Coral st. - Monterey Dive report 10/28

Met up with Agarcia and Pacifico. I paddled out when they swam out from shore. Not much of a shore break but there were small breakers that made me greatful not to swim out through...too much work. We dove for most of the day straight out in 30 - 45ft of water. No wind and for the most part no fish. A couple of senoritas and a couple of perch are all that I saw out there. Not a single rockfish.

We moved in towards the small beach just south of the launch and dove shallower water. Agarcia and Pacifico saw a leopard shark and we saw a few more perch.

Vis was decent about 8 - 12ft.

My question is where are all the fish? Were we too shallow to see many rockfish? Too high of a pressure area and fished out?

-Brian G

My question is where are all the fish? Were we too shallow to see many rockfish? Too high of a pressure area and fished out?

you didn't get the memo?....the fish moved just North of Pigeon Point 

Hey Brian,

you're not the only who did not see any rf this weekend.  I think it got something to do with the 'full' moon again.  I did a club dive at Point Arena on 10/27.  First timer for 5 of us to freedive in the area and only 1 spearo landed fish (2 vermillons, 2 lings, blacks); one of the ling is humongous and weigh 31lbs.  Well, this guy had been fishing there for several years so he knows where the fish holed up in his gps....

I did not see any rf.  The water is 'milky' in color; I think they're plankons.  But it made viz in some spots peached black to <1 foot.  The viz was so bad I had to use flashlight to find abalone.  I should have picked up the abalones during my first hour of diving when I was seeing them.  Oh, well...that's how it goes sometimes.

-Ron

I think that knowing where to look is a big part of it. During the first part of the dive I was looking for fish swimming just above the reef but after 30 minutes or so of diving I started poking around the holes in the reef looking for life and still wasn't seeing anything.

With the recent super heavy swell with in the last couple of weeks I think it is possible that the fish moved to more protected water or deeper water. I imagine that area got hammered by the huge swell.

Question about most rockfish. When diving do you see them sitting on the bottom or swimming?

I know that lings and cabbies will be on the bottom, but how about the other species?

-Brian

Sounds like a fun time, despite the lack of fish.

I believe it may have been a combination of factors that lead to the percieved lack of fish: 1) the current moon phase   2) the recent outbreak of red tide    3) that is a very popular spot.
The red tide negatively affects the amount of dissolved O2 in the water and causes the RF to seek out deeper, colder water. Although it sounds like the red tide is dispersing/dying, the RF may not have returned to their reefs yet.

Wish I could've fished this wknd. Looked FAC. But I had family in town. Can't they check the marine forecast BEFORE deciding to visit...sheesh!


Thanks for the great report guys! You'll get em next time.
PK

This was my first ever ocean dive and while very few fish were seen being under the water has got to be one of the coolest experiences.  It was really cool to see a perch swimming between the reef and quite a few jelly fish close up (but not too close up).  Swimming around with the leopard shark was pretty sweet too.

The swim out kind of kicked my ass, good thing Brian stuck with the plan and took the yak so we could rest on.  I spent the first hour or so not so much diving as kelp walking.  After that I was actually diving and swimming around the bottom, unfortunately my bottom time sucks...I was getting a max of about 15 - 20 seconds.

A few things I learned on my first day of diving:
1) having a yak out there is a very good idea for beginners, and probably experienced divers too...it gives you a place to rest
2) the underwater surge is somewhat fun but you've got to be careful, it really moves you around pretty quick and you could end up hitting a rock if you're not careful, it also zaps your energy pretty quick if you're trying to swim against it.
3) it's pretty hard to keep track of your dive partners in the kelp.
4) there's a reason why bottled salt water is NOT sold along side coke and pepsi at the grocery store. At the end of the dive I felt like I had been eating sunflower seeds all day.
5) if you're going to free-ball, have a towel big enough to wrap around yourself in at the end of the dive while you change.  There were a lot of tourists in the area and the last thing they probably want to see is the effect of cold water to your man parts.

Great day on the water, can't wait to do it again.

Sounds fun, guys - get an underwater camera!   

Question about most rockfish. When diving do you see them sitting on the bottom or swimming?

I know that lings and cabbies will be on the bottom, but how about the other species?

Some, like grassies and other territorial fish like rock greenling, will hole up, but others, like blacks and blues, can be all over the place.  I once saw a big red in about 25' of water near Trinidad, and it was just a few feet below the surface.  Also, lingcod and other rockfish, as well as halibut, have been known to come off the bottom to strike a lure or bait - even as far off the bottom as 40-50'...  so you never know!

Sounds like a blast even without fish. Definitely something I'd like to get into.

FF

A few things I learned on my first day of diving:
1) having a yak out there is a very good idea for beginners, and probably experienced divers too...it gives you a place to rest


You should think about getting an abalone float. They are very useful with regards to safety and getting some rest. You never know when you might cramp up out there and need to float in. It has happened to many of my friends and myself out there diving especially early in the season. Plus you can always use to put your fish in or attach various things (spears, camera, water and even hold a couple of beers when you get back in shore  . Plus when you decide to use for abalone you're all set

Hey Doc,

What are the advantages of an ab float over a yak? 

I can think of some that might be advantages of the yak over the float but because I've never used a float I can't be certain.

Two that I can think of are that you can move a lot quicker and farther with the yak than you can swimming and if there's something in the water that you'd rather not play with you can sit on the yak and go somewhere else or better yet to shore.

My question is where are all the fish? Were we too shallow to see many rockfish? Too high of a pressure area and fished out?

you didn't get the memo?....the fish moved just North of Pigeon Point 

Haha...on the way up I was explaining that I don't fish Monterrey cause there's no fish there...then we got in the water and it was confirmed  

When fishing I generally steer clear of the kelp and pot holeing unless its the only option. It was a serious eye opener as far as whats going on beneath the canopy, you have no clue just viewing from the surface.  It always just looks like a tangle of fronds and vines but everything is wide open and the tangled masses disapear once you get beneath the surface junk.  So much going on down there.... bottom configuration, water movement/surge in and around the pinnacles and caves, lots stuff going on to consider in future fishing stratagy.  Its funny cause when you fish there's that hint of curiosity of whats going on down there, if the fish are holding tight to structure , if they're aggressive and feeding or just hangin out, if your bait is being presented properly, what keeps stealing your bait, etc....yesterday we got skunked but knew exactly why (no fish).  Its a pretty satisfying feeling.

Swimming alongside that leopard shark was pretty damn cool also.  Upon decent into about 12 feet I seen its outline on the very edge of my visibility and almost wussed out back to the surface but decided to catch up to it.  I cruised next to it for about 15 feet and surfaced.  

What are the advantages of an ab float over a yak?

When I fist got my yak, my buddy Lee was learning how to free dive. I remember well when we  went to Still Water North, Lee , a seasoned free diver and another guy who had no or little experience at all - did some ab diving just outside the cove. I was out there testing my new kayak (a cobra explorer) and keeping them company...anyway, a few hours later, both Lee and the seasoned diver were making their way in and the 3rd guy was having trouble keeping up with them...the guy had no energy left and could not even swim his tube in....I ended up towing him in - and it was no easy task. I could barely get any momentum going but I'm gald we were not very far out to begin with. We all made it back safe as the surf did help pushing us back to shore.

I'm no where close to being an experienced free diver but I'd rather stick with a kayak than a tube.

just my 2 cents....

Hey Brian, I think I saw you guys on my way in, I was fishing on a green p15. The fishing was slow Sunday. I only hooked about 10 small china cods, a nice size greenling and a 14" cabby, released them all. I usually fish a bit further out than where you guys were diving, 30 to 50 ft of water. I think the swell last week was a big factor for the lack of fish. I should note, some of those china cods were released and re-caught. They like squid..!
Kimo

I was ab diving at Van Damm and saw something out of the corner of my eye, looked, and it was a huge ass lingcod swimming shadow with me, like a foot off my knee.
All I had was an iron. I use a white handle, sometimes you cant yank the ab off in one pull, so you leave it and hit the surface and the only way your gioing to find it again is if its white. When you go back down have a loaded speargun in your hand....pick and choose.