Van Damme 7-20 week of

Took the family to Van Damme and arrived the morning of 7-20. The water was a little rough and I couldn't get outside the rocks. I only fished about 45 minutes because I had the family and we were "on vacation". I thought I will do family time and then fish more toward the end of our stay.

The water was very nice the 21st so I took the family cave exploring. They loved yaking through the caves and then we paddled right up to the seals and watched them.  My son and I went out in the afternoon to fish. The camp host said, "if you aren't deep enough in the kelp to lose tackle you aren't going to catch fish. I parked right in the kelp 50 yards outside the first rock in the center of the bay. We fished about 30 minutes and something pulled my rod tip down. I surged about three times and then was tangled in the kelp. We spent about 30 minutes working against the kelp with the line ready to snap the entire time. I finally got it to the surface and it was a 20" ling (my first). I sent him back and we headed in for bathroom/dinner.

We got up Tues and the water was rough with wind. I tried to fish inside the rocks but the drift was too fast and the swells were to the point that I couldn't take my eyes off them to fish. I headed in and the water never calmed back down.

We drove up to Eureka Wed because we had never been there and we wanted to check it out. Not much of a vacation spot and the wind was terrible. There was no way we were going to do any family yaking in that wind. Oh well the family yak vacation is over ( we cut it short so we can go to L.A.) and the next trip will be dedicated fishing.           

Merv,  sorry you did'nt get it good.  Your camp host was kind of wrong....the good fishing is in the deep water on the outside of the kelp.  I took a look at the ocean conditions Saturday nite, and looked at the marine report early Sunday morning and knew that all I would get is seasick.

Van Damme can be good, especially since the launch is so easy.  Maybe you can stop back some time when the weather is better.

Count on it. That place was beautiful. I will return!!!!!!!!!

Yeah, I agree with Dave on the "info" from the camp host.  Van Damme is for sure worth another look in better weather and I have had some great days there.  I'd be happy to share what I know about the place too, but Dave has had much more time there than I have, so I'd like to tag along when you hook up with him and we can both learn some more.   

Norm

Maybe I should take that back about the bad "info."  I was coming in at Big River yesterday with a few unremarkable rock cod when one of my surfer friends paddles up and proceeds to tell me that he caught a 30 lb ling in 15 FOW just south of Van Damme beach on Friday.  I was fishing in 60 to 110'

Maybe the lings are in shallow?

I've caught them that shallow before, but usually in the fall when the big females are coming up to spawn in the shallower water.  Who knows, maybe this lady was just wanting to get her groove on early this year......