There’s 2-3 resident sea lions than know how to get in cages and break even snares.  Come prepared.

Thanks, that's exactly what I wanted to know.

Regarding the "Dramamine"

Take the "less drowsy" generic name Meclizine, aka Bonine (tm).

Apparently it can still cause drowsiness in some people, so you might want to test it out before your first trip and when you don't need to drive or operate heavy equipment.

For your actual fishing trip, take a dose the night before and then another when you get up in the AM.

And as far as keeping busy to avoid getting sicker, tying knots is a terrible idea because you are looking a something with a frame of reference which is moving with the swells (i.e., your eyes are telling your brain you aren't moving). Looking at a fixed point on the horizon is the best move when starting to get green around the gills. And if you have Gatorade, drink some, that can help, too.

Also I notice some people have a compass affixed to their yaks, which is fine, but I've got a small keychain sized one attached to a zipper pull on my PFD. If I go in and lose my yak, I want to be damn sure I am swimming in the right direction.

Someone mentioned a weather radio, every Marine VHF ever has weather radio channels, so just get a good submersible handheld VHF (and tie to your PFD, again you want it with you if you get separated from your yak).

Re gear, it will most likely be fishing live bait on dropper loops.

Also, I would keep an eye on the fish counts to see which boats are catching before finalizing a reservation, but the San Diego is a good boat.

Definitely do the Coronados, what used to be called a 3/4 day in is now, I think called a full day.

Half day isn't worth anything, unless there is a good Calico bite on.

I just made one of the sides the escape hatch. On one side I folded down the hook and cut off a bit at the end so it cannot catch the top. I used an elastic tie down attached to the top with a single cotton line to hold the wall up. See pics.

Thanks. That looks legit to me.

I also have an older Danielson Alaska model, where, as it came new, one of the side pieces doesn't have the J hook bits on the top edge and that side is held closed with a single piece of cotton rot cord woven along that top edge. So like yours, the side panel will fall open if the cotton rots out. (That one also came with one of the escape rings tied on with cotton).

So based on my read of the current CA regs, there are two issues with the relatively inexpensive Danielson FTC 24x24 folding traps:

1) escape opening created when rot cord fails is not at least 5" in diameter
2) the cotton rot cord holding the escape ring over the escape opening is 4 pieces, rather than "a single strand" (sic).

If so, both problems would be solved by cutting an opening in the top greater than 5"x 5", adding a hinged door lid of PVC wire mesh, and using appropriate cotton rot line with the bungee for the fastener for the lid. (Basically like the top-loading door of the similar, but CA compliant, Promar TR-555). (And then permanently affixing the escape ring by replacing the cotton with zip ties or stainless wire).

Does that sound right to everyone, or am I missing some other deficiency?

(I know that one can also bend the corners of the escape port to make a 5" opening and threading a single piece of cotton rot cord around the perimeter of the escape ring. But I like the doors on the Promars, and I have access to wire mesh to make lids).

Not exactly what you said you were looking for, but some of the SUVs let you open/roll down the window in the back gate.

If you can't find something smaller than a Suburban that will fit your yak entirely inside, you might consider those options.

I am also sure there are older Econolines that would fit your yak and get better mileage than your El Camino.

Recommendations?

My experience is that most of the hollow plastic ones start leaking and filling with water.

I was thinking the best might bey the brick red (aka "brown") ones from Promar (FL-35B), for instance used in the bridle for the Ambush hoops.  Possibly painted a more bright red.

But if you've got recommendations for decent ones, especially local sources in Sonoma County or the Bay Area

Thanks all for the reports and advice.

I cheated and brought the skiff. I went out on the 29th (Sunday). It was rainy and a washing machine outside of the harbor.

Interesting to hear folks say the rain/storm would have the crab hunkered down. In So. Cal everyone believes that a storm will get the lobster and (rock) crab to crawl.

Anyway, I certainly had no luck. Soaked a couple of traps at one area, and motored out toward the rocks. Dropped a hoop near a concentration of buoys. Tried for rockfish for a while (but didn't find any). Came back, couldn't find the hoop I'd dropped.

Checked the traps for nothing, reset them in a different spot and left to let them soak, as it was not real pleasant out there.


There was a small craft advisory Monday, which then got extended to Tuesday, but I looked at the surf report and the direction and figured the spots I dropped would relatively protected, and it was supposed to calm down in the evening. Anyway, took the boat to the ramp at Doran about 4:15pm and it was glassy. I was able to run out and pull the traps easy, but for nothing.

I guy I talked to at the ramp had had better luck with four hours of soaking further south.

Oh, and I got a call last night, my hoop washed up on the beach near the golf links. I had my phone number on the buoy. I was already back in SD, but the guy brought the hoop back to Sebastopol for my dad to pick up.