Gimme Shelter 4 - Epic as Predicted - 5/14/2010-5/16/2010

Cudo's to Eric for putting on a great tourney!  A few pics of yesterday and today.  Grumpy convinced the team to abandon the fleet at the whistle buoy and search out a rock pile.  Was a great idea.  We found some rocks between the green and red buoys.  Grumpy got mostly blacks and chinas.  While I seem to have the hot rod.  Got jig stuck on bottom and while trying to get it loose, Lingzilla (29.5")  hits the shrimp fly teaser hook and knocks loose the jig.  After a fearsome battle, I got a lip gaff on him and he joined the first fish I got, the nice cabbie.  Went on like that most of the morning, with only 3 blacks hooked and had to release the last and smallest one, as I was limited out on rockfish.  2 cabs, 2 greenlings, 1 ling, 1 large black, and gopher and black filled the limit.  The secret to lots of points was have at least 4 point count fish.  I thought I was be in the top 10 with the catch, but was happy to be numeral dos.  Met a lot of great people and I never thought I would say I was happy to miss winning a kayak by 27 points, but I am estactic that Big Jim beat me.  Fine gentleman with a lovely family deserves it more than I do.  He now has a lot safer kayak.  Not really good for an 8' person to fish a 9' boat.  Way too much good food at the potluck.  This old guy has lost a bunch of weight since Christmas,  and the potluck was not a  help.  The assistance of all those who helped those who decided to take a refreshing swim is noted and praised.  What a fine bunch of people and families.  Attached are some pics of Saturday and Sunday.  Thanks to Grumpy for loaning me the Outback and finding the fish.  Thanks to all for the camaderie. Also want to compliment the F&G warden who was checking us as we came in.  Courtesy and professionalism.  Nice job, warden.

GS = gimmeshelter

more.....



Let's just say there was some aggressive seal activity both saturday & today. This pic is one of two different lings I caught that had been bitten. Not to mention the personal indignity inflicted upon me by a seal. But I did extract my revenge..... Thanks for the bat Guitarzan! 

Really still in shock...

Had an AMAZING time the whole weekend!!!!!

Got there Friday and went out with a big crew to go get some abs...hadn't dove in a real long time so had a blast getting back in the ocean and managed to get three decent abs pretty quick...was awesome to se Andy out there diving with his son...WTG!!!!

Joe/Bloodbath also picked an urchin and introduced me to the wonders of uni!!  

Had abalone at least 4 different ways courtesy of FishMaster1, BaitnBeer and Dr. Fectavious...you guys rock!!!  

Chilled in the campground and met SO MANY cool people...my wife and I were really impressed and appreciative of how welcoming everyone was!! My daughter even announced on the drive home that Stoggie (or Stog as she called him) was her new favorite uncle!!!  

THANK YOU to everybody for making my whole family feel right at home!!!!!  

Met up with Team SharkBait (fishinmike and Captain Kayak/frank) in the AM...Frank had a few technical difficulties but we got out there and starting working the edge of the kelp in front of the hotels...fish were a little tight-lipped, but the surroundings and company more than made up for the slowish bite!!

Got a nice 19.5 inch Verm and a couple football Blacks and was feeling good about bringing home some nice fish for the wife...then picked up a 25 1/4 inch Ling and was super stoked to have an even nicer stringer!!

Then managed to pick up a 14 1/4 inch GreenLing and started thinking that even though my fish weren't very big, that the variety pack might rack up some nice points...released the GreenLing to get the CPR bonus (witnessed by fishinmike).

Then scored a 19 1/4 inch fat Cabbie!!  Snapped some pics, had CaptainKayak snap a few more (looking forward to seeing those Frank!!) and sent him back down as well!!

By now we had picked Gabe up after Montana went for an unexpected swim and had to head in early...really enjoyed fishing with Mike, Frank and Gabe...thanks guys!!!!

Spent a few more hours out there, but nothing much else was biting...headed in with Gabe and Stoggie and witnessed the mastery Stoggie has with his fishfinder...saw him stop, drop a jig, and catch 4 lings in 4 spots on the way back in!! Nice job Curtis!!!!!

Back at camp, snapped pics of the fish before cleaning them, and then ran the scorecard over to Eric...got there at 4:30 and was super surprised to learn that I was in the lead!!!

When it became official that I had won I was so happy I could've cried....I have been making my BigYak work for me but have been really wanting to get a bigger yak, but haven't been able to justify the expense..

The 10 inch Ab Shell is also SO beautiful that I just want to hang it around my neck so I can look at it all day!!  

The mini hawg-trough is very cool as well, and will be keeping me company at work from now on!!!

The potluck and party were a BLAST, and I would have stayed up much later celebrating, but exhaustion and beer caught up with me and I passed out pretty early..

Went out for abs this morning with JWR but conditions were a lot worse than Friday and I only managed one ab and one urchin...thank you JWR for accompanying me and helping me out!!

Francisco (zisco) helped me out my taking my BigYak back down for me...thanks buddy!!!!!!!

After a 6+ hour drive home I am beat, but wanted to say THANK YOU again to Eric for this super special unforgettable experience...it was an honor to be up there with everybody and I will never forget this weekend!!

Really looking forward to using my new yak, fishing with my new NCKA friends and enjoying future good times together!!!! Also very happy that I got NCKA buddies in my area to hook up with...even if they are A-hulls!!!!!    

I think I just need to come out of denial and admit that I am an A-hull at heart as well!!!!!! Al, Sara, Stoggie, Andy and Pat...you guys are good people and I feel very lucky to have gotten to meet you and hang out with you!!

Ok...here are some pics, and I look forward to seeing the ones that Frank, Al and everyone else took as well!!

You can see a bunch more at:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=439707&id=677140191&l=0ace5eda1e

Sincerely,

Jim

More pics!

Few more...

THANKS AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!
 

I feel extremely fortunate to have been able to go up there and meet you all, and very grateful to have had such an amazing experience...unforgettable for sure!!!!!

Sincerely,

Jim

Awesome pics & victory Jim! It was a pleasure to meet you & your family. Hope you can make it up for Albion.  jim

Congrats Big Jim - WTG!

BigJim - it was nice to meet you and your family and congrats on the awesome victory. The T15 is perfect for you and I am sure you will catch many fish on it.

Here is a pic of the Lost Coast and Molly the roadie.

WTG guys!   Congrats Jim! you sure are having a great year.

Rob

I woke up this morning feeling like I'd gone a couple rounds with Joe Frazier but at the same time wishing I was still up at shelter cove  .       Grats to Bigjim!   I fished near him several times during the day and it seemed like he always had a fish on..     I managed to leave my bait in the  truck but had some luck with swimbaits and hex bar, went way up north and didnt find anything up there, came back and picked up my last few fish right in the area past the hotel where my first couple of the day were caught.    Ended up with 4 black rockies, all about 18 inches, and a decent cabbie.  Thanks SaltyDog for some squid that put the last black and the cabbie on my stringer!  Slow fishing but the day and the event were epic!

Thanks to Eric and all who helped put gs4 on!!  

Im adding a few pix, just got a waterproof(hopefully) cam a couple weeks ago and this was my first try with it otw.  I need to work on my hog trough pix.. lol

--NICE AB JIM! WTG. I wish I would have went now. Keep those pics and stories coming.  Did I see a pic of a salmon?

Marcos

CONGRATS JIM !   I've yet to make it out to Shelter Cove.  Those great pics prove I've been missing out on a whole lot of fun.  Keep'em coming.

The secret to lots of points was have at least 4 point count fish.  I thought I was be in the top 10 with the catch, but was happy to be numeral dos.  Met a lot of great people and I never thought I would say I was happy to miss winning a kayak by 27 points, but I am estactic that Big Jim beat me.  Fine gentleman with a lovely family deserves it more than I do.  He now has a lot safer kayak.  Not really good for an 8' person to fish a 9' boat.  

Thanks Bill!!!

Yeah, the variety and extra points for catch and release turned out to be key...saw PLENTY of fish way bigger than mine, but I guess I was fortunate enough to have the lucky combo!!   

Really enjoyed getting to meet and talk with you, and hope I get the chance to fish with you again soon!!

Thanks again to everybody for the great time and for the congratulations...wish I was still up there and not back at my desk!! 

Sincerely,

Jim

Awesome report, guys!!!
Congrats to BigJim & Bird's salmon!
wish I could make it there... I want me some Uni