Santa Cruz harbor to the lighthouse 7-3-08

Launched from the SC harbor at 8:30 and headed over to the lighthouse. Ran into Mako off the main beach. Good to meet you, Juan. Another guy near him in a kayak lost a halibut while trying to gaff it. I paddled out past the lighthouse into around 35 - 40 FOW (didn't have my FF cause the connections are corroded). Picked up a 20 inch halibut on a squid-tipped shrimp fly of all things! Didn't know they would hit one. It shook off while I was trying to pull out my camera for an in-the-water shot. No way I would have done that if it was a keeper! One of these days, I'm going to catch a keeper halibut. I sure catch a lot of almost-legal ones!

Had many hits that I didn't connect on. Reeled up a few fileted anchovies, so I must have been stripping it out of their mouths, even with a stinger hook setup. After a couple of hours paddling uphill and drifting, spent a little time in the kelp. Picked up a nice black and yellow rockfish while watching a bunch of sea otters. Released it, since I was only wanting halibut or ling. Had quite a few other hits that didn't yield anything. A guy in a PB had two butts that he picked up on live squid that he jigged up in the bay.

The Big Sur fire was putting up a big cloud of smoke on the horizon. Other than that, it was a beautiful day out there.

nice try.  Have you tried giving line when you get the hit?  Maybe give them more time to get hooked.

Thanks for the report, Bill - that sounds like some good action, but a legal 'but would be nice for sure.  Keep trying - you'll get one.   

Great effort!!

I like to fish with the rod in my hands, in free spool.  let them take line till the time is right, then engage for the hookup.

Allen

I keep it in free spool with the clicker on.  I probably don't wait long enough before trying to set the hook. Bad habit I picked up from freshwater fly fishing.

thanks for the report.

I was on the beach by the harbour that day (my oldest boy's bday) and witnessed some hubcab perch caught (like a month late based on my catching similar fish last year in late may), babies spewing out as they were landed, and also a school of anchovies in the harbour mouth being attacked on all sides by harbour seals, a couple sealions and some cormorants. I cast a sabiki out there and got a few for fun. (wondered if they were sardines, nope good ole 'chovies, but  big green-backed ones based on he ones that I hooked). talked to a big kayaker kid that lost a halibut just outside the harbour.

feels like it should be fishy on the low-high tide and high-low around midday tomorrow.

maybe I will give it a shot if I can convince my youngest to go out with me.

I saw that big sur smoke too and read about it today. guess that fire ain't quite done.

J

On the water out of SC harbor as well. Good to meet you Bill!
There were a massive ball of 'chovies right inside the harbor, I jigged up enough for my bucket, (nice fat ones!), and away I went.
Just outside the harbor mouth, it's a little rougher than I expected. A good breeze too, fishable though. I'd paddle NW into the wind and make drifts back with it. I caught a shorty halibut on the north side of the wharf, towards Cowels, and missed two others.
It was calm in there, but the paddle back was scarey. I should have headed back sooner.
It was snotty! I was very relieved to finally cruise through the harbor jaws into safe water. The X-13 impressed me in those conditions.

Hey ganoderma,

I'd like to know more about the picture that's under you name.


Pete

Hey ganoderma,

I'd like to know more about the picture that's under you name.


Pete

It's on the Big Island. Lava is flowing into the ocean, with the sun setting in the background. I took the photo around 4 years ago.

On the water out of SC harbor as well. Good to meet you Bill!
There were a massive ball of 'chovies right inside the harbor, I jigged up enough for my bucket, (nice fat ones!), and away I went.
Just outside the harbor mouth, it's a little rougher than I expected. A good breeze too, fishable though. I'd paddle NW into the wind and make drifts back with it. I caught a shorty halibut on the north side of the wharf, towards Cowels, and missed two others.
It was calm in there, but the paddle back was scarey. I should have headed back sooner.
It was snotty! I was very relieved to finally cruise through the harbor jaws into safe water. The X-13 impressed me in those conditions.

Welcome to the undersize halibut club, Juan!  I'm going to give it another shot tomorrow or Monday.