Rockfish!!!!

http://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/morphology/prelim.html

Where there's rock, there's rockfish.  True there's been 2 attacks there on surfers, and one on a kayaker, but that's really not that bad compared to davenport (more attacks on surfers), the bolinas lagoon mouth, and other 'sharky' spots.  I wouldn't feel especially more threatened than when I'm out off bean hollow.

And having fished there many times from a boat ... that place is G-O-O-D!!!

-Allen

I just spoke to Allen B. regarding Ano Nuevo. (he's been out there with a friend - on a boat - tagging white sharks for study) He had mentioned that the whites are usually there between October and March.

...and his opinion on rock fishing in that area = VERY GOOD  

Stu - if you go, I'll go (if...of course...conditions permit)  

The winter shark "season" makes sense as this is when the elephant seals arrive to give birth and mate.

If you go, hit the outside of the island there from the edge of the kelp beds on out.  If you drift too far south, you get off the rocks onto a sand/mud bottom where there are few fish, although every now than then you'll hit a nice bump holding a red or 2.  Nice lings here too.

-Allen

Joel,
Let me up my life insurance first!!  Although there are not that many reports off Ano, not too many folks surf/kayak the area.
Davenport "appears" more dangerous based on history, but there are way more user's off Davenport than Ano.  

Also, as the crow flies, Ano is not that far from Greyhound rock and Davenport, but I believe the high concetration of marine mammals off Ano has the GW's more concentrated there.  Not fact, just a hunch.

Would I try it?  Maybe ONCE, but only If a group of 4 or more were going.  After that, I'd never dare tempting fate again.  

Stuart

I just remembered this.  A couple years ago a friend's brother was fishing up there and came across a seal corpse.  He stupidly tied off to it and shortly thereafter, whitey showed up to get her prize back.

And I recall numerous reported sightings of whitey from boats fishing the area.  In fact, other than the farallons, this area keep popping into my head as the only other place I've heard of boaters running into whitey with regularity.

Food for thought ...

-Allen

I just remembered this. A couple years ago a friend's brother was fishing up there and came across a seal corpse. He stupidly tied off to it and shortly thereafter, whitey showed up to get her prize back.

That is incredibly stupid.

MolBasser

OK, after Allen's comments, I recind my statement of trying it just once.  It's just not worth it.  No fish, no matter how big or how many, is worth it.

Stuart

Don't be such a wussy.

The odds of you getting hit by a shark are teensy.

I say go for it.

MolBasser

you first!!!

In general, teensy is reasonable.

BUT, day in, day out off Ano, the odds got to go up.  

PS, I feel safer free diving the N coast for abs in 15-20 feet, vs riding a yak off Ano.  I'm sure there are other's who'd feel the opposite.

Stuart

I'll be planning to hit Fort Ross on the 2nd as well... if weather blows out, then it'll be the 4th.  

Will plan to get there early (6-ish) to see if any salmon are hanging around like previous years in early July.

Can't wait...

Erik

you first!!!  

OK.  Lemme figure out a time.

 

MolBasser

Pending weather, anyone want to give the hmb ritz a try?

I'll cover ya at ano!

There's more dangerous places to be...

http://users.rcn.com/sitzkrieg/war/Apache%20Kills%20in%20Iraq.mpeg
Graphic disclaimer...

You guys don't ever watch Shark Week?

You'd be nuts to kayak out there! The 200 yards or so of water surrounding the islands was affectionately referred to as "The Kill Zone" in the show I was watching. The show detailed the survival techniques of the sea lions there, and how they'd use evasive maneuvers whenever leaving the islands. Ie...swimming in packs and alternately surfacing with each other to provide a confusing mass of bodies for the sharks to zero in on.

They went on to say that the less experienced, younger sea lions that tried to leave the island on their own were almost always zeroed in on and, at minimum, had I swipe tooken at them.