Still Water Cove 5/29/09

Skipped work on Friday (5/29/09) and launched at Still Water Cove, with my long time fishing buddy, Joe. Alias, Hermit. The fog was high and water in the cove was fairly flat, with a mild wind…Unfortunately, the wind was blowing from the SW. Although the waves were only a few feet high outside the kelp beds, they were about 15 feet apart and rolling in at a steady pace. You could see small white caps in the distance, which made both of us leery about venturing out too far. Decided to stay inside the kelp beds, because the kelp tends to soften the waves and eliminate the white cap action. As most of you know, that SW wind can change things up in a heartbeat and put your tush and yak in a dangerous situation real quick. The action was great. Lots of blues, coppers, assorted rock fish and an under size cab…The blues were keepers, but don’t care for the flavor, so back they went. I have been into “catch & release” so long, that most of what I hook, goes back. It’s all about getting my line wet. Everything else, is just a bonus. Finally, I feel a decent tug, then the rod goes into major bendo mode and the line starts to reel. My first thought is; Crap, I must have a seal ripping off my catch. The old heart starts to pump, I’m getting pulled, while I’m trying to crank this puppy in. Then it breaks the surface…I yell to Hermit, “I got a Green Ling, but it looks short”. I grab the net, get her in the yak, but can’t get the hook out of the edge her mouth. My cheap $2 Harbor Freight pliers won’t do the job…So I call Hermit over to give me a hand, cause he has all the right gear. I measure her and she’s 23.75”. Yep, gotta turn her loose. Hermit pulls his yak along side of mine and says, “that’s not a Green Ling you ding dong” (not exactly his choice of words),” that’s the biggest Cab, I have ever seen”.  I told him I thought it was a ling that lost it’s dentures. Anyway, after a bit of wrestling with the Cab, Hermit managed to get the hook out and get it on the fish retainer.  I was happy, cause we both had dinner. He has the photos, so I hope he post them later. He may have a different perspective as to what happened, but we both got a good grin out of it. Caught it in about 20' of water, on a blue and black stripped Gibbs jig, with a silver belly.

Congrat on you big Cabbie.  Thanks for the report and hope to see the pictures from your friend soon.

Nice catch, just curious, did you happen to weigh it? I have had difficulty telling the difference between these two fish in the past as well. Cabs have fatter head and lack the fangs

Thanks for posting Buoy, can't wait to see the photo of that Cab

If I remember correctly, I weighed 7lbs. 9 oz. I know Hermit will know the exact amount, cause he had the scale...

Here's the pics from our trip.  I got about 10 blues, an undersized cabbie and a couple of coppers.  The bite was the most consistent of the year for me so far.  What I got however didn't compare with Ed's fish.   I couldn't believe he was going to release this fish.  Good thing Ed forgot his pliers as I was about 50 yards away when he got it.  The Cabbie weighed out at 7 pounds 7 ounces.  Funny how they always get bigger over time.  Nicest Cabbie I have seen. 

Awesome pics, nice finishing touches to the post. Especially the strategic, suspenseful, tag team pause between the initial post and the killer pics. Those big fan fins give away the identity of that fish

That looks like a yummycab ,cograts and thaks for the post.

MMMMmmmm. I just had cab for dinner last night.

Great fish. Thanks for the report and pics.

Beautiful fish and a great story, as far as I'm concerned cab is the best tasting fish out there.

Fantastic cabby.  Congrats!  I agree with Dale, cabbies are the best eating rock fish out there.

Cabs are definitely one of the finest - and that is an awesome one!  Great post.