Monterey 07/22/06

Got on the beach at 5am to claim my spot for a day of fishing and BBQ. Little that I new that the big canoe race was going to take place and soon the beach was going to be full of spectators and event participants.

I got the yak set up and headed out about 8am. The water was nice and flat to make an easy and effortless launch the water was 62 degrees.  Aaron A.K.A gatohser and Paul a new commer(nice to meet you) was already out on the water just past the kelp bed near the first red can. We were hooking up some small blues.

Soon after that we decided to head out into eighty feet of water to fished the reef marked by the big, yellow can. I started to mark fish  between 45 to 70 feet. I immediately drop down the  iron and started to jig, but with no love. I added some strips of squid and still no luck. Still marking fish I decided to go with whole squid with the halibut stinger set up. And with that I got my limit of rock fish and a nice ling.

Headed in after 4 hr of good fun of fishing and enjoyed the rest of the day watching the canoe race.

I took a lot of pictures but not all came out but here's a couple anyways

Hey Alien,

This is Eugene, was out with you and the others on the bay.  Didnt do as well as you did, but C and R a bunch of small fish.  But did get a chance to practice getting in and out of the yak.  Figured how often is it warm enough in Monterey to actually WANT to get in the water!

Didnt see your basecamp with the canoe race hordes so took my wet carcass home.

Eugene

Nice stringer Alex!

Is it just me, or is Monterey/Carmel giving up more reds than usual this year?


Randy

nice work!  alex after reading this I broke down and ordered a sonar unit!

J

Hey Eugene,

I was wondering where you went! I was located in the same spot as last time. I know it was hard to see me considering all the people, tents, and canoes scattered on the beach. Let me know when you go out again. I'll try and join you.



Hi Randy,

I don't know but I like the reds allot. I hope i could keep catching them there at the yellow can.

what did you do in San Diego?


Alex

Hey J,

Your not getting high teck on us now are you what type are you getting. I have the cheepy humming bird portable. I didn't like it at first but once i got it tuned- in and learned what to look for i don't see how i ever caught fish with out one.

I like it when the screen is empty and as soon as i drop down my bait the screen just fill up with the little fish marks it's like playing a video game HE.. HEEE..


Alex

Alex, I'm pretty sure you could catch well without one, but it does sound like you are even better with one.

I just ordered one of those eagles. model # 242 (so not quite the 245, but maybe better than the 168), plus a pair of rechargeable 12 volt batteries from cabelas.  a computer and a credit card is my kind of shopping!

I have to spend my professsional life with electronic equipment that my programmers are breaking  ,
so when I go fishing I really don't want a lot of electronic stuff that will decide not to work right when you start to depend on it.

I don't always take the VHF or GPS but there are times when they add to the fun, and that's what it's all about so
hopefully the sonar unit will add to the fun and I guess there will be times when I don't need to bother
bringing it.

A GPS for speed,  a linecounter for lure depth, and a depthfinder make a pretty good trolling combo.

J

Nice limit there.  Good eating for sure.

I don't know how I ever fished effectively without a sonar unit.

It is absolutely critical (in my opinion) for freshwater bassin'.

MolBasser

Hey Alex,
Sorry I ditched you on the water there! I was hooking up pretty well on that troll line I said I was going to try and my friend Pat started getting sea sick. I'm into a big school and reeling them in when I turn around and hes booking it for land! I bring my gear in and paddle as fast as I can to make up the half mile he already had on me! I didn't want him flipping my yak in the surf since it was his first time out and it was my gear I chased him down right as he got to the surf and I see 6 inch swell crashing over the beach.... Shoulda kept fishing! haha Well that was the end of the day for me. Ended up with 5 fish which was more than enuf for me to make one quick Cal-Asian rockfish when we got home and leave him with for breakfast. I dont think we'll be seeing him out again any time soon haha.

All in all it was MUCH MUCH slower than the previous week when I headed out. Conditions were fairly similiar minus the fog on the first trip but the fish weren't biting! I tell you though nothing beats the halibut rigs. Those double drop hook rigs always snag for me and the halibut rigs only snag big fish!

Fun to be out there with ya again man! And it was nice to meet you Eugene. Hope to see you guys out there again!

ya, that yellow can can be good sometimes! i went out yesterday for halibut but again no love...i should just target rock fish!
oh well....
chef

Hey Chef,

That area  around the yellow can does produce nice keepers. I usually get my limit of rock fish there pretty quick when conditions are rite. I also drift for halibut closer to the hotel there but i haven't had much luck the few times i tried. Maybe We should try north of the hotel on a good calm day. We might get lucky!


Alex

I launched today with my girlfriend for 6 rockfish total (3 each). She's a natural! Action was still slow (though we did find a more productive area early in the morning just around the red can). Anyways the reason I write this is that on the way out a guy stopped me, asked me where I was going, and told me he saw a speardiver get 3 halibut around the coast guard pier. Guess we gotta try that again! That's where the first fish of the season came in for NCKA and maybe they been around there all along.

that area by the coastguard pier is a very controversial place for those who wish to spear fish. a lot of folks against it since its a new diver area and others fighting to do so.

i like to spearfish too but for some reason i just dont spear there. just south of thee is fair game to me though. all except for hopkins and off the beach of lovers cove.

breakwater has always been a hotbed for halibut. students coming out talking about seeing one here and there.

the guy may have been on scuba since the depth restriction stated somewhere is 60 feet deep for those wishing to fish and spear. its so vague though. everyone i ask has a different comment about it. also they say no spearguns from the beach so i guess off a boat or kayak is ok?

they sure make it confusing.

sure, on a weekday, why not. i think i'll have to visit that place sometime. but then again, i dont hunt on scuba and i dont continually dive 60 feet freediving on a typical day. so there goes that whole idea again.

john

Hay Aaron,

I won't be able to try this weekend but the following weekend would be good for me. Let me know how it go's if you go for it.


Where's the Pic's...