7/30 mbk

Have a full day for fishing and exercise. Thinking of launching at 6-6:30am Sunday.

Maybe, depending on how Sailfish does tomorrow…

5:30am mbk 

Foggy again
Hope you slay

How do guys go out in the fog? I was gonna launch from Capitola Saturday and when I got there 10 am it was completely fogged in. Same as Santa Cruz the week before. I'm too much of a new kayak guy to want to go out in it for fear of getting lost or worse hit by a boat. Is there some navigational aid guys use? I have a garmin 5cv but not sure how I'd use it in fog. The worst part is I'm in Sunnyvale and have to drive at least 45 miles to get to anywhere to launch. I have windy premium and it helps a lot in determining conditions but it's still not a given.

Even a simple BoyScout compass will help, because you can turn 90 degrees when you stop and look down. In SC, if there's any surf, you should hear it, and that will give you some idea where you are, also, the Mile Buoy groans, the Harbor and Steamer Lane lighthouses have horns.   But it's best to pick another day if you have that choice and it's super foggy.

Fuzzy Tom provided some great info on basic how-to & local advice. I’ve gotten confused in the fog in SC. The boat wakes, and swell can make it confusing. As mentioned, navigating with the by the unique sounds of the lighthouse harbor and whistle bouy is good plan of action Gman1, live to fish another day. Don’t feel bad heading home… or the store for a Fish finder with gps!

Rpt:

Things looked good on the web cams on Surfline the evening before.
Drive was patchy dense fog this morning. Certain areas non, sone very dense sections, and others with high clouds. Arrived at 6am to an empty parking lot, the smell of camp fire, and the seagulls enjoying a buffet from the overwhelmed trash bins. Ambiance. Shortly as I launched others showed up
Fog was thick. Wind was already blowing 1-3knots Nw, zero swell at the launch. On the water was a slightly textured but that changed as the morning developed. Visibility was improving as well
LOTS of bait. Perfect size sardines, and smelts. Fortunately didnt run into smeltzilla. Loaded up quick with a 6 pack of live smelt sardine in 15’ of water.
Last week got snapped off twice on 30# mono leader. Made sure this trip my drag had a lot of play before sending down the first sardine. 60’ of water things happened fast. First fish was a healthy 24” brown ling. Caught it within the first hr, figure I’d be fishing till 11am. Bled it and gutted it. While doing so, hooked up another 26” blue ling. Bled and gutted it. The fog was still heavy. I’d lost my sense of direction. After the cleaning session @ 9am. Windswell coming in at 2-4’, wind still cooperative
This made making new lively bait very quick and simple. Wonder what else was eating the guts I just tossed in the water besides the bait fish…Talked to another avid kayaker looking for his first halibut of the season. Fished within proximity, before heading separate ways at 40’ of water around 9am. Hope he found em. At this point could see the beach and boats near the harbor.
Ventured back out to deeper water. Caught several other lings in the same area. Decided to change it up after I got spooked by a mola Mola cruzing the surface. Maybe 2’ tall fin. Tried to get close before it dived down.
Eventually headed into super shallow water by 11am, winds were up 5-7knots. White caps were happening in deeper water. Could see downtown Monterey now. I tried trolling a lucky craft just outside the surf  zone, avoiding the winds as I made my way back. Something hit my lure and pull drag for a second. However it popped off, probably seaweed. Seemed promising, maybe next time.
Easy time beaching at 12pm. Not too many people in the water. Marine layer still keeping it chill. Spoke to another kayaker that had sone success on his way back to mbk. There’s halibut out, just gotta put in some time to find them.
 I was starving, decided to join friends at Dust bowl brewing. Figure why not since the fish were gutted and on plenty of ice. Perfect spot to refuel. There was plenty of parking, enough along the back side of dust bowl, where I could sit outside in view of my truck.
Great Sunday at church  lol

Gotta love that trash and seagull ambiance! Sounds like a good day, even without halibut...

Thanks for the report and picture Nuggy.

Fantastic report!  . That lost in the fog feeling is becoming too familiar to me at this point.  Sound like lots of life and bait, the Monterey life is sure abundant.  Thanks for the great report!

About an eon ago, buddies and I were in my 14’ Valco at Salt Point.   Flat calm, 40’ visibility for ab diving.   Best I have ever seen on the coast.   Fog came in and socked us in.   We could hear the traffic on Highway 1, just had to find Gerstle cove.   That Christmas wife surprised me with a .Garmin 45.   My buddy said. That would be a great present.  WAS!   Probably near $450 in those days.

It’s just been one foggy day after another on the coast. Wondering when the hell the heat is going to show up before another el nino winter(is what they’re forecasting). Think I’ll clean my fish on the ocean more often, these fish looked really clean while processing.