOSTADAS and taco salad.  The pics really do it no justice.



The only non baitfish i landed..


But this is probably the most important thing I landed all day:


Fishsniffer Pose


I had a great time and plan to take on SC again in the future!