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Topics - LoletaEric

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General Talk / Noco Genius chargers / 12 V lead brick battery issues - 5/10/22

« on: May 10, 2022, 12:38:31 PM »

Hey - I have the Noco Genius G750 charger, and it's been great for years. I've gone through a number of 12V/9ah lead brick batteries over the years - figured they can only take so many charges. Now though it seems that all of my half dozen or so lead bricks will charge for a bit with the orange light slowly flashing, and then it'll go to error mode - alternating the orange a red light below it. When I plug the batteries in to my FF everything works. What's up with not getting the green light on my charger that should indicate full charge? Did the Genius finally go bad? I've seen links for resetting a charger's memory, but I can't find info on why that would be done - could it be what I need?

Thanks for any hive help that's available. First World problems, right?!

AOTY / Calling "Kelp Creeper" - I've got something for you!

« on: March 28, 2022, 09:55:42 AM »

Looks like last year's (2021) DOTY is Kelp Creeper.

Hit me up so we can figure how to get you a new Trophy Trough.

Eric

(707) 845-0400

AOTY / AOTY Trophy Trough Delivery - 3/27/22

« on: March 27, 2022, 10:35:07 PM »

I don't make it out of Humboldt much - by design! Taking the kid down to school at Davis, I was able to double up on my trip efficiency by delivering a redwood Trophy Trough to the AOTY, Corey. Congrats on a great year - looking forward to seeing you fill that trough this year.

Fishing Tournaments and Events / Vaccination Requirement to Attend Tournaments

« on: December 12, 2021, 01:24:30 PM »

I'm up in the air about GS for May of 2022. The fact that, right now, there are many places where medical services and personnel are experiencing overload is reason enough for me to either not have the tournament or to consider asking that people confirm that they're vaccinated in order to participate. Even if services in northern California aren't taxed, I have felt the entire time that what we do is an example to others across the country and the world. Life must go on, but I'm not sure it includes putting on a big gathering in a remote location yet.

Thanks for the consideration~

Hookups and Fishing Reports (Viewable by Public) / Humboldt Bay Crabbing - 11/13/21

« on: November 15, 2021, 12:19:48 PM »

Got the wife out on the water for some ring pulling. Crabbing's not red hot in the bay so far, but we got enough for some tasty dinners this week.

Hookups and Fishing Reports (Viewable by Public) / Midnight Crab Opener - Humboldt Bay - 11/6/21

« on: November 06, 2021, 11:05:45 AM »

No jumbos and they're a little light, but nothing beats working the gear in the middle of the night!

Watch out for that big 10 foot tide change today.

Hookups and Fishing Reports (Viewable by Public) / Shelter Cove - 10/3rd, 5th, 7th, 9th/21

« on: October 10, 2021, 09:11:38 PM »

Sunday, October 3rd:

Cove with Sean.

Sporty seas on the outside early. We hauled up some black rockfish and one almost legal lingcod before heading inshore to much nicer water where a late season salmon bite had developed down the coast a couple of miles. Several missed bites, a brief hookup, a coho released and a hot whale show filled the next couple of hours. We should have had one in the box earlier with all those bites, and finally Sean had one that was sticking. We managed to work together to get about a 12 pounder in the net, and my guy's first day at the Cove was officially a smashing success. Sean even went on to catch a couple more smaller kings - one just over 21" and legal, but both were released. We stayed and hoped for another bigger Chinook, but we were pushing well into overtime and had to troll back up the coast and get our little stack of fish filleted before the evening high tide showed up.

We made our way back to the harbor where tons of surfers were hanging out on the beach and riding waves both at Deadman's and right at the wash rock. Oddly, launching and landing were no problem, but there was a nice break going off right there east of the ramp. We landed, got our gear put away, did our photos and I drove up the hill to spray the scales off of the salmon - it's a happy time and legit tradition.

Came back down the hill to fillet the fish at my tailgate where Sean and I toasted a great day with ice cold beers, and another chapter was done in the story of what has been an amazing season. The fish give me hope, and trips with cool people who become friends bring me joy. Top that off with a premium guide fee gladly paid and a fat tip too, and I'm extremely thankful. It's good to feel these things.

A big thank you to Sean for a wonderful trip and to the community at large for the support that I have received - NCKA is at the top of that list. I'm stoked to do what I do in Humboldt County, and I hope that you'll reach out if you have an adventure in mind that you believe I can facilitate. I love doing everything I can to make the days full of value.

Let's go on your adventure.

Tuesday, October 5th:

Called Domenic Sunday with a report. He had work to do for a few days, so I wasn't sure I'd make it back down for a non-guide day of fishing or not. After sleeping on it, Domenic was in!

We hit it early Tuesday, and Dom was on fire. After we'd both had a few bites trolling down the coast, he hit a super bright king around 10 pounds, and not long afterward he had a 25+ on the line. The big fish shot under his Outback and got the line in the rudder, and the look on Dom's face in that moment was classic lost-fish terror! He managed to get it in the net though, and he'd limited by 5 minutes to 9AM. He had it coming - hard work all summer and not enough fishing for my bro. What a great friend to hang with me all day as I lost fish after fish and landed multiple coho to the pliers. I eventually got a smaller king, and it was a total relief. Never had so many pumpers on the line in one day.

Thursday, October 7th:

I needed redemption pretty badly, but I needed sleep worse! Slept in and didn't get down there until 930, launched just before 10AM. Got down to the fleet and the charter had 8 fish - shouldn't have slept in... Hooked a hot pumper, set the hook, and - FUCK! - everything's gone. Had just tied everything the night before, including a new palomar onto my snap swivel - and that's probably where it broke since I got back nothing. I checked that knot and may have had a weak spot elsewhere... I'm pretty religious about checking leaders and swivel knots, and I teach it to whoever I take out. It was very painful to start the day like that, but the good news was that I'd hooked a fish quickly. I re-tied and put a new rig out, and it wasn't long before I had about a 10 pound king doing runs from my yak. Thought I had it tired and about ready after 3 runs, and then it turned and spit... More pain. Missed more bites and brief hookups over the next couple of hours, and then I finally got a bone thrown my way - 6 pounder in the net. Relief, thankfulness and a hint of "I want a bigger one" filled my mind. The charter got his last fish early in the afternoon, and myself and a group of powerboaters hit his spot as he left - lost another 12 pounder or so as I approached his honey hole... It was that kind of day, and it sure seemed like I was due to get back on track with consistent hookup to landing ratio as I've enjoyed all season, but I had to head home with the one and be glad for it.

Saturday, October 9th:

Cove with Ross.

This day played out much like the previous 3 trips - hot fish, lots of lost fish and missed bites. The fleet was experiencing the same thing, and sealions were thrown in this day for good (bad!) measure. My guy and I lost multiple fish. I broke one off at the hooks when I tried to slow a screamer down from going under a nearby powerboat. Cohos to the pliers... Deja vu frustration! I ended up getting a 10 pounder put away, but my guest was living out all of the tough bite realities that I've already described in this report. How hot these fish are right now is remarkable. How long it's lasting is too.

Here's my wanna-be-inspirational-because-I'm-so-butt-hurt report from Facebook:

October salmon fishing has been amazing lately - it's not typical, but no one's complaining! One fish on each of my last four trips, and they've all been highly appreciated, but it's important to read the tea leaves in these reports. There's absolutely nothing easy about catching a salmon right now.

The fish are hot - really hot! If you manage to hook one, you'll need to hold on and be ready. The head shakes, frenetic movements, line-peeling runs and powerful sudden turns create an atmosphere of chaos and potential desperation as your best laid plans for hooking, fighting and landing an ocean salmon can and often are dashed by the athleticism and sheer determination of these beautiful and profoundly majestic animals. Harvesting and consuming Chinook salmon is a pleasure for sure, but battling one on the other end of your line is a whole new level of thrill.

Here's the deal though - you don't just paddle to the spot and troll up dinner like it's a scripted story with a happy ending. Entering the Salmon Lotto can be way more about lessons in humility than it is about working hard and automatically finding success. The moments of glory in this fishery - this passionate pursuit - are high highs for sure, but if you're not careful you may find yourself working very hard to get close to achieving your goal only to end up wondering what happened - how it all went wrong. You may find yourself pondering whether all of the work and instances of heart wrenching disappointment are worth it. I call it Salmon Torture.

Lately I've enjoyed some great conditions for trolling along the wild coast southeast of the Cove, and, as I posted the other day on my personal page, I've hooked more hot kings recently than I can remember ever experiencing. The adrenalin produced from fighting these fish is exceptional - my heart races faster during these encounters than it did when I saw a Great White Shark! The tea leaves though... All of those hookups mean this - I didn't land much, or I'd have had my limit and moved on.

So what's the real draw? What kind of people subject themselves to what can often amount to a series of gut punches just for the chance to fight and retain a salmon? I can tell you this - it's not just the protein.

“Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after” What did Thoreau mean by this, and how does it relate to the kayak salmon pursuit? I've come to know that there are many reasons for our choices to focus our time, energy and resources on what are so frequently very difficult tasks. Challenge is high on the list, and so is adventure. Exercise, companionship, love of nature - they all factor in to the equation.

When I assemble all of my gear, tie new leaders, seek out a special piece of tackle and obtain high quality bait, I am laser focused on giving myself the best chance at finding success that I can. I eagerly awaken at ridiculously early hours, drive in the dark over mountain roads far from my home, hustle to prepare for a long day on the water, toil with paddle and rod for what will likely amount to almost the entire day, and the final result is, honestly, hope.

There is no formula that will guarantee the catch - this is true of any angling activity, but especially so for salmon and even more so for catching an ocean salmon from a kayak. I want the difficulty and the challenge. I enjoy the discipline and the long hours and the exhaustion at the end. I make myself accept the setbacks and the shortcomings - the torture of not getting the job done - because I want the prize that is hope realized.

What I'm describing here is about learning to use outdoors pursuits to enhance and improve your life. When you live with hope for accomplishing inspiring goals - whether it's catching a salmon or climbing a mountain - you give yourself a framework for finding prosperity and happiness in other aspects of your life.

So when you do all the prep and devote your time and energy to the pursuit only to hook and lose hard fighting fish and find yourself holding an empty stringer at day's end, the challenge becomes humility and the hope can transform itself into determination for the future.

The real trick in kayak salmon fishing may be how to be humble when you do capture your quarry. We all want more of that problem!

***********************************************************************

Ross joined me for the Salmon Torture yesterday. Short story, based on what I've written above: mission accomplished, all around!

Eric Stockwell - Kayak Salmon Torture Guide~

***********************************************************************

Keep it real, NCKA - peace out~

Hookups and Fishing Reports (Viewable by Public) / Shelter Cove - 9/22/21

« on: September 23, 2021, 03:33:42 PM »

Dr. Dan called me up looking for an offshore orientation trip as he considers building a retirement home at the Cove. He'd met a friend of mine, Jim Sanders, down there recently, and Jim encouraged him to seek out my services. I really appreciate that kind of recommendation, and I work hard to honor the confidence placed in me within such referrals.

Dan and I met up yesterday in the dark where I'd assembled my gear as well as a second fully outfitted kayak for him. After a bit of instruction and review onshore we launched onto a nice ocean and made our way through the harbor and onto the reef. A salmon was certainly on the list of desired catches, but this being a first trip for my guy, we'd opted for a well rounded tour where hooking bottom fish would be most likely and a chance at a salmon or halibut would always be there.

Dan has a background in whitewater kayaking and has taken good care of himself, so when the fish weren't biting well inshore at the point I suggested that we head out toward the red can. The ocean had glassed off nicely making the offshore buoy that much more inviting.

As we trolled our way out there enjoying easy conversation and smooth water, a few bites were coming, and then Dan was on a pretty good one. I cleared my line and got up to him as he steadily worked a lingcod up to his boat. I announced that it looked like a 24 incher, so it was soon in the net. A quick troughing bore out that it was indeed right on 24 inches, and within a few minutes the catch was bled and stowed and Dan's hooks were baited up and fishing again. That's how the program works.

We finished our commute out to the Whistle, and it wasn't long before we'd pulled up a few species of rockfish to run through the program and add to the stringers. My guest was having a blast discovering the sport, and his comments were reminiscent of so many other trips where the themes of discovery, challenge, natural beauty and joy typically override what can sometimes be a more singular focus in fishing. You see, kayak fishing is different. I'm not saying that the catches don't matter - they're definitely central to what I'm showing people, but in the big picture the fish are just part of the overall experience. We are out there for an adventure - it can't just be about the fish.

As we progressed with our session, the fishing wasn't red hot but it was steady - perfect, really, for someone's first time. We listened on the VHF as the fleet of powerboaters were finding similar results - scratch bite, and no one had announced a salmon - not sure anyone was even trying since the bite's waned so significantly in the past couple of weeks.

Midday came and went, the tide changed, and it was time for us to head toward the inside where, now that we had a pile of fish harvested, we might try a pass through the massive bait party to see if a salmon might show up to provide that special augmentation to our stringers. Our troll back to the north east was pretty quiet when another lingcod showed up - a very welcome biter since they've been somewhat scarce for a few weeks. Then, as we passed over "Bread and Butter" and I described the significance of the bathymetry and the typical catches in the area, I had a distinct bite. Tap-Tap-Tap. Boom! I was on a salmon.

As this hot Chinook shook it's body causing my rod to pump, I announced that the distinct reaction in my gear indicated a salmon - then the fish went away from the boat and to the surface. I proclaimed that this meant there was no doubt - 100% salmon. The salmon leapt out of the water, but it was no coho - obvious king. Dr. Dan watched as I fought the fish, and I felt very at ease with just discussing what was happening, what my strategies were about, and how I planned to tire the fish before trying to net it. If I'd lost it in that moment it would've been fine - this was about giving my guest a great view of how this works and what salmon are capable of while they fight against the angler at the other end of the line.

The king put on a good show, and, just like I'd basically scripted it in the moment, I soon had it in the net. Dan had cleared his line to watch the fight and listen to my commentary, and now he paddled around to my port side where I had the fish subdued in my net. I'd showed him earlier in the session how I process rockfish and lingcod by removing their gills, and now I had the honor and pleasure of doing so with this beautiful salmon.

"It's like someone spilled 5 gallons of cherry Kool-Aid - nothing bleeds like a salmon."

We celebrated the catch - our catch, and we were quickly baited up and underway again. We'd do a lap right there hoping for another precious bite from what had revealed itself to my guest as the most desirable target available, but when nothing showed up and no bait was present in very clear water, we were soon back on our mission of getting to the inside. The current was starting to rip, and an afternoon breeze was just picking up - it was time to head for the barn.

45 minutes later we landed on a beautiful sunny ramp with the tide receding - this is a favorite scenario for me, as my guests and I are able to take our time loading the gear, getting a few pics of the catch, indulging in a cold beer and being happy with the time on the water. The fillet session would occur in 30 minutes, and in the meantime I'd get all the gear loaded on my truck and head up the hill to spray the scales off of the salmon at the fish cleaning station before coming back down to set up the tailgate fillet station.

9 rockfish, 2 lingcod and about a 15 pound salmon take about an hour and a half to cut up and bag. It's never a time where I want to rush - on the contrary, the catch and the mood and the overall atmosphere are to be appreciated and savored.

This program, where I do my best to introduce others to things that I have come to know about the outdoors, isn't something where I have a gimmick or any kind of rigid framework for the hours that we'll spend or the things that we may discover. The ocean is a place where experiences are as fluid as the medium, and the state of mind that I hope to attain myself as well as helping my people to realize, is more about being content with the journey that we're on and learning about how we can move forward with positive intent and inspired energies. The fish and the water and our own blood are all just constituents in a more sacred formula that has more to do with living a good life than it has to do with any desired catch.

We go on multi-faceted adventures in nature where we interact with the wild so that we can evaluate our own standing within it, and achieving any level of new perspective on our goals or hopes or intents for our terrestrial lives becomes a legitimate focus while we're on the water.

There's no laughing when I compare the salmon's blood to cherry Kool-Aid - my comparison there is not about lightening the moment. We are enthralled with the visual and other sensations as the life of the coveted catch is taken. The teaching, and the pursuit, and the battle and capture - they're all just part of the build up to a specific experience that can be a catalyst for emotions that may end up meaning way more to your journey than you know at the time. In moments like these, offshore, there are opportunities for insight and growth. I want to guide people to those moments - more than the fish themselves. That's how the program works.

Hookups and Fishing Reports (Viewable by Public) / Shelter Cove - 9/19/21

« on: September 23, 2021, 03:16:01 PM »

9/19/21 at the Cove with Matt.

Originally set for Saturday, we avoided the big rain storm and got on it early Sunday morning. The ocean had a hangover from all the south wind, and a big NW ground swell was ruling the day - smashing the point with breakers that were forming way further out than usual.

Matt's been on the ocean a bunch and has seen some nasty water aboard scuba excursion boats out of So Cal, but this would be his first time out on his PA14. The Pro Angler 14 footer is a big kayak - some call it a "bass boat". It's a totally seaworthy craft, but if your drive fails or you somehow capsize, the weight and size of this beast may have you scrambling for solutions. I've actually had a client on a PA experience drive failure while we were offshore, but luckily he had a 2nd one with him! In Matt's case, he has his yak outfitted with a Bixby electric motor on the stern, so I was pleased to have that as insurance against a drive problem.

After cruising the heavy bait near the harbor hoping for a salmon bite, we decided to head around the corner to see what was biting on the reef. Things started out a bit slow, but soon we had some keeper rockfish aboard. We were staying well clear of the point due to the big swell, and a minor morning shower with associated light winds calmed down to produce glass on the big rollers that were coming in at 8' every 11 seconds - felt more like 10 feet at times! The glass enticed us out toward the whistle buoy where the swell wasn't as prominent as it was inshore, and we enjoyed a great bite from a large grade of blacks, a couple of blues and a yellow tail. Not a ton of variety and no lingcod biting, but building stringers with quality rockies had us content for sure.

As we trolled our way in the swell had really showed up and was getting all the way in to the launch. We did a few passes hoping for a salmon to show up late in the game, and then we were headed in to time the sets and get back on the beach for fillet time.

Matt and I had hoped for a salmon, but all in all he did great with the techniques that I showed him and confirmed his own absolute seaworthiness in a big swell. There's certainly nothing wrong with breaking in your first offshore kayak session with a stack of rockfish.

Salmon is open until Halloween, but they can be scarce this late in the season. Rockfish and lingcod are open until the end of the year, and the fall often produces some of the nicest fishing weather of the season.

Maybe you are ready to book a date and learn about my fresh fish guarantee at the Cove...

Hookups and Fishing Reports (Viewable by Public) / Shelter Cove - 9/11/21

« on: September 18, 2021, 10:58:29 AM »

Late post - didn't want to encourage any more yahoos to descend on the Cove!

Last Saturday was a grim anniversary for our country - 20 years since the 9-11 attack. It was also an anniversary related to kayak salmon fishing. On September eleventh two thousand and six I caught a big salmon at Shelter Cove - the biggest I've caught at 38 pounds. I knew I'd hit a big milestone, but I really didn't know how that fish would change my life.

Here's a link to the report: http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=5461.msg44838#msg44838

That big salmon was the largest I'd ever heard of from a kayak in the salt along the Nor Cal coast - until this summer. 2021 has had more 30 pounders than any year that I can remember. Drew got a 39+, my guest Erik got a 39, Tom McD got a 37, and last Saturday my guest John got a 35. Along with dozens or even scores of fat 20+'s landed by kayakers, all of these trophy salmon have made for an amazing season - one that we should be very thankful for.

Back in '06, I really had no idea how that 38 pounder would change the trajectory of my entire existence. By March of 2007 myself and 5 other NCKA enthusiasts met up at the Cove to look for chrome over two days. We didn't land any, but we had a blast trolling together, fishing from the rocks along shore, partying at the campground and getting to know each other. It was PK/Sin Coast/Cen Coast, Sonny/Sailfish, Chris/MBYakker, Etienne/Sackyak, Hawk/Swellrider and me - Eric/Abking/Black Ab/Loleta Eric. This was the birth of Gimme Shelter.

Over the next several years, what turned into the largest kayak fishing event on the west coast evolved into an AOTY-style rockfish and lingcod tournament with hopes of salmon and surprise Pacific halibut spiced in. Getting so many skilled anglers on the water in such a special place led to tons of amazing catches - it's easy to see the influence of GS on AOTY when you see the graph showing how many largest of species have come from the month of May. Gimme Shelter went way beyond the catches though. The NCKA community has been a strong one since the beginning in December of 2004, and GS became one of the events (along with Elk/Albion, Crabfest, Yakhopper Series...etc.) that helped to propel many of us into a much deeper understanding of and appreciation for the brotherhood that we were building together.

What activity do you do where you have met some of the best people in your life? What online community and outdoor pursuit have introduced you to the best friends you've ever made? For me, it's been kayak fishing - hands down, no comparison to anything else in my 52 years on this planet.

I've known for a long time that kayak fisherpeople are great friends to make - it's someone who has their shit together enough to be on their own boat, so they end up being the type of person who'd give you the shirt off their back. And here's another common trait I've seen among this demographic that we occupy - the positive vibe. The stoke that comes from kayak fishing is hard to match. It's about challenge, discovery, nature, wild animals... and the fishing is better than any fishing - again, for me, it's hands down, no comparison.

I've printed, sorted, hauled and distributed tens of thousands of dollars worth of t-shirts, hoodies, rash guards, hats and Hawg Trough extensions! I've watched children grow to adulthood, weddings occur and families develop, birthdays and other milestones celebrated, and all measure of other life events - lifted up and bathed in the light of the communitas that we have nurtured and held sacred here. This place and the people - the family - mean the world to me. I am so grateful for where this sport has taken me and how the love of NCKA has affected my life and that of my own family, and that big salmon may have been the one factor - the spark that started all of it.

*********************************************************************

So, jump to a month ago. John posted up an interest in launching his PA14 at Bolinas. This was met with immediate and nearly universal "bad idea" responses - and rightfully so. I read his words and saw his obvious desire to get on a big king from his yak, and I thought, "Dude needs some Cove."

It wasn't long before he contacted me, and we set a date - 9/11/21. I didn't mention it at the time, but I of course knew right away that this was the anniversary of my biggest salmon. I thought to myself, "this is the type of year where we've got a good chance at another nine-eleven hog..." At the time I gave him a head's up that the salmon bite was already tapering off - he was all about the trip - wanted to learn the way. We were on.

Our day came, and that morning I was stoked to meet a new guest who was ready to hit it hard. We made our way out onto the grounds, and the bait was so thick it seemed like we'd never get to the edge of it. I told John how I wanted to work the scene, and he was all about it. Soon he had a king on and to his kayak! Before I could get in position to net his fish, it turned and spit the hooks. This was important progress toward catching a fish!

After a few more passes through the zone and some missed bites, I'd just re-baited John's hooks and he'd sent his bait down, and he was on! He got my attention and announced that he was on a big fish. I didn't doubt it, but I've heard that assessment before... I cleared my line quickly, and as I got up on him I could see that he already had a big salmon up by his yak. This was way too early! I was like, "it needs to run!" and he tried to let it do its thing, but it seemed to be somewhat subdued. I brought the net out - half expecting the fish to go wild upon seeing it. It didn't. Instead it laid there - seemingly ready to be netted. I scooped... The fish made an evasive maneuver, and now it appeared that the weight may be tangled in the net. Oh shit.

That's about the worst thing that can happen - the weight getting in the net. It happened twice last summer (2020), and I lost one nice halibut and one nice salmon due to it. This year I've been committed to avoiding that fate. It's been great until last Saturday...

As I looked at this monstrous salmon on my guest's line, as it floated on the surface next to my net, I was resigned to the fact that it may be about to be gone. I'd allowed the weight to get in the net, and this almost never ends well.

The fish ran a bit as I lifted my net, and somehow it was still on John's line. I pulled the net back and soon had another chance at it. That's all I needed. We had it.

The weight had broken off instead of my leader breaking - this is great validation, and, frankly, it felt like a fucking miracle!

After a brief celebration, we secured the fish on a stringer and under multiple burlaps. We looked around for more biters. and within an hour or so we headed back to launch to take care of the catch.

With the big fish documented and stowed, we headed out for the second half of our day. Got a big black in the bag before the bite basically went cold, but there were birds working and brown water nearby. We ran our bait over it, and it wasn't long before I had a hot salmon on! I fought it for probably only less than a minute before it spit my hooks and was gone.

I was bummed to miss what felt like a stout Chinook, but all in all I was totally stoked to have had my guy hook multiple kings on a slow bite and land a 35 pounder. Our day turned out amazing when otherwise, if we'd not landed that hog, it would've been a pretty slow session.

This salmon obsession is potentially a total mind F*&%, but this season the rewards continue to outshine the input for many - just gotta put your time in, really. And, remember, it's like Lotto out there - no one gets them every trip, and often the guys who get the most are the guys who go the most. It's a wonderful pastime, but catching a salmon from a kayak isn't the end game.

*****************************************************

It's been almost 17 years here for me. NCKA is just an online forum where a bunch of mostly middle aged fishing enthusiasts have discovered or are discovering how fun and rewarding it can be to do their thing on kayaks. That last sentence is inaccurate - it's a lie. NCKA is not "just" a place to develop your kayak angling focus. It doesn't have to mean the same thing to everyone or even to most of us. I know this though - many of us have come to know that this place is a true community where family values and real love have shaped more lives for more good than any other type of congregation, club or group that I know of.

Looking forward to the next 17 years, more life changing catches and meeting more friends.

Hookups and Fishing Reports (Viewable by Public) / Shelter Cove - 9/8/21

« on: September 10, 2021, 01:53:13 PM »

Hit it hard on Wednesday with Tim and Don looking for salmon. It was a coho-only affair, with a little stack of rockfish harvested as bycatch. The odds in Salmon Lotto are getting longer, but the chance for a jackpot is still there. It can be a tough game to play - hoping for another couple of touchdowns before the fourth quarter ends.

It's been an amazing salmon season with more 30 pounders than I've ever seen/heard of, and the bite close to shore has been off the hook at times and lasted for almost 2 months. But... I'm looking forward to getting back to 'normal'.

In the coming weeks I'll shift to big lingcod focus, and a Pacific halibut is on my radar too. I've got a short list of locals who are ready to go remote when I see the right forecast, and I'll offer that option to others who book a date and have a FAC forecast come up on their day. Catching and releasing a big ling (with some photos and vids for sure) or smashing an AOTY record are hot game along the Lost Coast.

See ya, NCKA.

Hookups and Fishing Reports (Viewable by Public) / Shelter Cove - 9/4/21

« on: September 05, 2021, 09:43:13 PM »

Mark scored an Ocean Kayak Scupper Pro several months back, installing some rod holders and adding it to his fleet as his first fishing boat. Having found some success with shore fishing rockfish and lingcod, he looked me up hoping to learn more about targeting fish from the yaks and accessing more productive offshore reefs. We went over some options and landed on a plan of putting him on one of my X-Factors for a day at the Cove - I love outfitting guests on my ultra-stable platforms with plenty of room as well as sonar. He wasn't opposed to catching a salmon, but his desired targets were the bottom dwellers - a big ling or a vermillion were at the top of the list. This was a refreshing change for me after two straight months of salmon focus. Of course we'd still run barbless and hope a Chinook showed up, but going onto the reef first thing and doing the offshore tour sounded great.

Saturday was our day. I thought the crowds of salmon-crazed boaters may be back for the holiday weekend, so we met up early and got on the water shortly after first light. Traffic wasn't too bad, and the salmon bite seems to have cooled off in general. We passed some bait over the inshore area before heading out into the fog to find some rocks. It wasn't long before we were on a nice grade of black rockfish. We loaded a few on the stringers, and within an hour Mark had a lingcod up too.

I remember transitioning from spearfishing and shore fishing to the kayak and how revolutionary it was to be catching so many fish from the plastic compared to the hard to access shore spots that I'd long ago worked to find and fish myself. This revolutionary feeling was now Mark's domain, as he expressed how stoked he was to be catching quality fish in numbers. Guests catching fish is an ideal for any guide, and guests feeling revolutionary joy is even better.

As we mined the nearshore, I was monitoring the radio to see how the salmon fishing was going for the fleet and a few friends on the water nearby. Other than one nice fish that Jay Webster picked up early, it sounded slow. As the fog lifted we could now see a small fleet, and by mid morning most people were peeling off to go rockfishing. I was feeling content with that since our focus was bottom fish, and then Mark hooked up on something that started running up to the surface away from his yak.

We weren't there to get one, and the bite was slow around us, and I was even feeling like I was in a therapeutic place, moving away from my own salmon obsession with this trip... and Mark's on a hot one. This is probably the opposite of what I call "salmon torture" - where you do everything you can and burn down your day just to skunk or to miss a hot fish. Salmon torture got turned on its head here - we got this fatty in the net within 5 minutes or so. Mark had suddenly been exposed to not just a better rockfish and lingcod bite than can be found from shore - he'd now felt how a salmon fights. If you know, you know.

Thank you, Fish Gods, for this gift of good fortune and the accompanying psychological relief. I needed some kind of shift away from the obsession - if only briefly...

We went on to do the Whistle Buoy tour - hadn't been out there in 2 months I think (Twilight Zone compared to hundreds of other guided trips here over the past 8 summers). We got on around 10 species, found another decent ling, saw a whale nearby, and Mark got the proper intro to targeting the reef species that he was seeking - along with a 23 pound chrome bonus.

I'm looking forward to more well-rounded trips with multiple targets, and a few more salmon to the net will be welcome too. A big thanks to Mark for a really fun day where his open and authentic expression of joy at catching the reef species helped me to put it all in perspective, and we got the bonus too.

I'm stoked to get more people progressing in this sport and to look around for all the species while always having a chance at the top targets. I'm feeling ready for more awesome catches and inspiring attitudes. Summer's not over yet.

Hookups and Fishing Reports (Viewable by Public) / Shelter Cove - 8/28/21

« on: August 29, 2021, 03:40:40 PM »

Saturday with Julian and Brianne.

Met my people in the dark and got on the water early. We missed some promising bites and lost one salmon before it could be ID'd, and over the course of the day we all landed coho to the fine mesh release net. Like most of the fleet though, the Chinook weren't going for us. We pushed into overtime before finally heading to the reef where we put away three lingcod and a few nice rockfish.

After a great run since mid July with salmon on every trip but one, my guests and I were bound to strike out in the game of Salmon Lotto sooner or later. Even though I write about how the bite can be random and the sport can be a real psychological gut punch, it's hard to not get a little bummed when I professionally guide my people to a salmon skunk. On this day, guests who are literally young enough to be my kids displayed attitudes of patience, understanding and joy in the face of not getting the right hookups. The way Julian and Bri ("Bree") navigated this day was impressive - they're all about learning and discovering, and their positive energy buoyed my own spirits for sure.

I've got some plans in mind for how I may change the structure of my trips (and my brain!) to veer away from the pure salmon obsession. Employing strategies that focus on a full tour with a well-rounded stringer and then celebrating the salmon if they show is the way I've done it for years, but a "hot bite" throws a wrench in such reasonable plans!

I'll add this issue to my list of fishing first world problems and close with a big thank you to my guests - the "kids". I've found that, in striving to give my best to my guests in these trips, the overwhelming response is that they also give their best back to me. This pushes me to an even better place, and the feedback loop of positivity and community is perpetuated and strengthened. Here's the catch - I'm getting paid to provide not only my best attitude, instruction and ability, but also the right bite. When that bite's not there and those who are paying me respond to what I do in a way that lifts me up, I basically have no choice but to try to exceed the sum of what's already been given. What I've described is a gift - not only to a business person but to anyone, in any interaction. When I land in such a position, I try to be humble and thankful, and to have young people in their 20's be the ones who went on that journey of human nature with me, it's even more of a powerful lesson.

In kayak fishing we try to be kayakers first - anglers second. Way to be positive and compassionate people first, Julian and Bri. You will both go far by leading with your heart in this way. Thanks again.

Hookups and Fishing Reports (Viewable by Public) / Shelter Cove - 8/25/21

« on: August 27, 2021, 08:17:04 PM »

Wednesday with Erik and Wendell.

I put both of these guys off at least once when winds were up on their booked dates. They're both local, so I combined them into a group day, and we ended up with good fortune for sure. It was deja vu for the season with some early cohos gently released, and then Erik hooked into a powerhouse. I cleared my gear and got up on him, and it was apparent that he was fighting a substantial fish. It wasn't budging for him - wouldn't come closer and didn't shake its head. The fish started towing my guy toward the lighthouse point, and I paddled along as an escort. When the fish stopped I tried to coach Erik on lifting it and reeling down on it, but this king wasn't having it. It would come to the surface about 50 to 70 feet from us, and when I'd paddle toward it it would descend or just pull further to the southwest. I'd seen right away that it was a very large salmon, and at one point Erik said, "it looks super fat", and I'm like "DON'T TALK ABOUT IT!"

About half an hour later we were past the point in more than 40 feet of water, and this bruiser didn't seem to be tiring. I adopted a new strategy where I'd stay out in front of the fight, and if the fish came up I'd paddle toward it - I hoped it would flop over on its side due to fatigue, but it kept descending and slowly pulling.

Wendell, in the meantime had continued to troll around us at a safe distance, and at one point he had a fish on - we lost him in the fog as I had to stay with Erik and the sack of concrete that he was attached to.

Our time finally came. Erik was getting tired, but I had him pull on the fish again, and once more it came up to the surface. I paddled toward it expecting it to just descend and pull again, but this time it truly was tired. I've never netted a fish so far from the boat that's fighting it. I've also not lost one at the net all season (knock on wood), so I was a bit nervous to take a stab at the slab right out in the open. I put the net near it - showed it to the fish - and expected another reaction from this chromey suitcase of muscle, but it was pretty still. I got in the right position and scooped, and we had it. A fish that actually made my giant net look normal sized!

We celebrated, and I put a priority on bleeding the fish and getting it secured in my tank well with wet burlap covering it completely. Sealions have been known to swipe a salmon right off of a kayak if they see an opportunity - not to mention the possibility that a lion or even a shark could come along and attack it in my net. I must've had some good adrenalin going to get a near forty pounder behind me in the well. The day would be all cream from here on out. A lifetime fish will do that.

With the fish secured we paddled at a good pace back to the inside to find Wendell - he'd landed his fish - a rockfish! The three of us kept fishing, more coho were caught and treated well, and then Wendell was on his own Chinook. He played it nicely - it didn't do anything comparable to Erik's toad - and we soon had his 20 pounder in the net. Now the day was even creamier.

Picked up a shaker halibut (first in a couple of weeks), more coho and then I got my turn - 18 pounder bagged. The three of us were stoked to have each gotten a fish, and having Frankenstein under my burlap pushed me to suggest that we go in to process the three kings and get them on ice, and then we could launch again to look for some rockfish and lingcod.

Drove up the hill to wash the scales off the fish, and the official weigh in at the boat launch had Erik's monster at 38.5 pounds, but the fat body on that thing was leaning against their shed - it was a bit heavier. My own scale had it near 39. No need to split hairs - it was a beast.

I sliced and diced and we got all the meat put away - along with a nice visit with some friends from the bay area, Alastair and Andrew, and we took a minute to put away some sandwiches before launching again. As we pushed off from the trucks, I saw wild marks on my sonar right in the harbor. I told the guys not to put their gear down, but I had to check this out. I lowered my bait and trolled through the marks, and - boom - I caught a coho inside the breakwater right where we launch when the tide's low!

We made our way to a favorite rockfish zone, loaded up on blacks and missed a couple of lingcod, and before long the day was nearly done. By mid afternoon we were on shore, loaded up and putting away a few pounds apiece of rockfish fillets for the guys. Smiles were still powered by the morning's special catch, and, along with the fact that we'd each caught a keeper salmon, the big fish definitely had the overall effect of making the day quite amazing.

One cold beer apiece at the Tailgate Fillet Station, a toast to an awesome trip, completion of the business deal, and soon my guys were on the road for home. I lingered, took a swim as I often do after working hard since 330AM, looked out toward the Bell Buoy with appreciation for this wonderful vocational pastime that I've carved out for myself, and I was soon rolling for home too.
It's hard to call this trip or the giant salmon the "culmination" of an amazing summer - it's all been off the hook, and I'm committed to remaining ready and doing what I can to make dreams into reality for a few more guests before the seasons change. I've gotta keep my eyes on the prize here and meter the passion along with the energy that's needed to administer it.

It should come as no surprise to those who read these reports or who interact with me on the water or on the beach that my emotions can become very raw and exposed from this work. My intention is to be my best self, but the extreme early rising, long hours, diligent focus and dedication to proficiency can take away some of my ability to be sweet and patient. Thank you for understanding that I am running a marathon here. I'm distinctly aware of and focused on my overarching goals to display virtue, and at the same time I'm allowing myself to run so hard that the roughness is inevitable. When I get to the end of this gig - whether it be this incredible season or my guide career as a whole - I want to retain the knowledge and satisfaction of having put everything I am into this.

Thank you for the love.

Hookups and Fishing Reports (Viewable by Public) / Shelter Cove - 8/21/21

« on: August 22, 2021, 11:19:48 AM »

Al and his son Luis picked up a couple of OK Tridents (a 13 and a 15), and they've been gearing up with much of the recommended immersion and safety equipment since late last year. Al booked me up for a salmon focused trip on 8/21/21. The salmon bite can come and go from day to day, and yesterday it was strong for us. We hooked way more coho than Chinook, but we were happy to land 5 nice kings to 22 pounds for the day.

Taking a father and son out is a special time for me, and I'm always honored to be a part of making memories for my guests to take with them - along with fat sacks of the freshest fillets on the planet.

I'm hoping the bite lasts for a few more trips before the seasons change.