Cabrillo 5-28 (Success! in SoCal)

Had a great time at Cabrillo on the inside this afternoon in spite of the wind. 

I caught my first legal halibut    (released), a short wsb (released), and a 17" spotted bay bass which I kept and ate for dinner. ( I just finished it.)  I was OTW at 3:30 and fished until sundown.

The halibut was  22" and a smidge but I didn't feel  secure with my measurement on my homemade board slopping around in the wind and waves so figured it was better to release the fish.  (see pix)  I took good care not to injure it so I suspect it will be just fine.

I caught all the fish on plastic swim baits with 1.5 ounce leadhead.    Basically I just put in at the boat ramp, drifted out towards the green buoy, pedaled back against the wind -- repeat.  I got bit every time and had several fish on that I didn't manage to land. I got the short wsb near the green buoy and I got the spotted bay bass right up next to the jetty in the kelp near the entrance to the marina.    I did get a few lizardfish, too.  (whoopie!)

This odd story, there was a little skunk wandering around at the end of the jetty by the boat ramp.  You can barely see it in the picture.  I pedaled over to take his picture and he decided to go swimming!  He started swimming right towards me and I decided it was time to pedal away!

I may have been chased by a skunk, but I certainly wasn't skunked.  What a great day & the the bas was quite tasty for dinner!

yay! 

PS -- coming back to Eureka June 13-18 -- will bring Hobie

WTG, and thx for sharing.  Looks like your time OTW is paying off.  I bet halibut is next on your dinner menu.
btw, did you use any scents on your swimbait? 

Great to see your success after all the time you put in,  as for the skunk, yeah that's weird, any reports of rabies in the area? 

@ hamachijohn -- nope - no scents on the swimbait.  I had intended to go to King Harbor today but got so tied up working this morning... I looked up and it was 2 pm.   I'm so close to Cabrillo.   I just wanted to get OTW without delay.   There were two other guys coming in as I went out -- regulars on the Baytubers site down here -- and one of them had a really nice halibut.  They all use live bait.  I've got to set up for that to get the larger fish I think. ...  Need to build a bait tube.   I'm kind of a slow learner ..  and rubber swim baits are so easy. 

Way to avoid the skunk....literally.  Congrats on a nice day!

Nice to know there are still some fish at Cabrillo.  Used to dive there years ago before I started kayaking.  I have had feral cats steal my fish and bait when I shore fished there, but was never attacked by a swimming skunk!  That is too much.-----Jeff

Way to go, Dave.  Love the skunk tale - I think it's an old totem of yours, just hanging out to send you off on the next stage of your journey.   

Looks like a good afternoon yak fishing with multi-species caught.  Thanks for the report and pictures Dave.

way to finaly get the legal halibut , youve been on that quest for awhile, congrats, and nice looking little wsb, thanks again for all the socal reports, cameron