Salmon Opener Looking NOT SO BAD - Friday PM forecast

This often happens...

NWS is now looking more like Stormsurf forecast:

 .SAT...N WIND 15 TO 25 KT...RISING TO 25 TO 30 KT WITH A FEW GUSTS TO 35 KT. WIND WAVES 4 TO 6 FT...BUILDING TO 5 TO 7 FT. NW SWELL 8 FT. PATCHY FOG.
.SUN...N WIND 25 TO 30 KT WITH GUSTS TO 35 KT. WIND WAVES 6 TO 7 FT. NW SWELL 10 FT. PATCHY FOG.

I have found over the last few years that Stormsurf forecasts are the best out there, as you mention when there seems to be a significant difference between Stormsurf and NWS, the NWS forecast usually changes to be more like the Stormsurf forecast, it's like Stormsurf gets the freshest data out there the quickest.

The other interesting thing about the Stormsurf forecasts is that they show calm periods that may only be 6 to 12 hours long and after several trips to the coast it amazes me that these really clam periods do show up, then bang the swells rapidly build back in.

With all that said, Eric, be careful, and if you do get out I expect the video the chronicle the whole event.....be safe, have fun

  GUSTS TO 35 KT    O well maybe later in the week it will lay down,I still plan on dragginng the fam over to trinidad mid week for a campout and I'm keeping my fingers crossed for at least a shot at a salmon from a kayak.

So now Saturday morning is sounding kinda OK on NWS...  I don't believe them.   

.SAT...N WIND 5 TO 15 KT...RISING TO 15 TO 25 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 3 FT...BUILDING TO 4 TO 6 FT. NW SWELL 6 FT. PATCHY FOG.
.SUN...N WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 4 TO 6 FT. NW SWELL 11 FT. PATCHY FOG. 
.MON...NW WIND 5 TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. NW SWELL 10 FT. PATCHY FOG.

Dale, what you've said about those little windows is very significant here.  Stormsurf shows Saturday PM and Sunday AM looking decent (ignoring wind...), and NWS can't really indicate small windows in their forecast because they're blanketing a time frame (like ALL DAY...) with their call.  So I'll continue to study it and I'll be ready to attack it.

I can't wait to drop that double-hooked chovie down behind a DeepSix and dodger.   

834PM NWS:

.SAT...N WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 6 FT. NW SWELL 6 FT.
.SUN...N WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 6 FT. NW SWELL 11 FT.
.MON...NW WIND 5 TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. NW SWELL 10 FT.

10 foot and more on the swell forecast around here and you're pretty insane to yak the open ocean.  Sure, you can paddle around Trinidad Bay and south in the protection of the Head, and you can probably hit a fair amount of shallow stuff south out of Crescent City, but going out the Humboldt Bay Jaws or around Trinidad Head with anything more than a 6' swell is unadvisable in a yak or even a small powerboat. 

With the rest of the weekend and into the early week looking rough, Saturday sounds like my likely target.  I have kids' soccer starting at 9AM and going nearly all day, so I'll have to decide whether to gear up for the real dawn patrol mission - OTW @ first light, or maybe I'll shoot for what Stormsurf is showing as a late Sat/early Sun window.  I'll launch at King Salmon and paddle either into the Jaws or northwest toward the Coast Guard (where I'd have a chance at a hali too). 

Just to be there, the season just opening, the chance at a King, presenting the carefully hooked chovie that my Dad taught me...  I'm psyched.   

Eric,
I'll caveat what you said to mean "fishing kayak SOT'S". 6' swell anywhere on the north coast is kids stuff in a FG sea-kayak. I blink at 12' 

Eric,
I'll caveat what you said to mean "fishing kayak SOT'S". 6' swell anywhere on the north coast is kids stuff in a FG sea-kayak. I blink at 12' 

Hawk,
I'll credit your caveat and add that I know your open water skill and ability to be superior to the vast majority of us.  But...  trolling for salmon outside the Jaws was never something I took lightly even in a powerboat.  Are you getting out for the opener?

Really? 12 footers? With a 35 knot wind? I dont think you'll be doing much fishing. Eric, good luck and be safe. PM me. Craig

I love eggs.   

I hear you on the egg consumption, but I never did get that saying "like it's going out of style..."  Wouldn't that actually mean you're doing something less and less?   

Anyway, egging on is what I'm after as long as I don't end up with egg on my face.   

The window on fishing won't open until we know where the fish are.  If the wind and seas over the next few days get nasty enough to kick up the water we could see some fish show up nearshore.  I'm waiting to see and hear what happens...

That's the intell side of it though.  The other side where we actually fish where we're able, when the season's open, regardless of intell, just loving being out there...  that's the side that starts Saturday at dawn.  I still don't know what time I'll make it out there Saturday, but it's an opening day I don't want to miss, even if I just fish in Humboldt Bay.

At this point the long range is showing Wednesday and Thursday getting nice next week.  So we'll hope that lasts into the weekend.  I'm going out of Eureka on a charter on Thursday.  That'd better be guaranteed fish!   

Leave it to NWS to send us on a rollercoaster ride all week...  The current forecast shows not so bad:

.SAT...N WIND 10 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 3 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 6 FT AT 11 SECONDS...BECOMING NW 7 FT AT 11 SECONDS BY AFTERNOON.
.SUN...N WIND 10 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 3 TO 4 FT. NW SWELL 7 FT.

This still doesn't jive with Stormsurf...

It's also NOT an ideal kayakfishing forecast, so don't get upset if you're missing out.  If you do want to fish up here during this short season keep reading because I'll provide intell here.

Tomorrow I'll soak a chovie, think of my Dad who taught me all about salmon, hope to hookup, and I'll take time to appreciate my good fortune to be able to get out there.

Hopefully it'll be a bloody video.   

Good luck tomorrow Eric.  Looking forward to see the action video