From an environmental perspective, lead is bad news. On the islands they have a technique called dropping stone. It could be adapted for trolling but why not just use a downrigger?9

Yes if you want vermillion it is still the place, but the days of giant vermillion and 10 vermillion limits are long gone. They are slow growing fish and it's only a matter of time before they join the golden eye as a no take species. I don't target them anymore for that reason.

Lime kiln and Monestary are very steep shore breaks and are the most dangerous launches in NorCal as far as kayak fishing. BH is a close second. Mill is probably the safest launch but can be a bitch too and the portage sucks. The good news is I heard the NCKA hating fat ranger is no longer there. The fishing is good and the scenery is great and once in your lifetime, everybody should fish there once. I don't fish there anymore because from the Bay Area the Sonoma coast is a shorter an easier drive and the fishing is almost as good and as far as lings maybe better.  In addition there isn't the long portage, surf and sharks. I learned how to kayak fish there and it is sentimental to me but the commies hit Lucia really hard during the salmon closure years and it hasn't recovered yet. If you have a 1-3' NW swell go for it but west and SW swells greater than 2-3' will close out all of the launches unless you are an advanced kayaker. If you go, bring the minimum gear and rig for a wet landing.

A 30# and 40# live bait rigs and a 40-60# jig stick. If it's mainly tuna, you don't need a jig stick. If there are bluefin, add a 50# bait rod.

Quote from: ex-kayaker on June 24, 2015, 07:33:50 PM

Southern Lumber San Jose,  last time I bought some it was about $90 a sheet for 3/4.   Svendsons boat works on alameda will likely carry a marine ply also.

Marine Ply has gone thru the roof in terms of $$$ these days.

I paid $80 for a 1/2 sheet of Merante Hydrotech 3/4". Pretty expensive but the nicest plywood I have ever worked with.

There is a company called C Dory which makes that style of hull in a 16' but it has a small cabin and is made of fiberglass but pretty light which is both good and bad. It's pretty seaworthy but probably wouldn't take it offshore albies. Like Art said, the hull design is very fuel efficient but can have a rough ride going uphill.

Inflating vests are made for bass anglers who think they will never need one. The ocean is a different story. A lot of things can go bad on the ocean, adding one more thing like your PFD inflating is not good. You are rolling the dice with your life that the technology will work. Boat anglers can live in the delusion that they will never end up swimming for their life. Kayakers know that it is something that could happen.

Sorry guys, Molly is sick, some kind of spinal problem according to the vet. Got to hang with my wing man. Scott