Doran aborted, off to China Camp instead

   Checked the bouy report for Bodega this morning, 5 kt wind, 3 ft. swell every 15 seconds!  Got buried on the phone and did not get to the tackle shop west of Petaluma until 2 pm or so.  Asked if had any intel on the latest conditions and he said the wind had came up and they predicted to 20 kts by late afternoon.  
  Decided to abort my first bodega trip by yak and headed to China Camp for a work out instead.  Brought some squid and sibiki rig,  plus lures to troll.  Did not put into until 4 pm (love/hate my job/phone) and the conditions were OK.  Cruised down past Mc Nears and brush gripped to a rope hanging from some sort of lonely piling.  Did not catch any bait nor did I catch anything on the way there while trolling.  Threw a bigger piece of squid on a sliding rig and landed a medium sized leopard.  Started to get big rollers coming accross the bay from the south-east.  A bit unsettling as they were coming from behind me, tide was coming in so I was facing north.  Also, started to get a confusing chop and decided enough of being tied up and unhooked.  That is when I notice my plano troll, which I had put out in case I caught bait was no longer on it's leash (garage sale) and no where to be found.  
  Trolled around for an hour or so and got a good work out but no bait bucket to be found!  By 6:30 or so the chop was no fun and called it a workout/fishing trip and loaded up.  I am sure I could have hooked a bunch of rays and sharks but have done too much of that the last few months!  Beats being in the home/office though, so loved it!
PS, the last shot is to show what you get from a mirage drive, I understand you paddlers have noodle legs?  

  meant to put this one of the late afternoon chop and forgot

almost looks like sturgeon water!

note to all-in the bay, one line with no more than three hooks.  a sabiki would have to be trimmed to three hooks.

  Is the true about bait rigs in the bay?

yes it is true.

a lot of people say dfg doesnt enforce it. I am not sure about that.

i cut every other hook at the shank to keep the feathers/skin on as attraction.

Nice report and pics...U are pumped up...I may have noodle legs...but many a year timber falling on the northern coast gave me some strong legs...but am most Definitely getting a Hobie next yr...leaning towards the new "pro angler" any Intel on it???

Thanks for your report Zinful1...

   I have looked at the PA at Windtoys and it is quite a set up!  However, if I am going to trailer something I think it will be a small whaler instead!  That way I would have the yak, whaler and grand banks and be set for all occasions!  I love my outback, and unless I wanted to stand while fishing more I would stick with this.  I guess if LMB were what you always did the PA might be a good option, but does not look like it would be good to launch without a boat ramp!  

Thanks Zin...yeah its large...what Im looking for is stability on Columbia for pike fishing nxt yr...cut costs on boat/fuel...and yak for it...might even toss in an electric trolling motor...not for pleasure fishing but for "work" well some people call it work...   I'd call it getting "paid" to do something I would and do "pay" for anyway... as for as the ATOY stuff, if I used troll it would disqual me on that...with NWKA...

Got some good intell last yr up north while working Puyallup/Evergreen/Yakima fairs/salmon fishing...

  Awesome, what a job!  I would love to work on the water.  As for the ATOY stuff, I have never been fond of competitive fishing, I have a bit more of a zen approach and find it an honor to meet each and every fish, and gently let them back to what they were doing.  No offense to the competitve approach I just save that for more athletic endeavors.  I feel bad about it but I find the life of a 40 pound striper as valuable or maybe more then some of the a holes I see on the street! 

Yeah "zen" along with a good glass of Zin... I need more of and I find it out on the water...but,the pike minnow is a big drain on salmon and steelhead fry hence the bounty that's put on them...they take them and convert them to fertilizer which if your into "not killing" fish is sorta dramatically sad...but on the upside somebodies garden is rocking...This year's fish carcasses made there way into my fathers garden and the plants without are half the size of the ones that "have" that little extra organic kick...

And a 40 lb striper is a GOD!!! If I could be so lucky... I'm a little dense sometimes not sure of "holes I see on the street" I usually get it...but with time, like looking @ Sonny's post, had to step back 5 ft to get it "No Sex" eye check... and since I've not done ATOY, I might be wrong but all u need is the pic in the "hawg trough" <-sp? and back in the water they can go again...u guys that are competing are not "all" killing your fish?...I've read that a lot of u let the big dogs go back to making more...sound off if u like...and a picture along with tape measurements can make any trophy mount look like the real McCoy!!!


I love your zen post's and look forward to them everytime...I guess I must be classed with the "meat hunters" which I'm proud of in these trying times... And I love FISH...but The really Big ones most serve in reproduction and out awe