heeheeeheee-I like the fishoff idea!!  When and where, bring your prowlers, boys!

surf perch at manresa?  stripers at the forebay or San Quentin?  late season rockfish off the North Coast?  Trout at mooch's secret spot?

Could be a gas!

Allen

PS-  Seriously, I'd have to go with Bill or Mooch for the honor within this community.  Others have already said it better than I ever could.  Both these guys are true leaders and it's my personal honor to count them as my friends.

Mooch et all:

I have used my old trusty trout rod, old brown 7' Fenwick, but prefer my new stick.  I know I'm a bit overgunned but I bought a GLoomis spinning rod 8'6" last year for steelhead and it casts so nice.  I have it strung with 10# test and use 4-6# flouro for the leaders.  I plan on getting a smaller shimano spinning reel for it this season and loading it with 6 or 8 pound test.

I use a funny little long-shanked wire hook for the grubs, and, like Joel, prefer the Motor Oil Red Flake (MORF) because it seems to produce the best for me. I use anchovy or sardine oil on them, give a squirt every 3-4 casts.  I had some luck with root beer grubs last year, and the pink bubble gum grubs as well.  But, on any given day, the MORF smokes 'em.  Joel is also too correct regarding the supply and demand.  At one point last winter, Santa Cruz was completely OUT of MORFs.  Grizzled veterans were reported to be weeping in front of various tackle shops.

When I looked in my cabinet last week, I found a secret stash of about 60 MORFs I had hidden there last year. (I also found some velvet ropes and a fuzzy blindfold, but that's another story, for a different board)

The big fish at last year's derby was caught with ghost shrmp.  Other big fish that came in that day were caught on bait as well, so bait might be the ticket for size.  The biggest barred surf perch I've caught so far, being a beginner, was 12 3/4 inches.  It was pretty strong!  

I'll get some pix of last year's Derby up on the radio show website and link over to them as soon as possible.  This year's Derby will be probably the 3d or 4th week of January, or the 1st week of February.  We have to arrange it around the big fishing shows to avoid conflict.  We're shooting for the Santa Cruz Yacht Club for the BBQ/party so it should be a gas.  It was unbelievable last year how many hard-core anglers turned out to chase the feisty little gamefish, especially with the lousy weather.  These guys are serious!  We had tons of prizes including rods and reels, grab bag baits, trips on charter boats, and guided kayak fihing trips.

I may get back out on Saturday or Sunday for an hour or two, and see what's happening, though if I have the time, I'll probably yak it.  

Allen

Actually, this report is a separate, later report than the one I told Mooch about.  That one was from a couple weeks ago, again the shark was nosing around the drift chutes of a couple boats off Davenport.

Sean VS from PSRF has already tagged a  number of GWs at Ano so far this year.  It's an early year for them around here, usually it's November, this year it was October and even a couple few random sightings in September as far South as the cement ship!!!???!!!

Ed at Capitola Boat and Bait has a great picture of a halibut that local Dan Williams literally pulled out of the mouth of a small (15ft) GW at Davenport about a month ago.  You can totally see the curve of the jaws on both sides of the fish.

On a related note, I'm sponsoring the annual PSRF lecture/video/slide show agin this year at UCSC, Merrill College Cultural Center at 8pm on October 27th.

"WHITE SHARKS AND  APEX PREDATORS OF
MONTEREY BAY    ~Sharks You Should Know~"


All are welcome to attend and it's free.  Great videos and a great talk from a local guy that has tagged more GW's than anyone else in the Western hemisphere!!

I'll post more on that event later, as the date drews close.  MJore info at www.pelagic.org

BTW, I haven't paddled out at Davenport since early September.............


Allen

For Sale:

My Scupper Pro TW.  Blue.  Scottie Flush Mounts  (X2) one on rail for rod holder, one on console.

Console mount takes a Scottie FF tower.  tower and Eagle fFsheasy 2 FF included, transducer is permanent thru-the hull.  Battery and case included, though I have no idea how 'good' the battery is at this time.

Good fast boat for more experienced kayaker, or one who doesn't mind getting wet a couple times (right Ernie?)  

pm me or (better) email scruzfishing@yahoo.com

Thanks

Allen

You guys outfished a couple party boats today!!!

Right on, wish I could get out there tomorrow, but no can do. Looks like next weekend is the soonest for me.  the fgamily is camping at Angel Island wed and Thurs.  But, guess what, I'm paddling over with a rod or two....heee heeeehee.

Man it wounds like the total kayak angler fantasy today, and it couldn't happen to a better trio!

TL and WNW (we're not worthy)

Allen