Trinidad -- Newbie Success

@ dpshim -- Would love to hook up with you next time you are down south, but I am a newbie here as well, having only launched on the INSIDE at Cabrillo beach - once in a rental, and twice in my own boat which I've only owned for two weeks.  (Got a short barracuda on my 2nd trip here, the week before the trip north.)

I learned a few things on this shakedown trip from LA to Humboldt ...  The LOUD VIBRATING HUM from the tie-down straps was AWFUL on the drive up. UGH!  I wore ear plugs and it drove my poor daughter nuts -- 13 hour drive.

On the drive back to LA (2 days) I came up with a successful "improvised" mute for the vibrating straps with towels and rubber bands that worked great.  See picture.  (Fold towels over straps and secure with rubber bands.)  It worked just fine.

On a previous post I noted that a hobie sport will fit INSIDE a prius and I also figured out how to secure my boat INSIDE the car with a vinyl coated, thick, THULE bicyle lock connected to steering wheel of the Prius through the pedal drive hole in the yak.   I know it's not fail-safe, but it would be a bit of trouble to steal the boat secured like that.  It's not my preferred way to secure the boat but for one overnight park in San Jose it worked.   I did not take pictures that setup.

I learned some other good things too -- met a guy with a tandem hobie at the Samoa Bridge ramp and saw how he put the drive in BEFORE he launched.  I'd been launching and then dropping it in after I got out.  Met two other yak fishermen at Trinidad with good tips, both very friendly and helpful with launch recommendations for Trinidad Harbor.

I need to find a web board of SoCal kayak fisherman -- especially LA area fisherman.  Any recommendations?

Two good SoCal yakfishing sites are Kayaksportfishing.com and Bigwatersedge.com. Great report, thanks. I believe our friend Darius called his yak color Papaya also

Hard to tell from the pic, but I think your blacks are blues    The upper jaw (maxillary) on the Blacks extend past the eye.  Usually they have a pretty distinct white band running down the side.

http://www.dfg.ca.gov/marine/mspcont4.asp

I'm just being a fish-nerd.  They both eat great.

WTG!

welcome to the brotherhood and good job on the fish in
Trinidad. Love that area.
NOTE: if you are getting strap noise try twisting the once or twice as you go over the yak, this will stop the noise, no towles needed.
William_102