Fresh meat here!

Howdie,

I have been lurking for a couple of weeks and think your site is great.

I got a Hobie Quest a few days ago and am eager to hit the coast and try for some game.

I was an avid fisherman in my youth (in San Diego), but haven't fished much in the last decade or so (three or four times a year). Most of those trips have been at Sierra lakes from my sea kayak. I live in Marin. I envision Bolinas as a frequent launch point, but am willing to go anywhere.

Anyway, I have been out on Tomales Bay with the new sit-on-top, around Hog Island in the big wind and chop and had fun but got no bites.

You guys reference a couple of guys who offer guided yak fishing trips and I would love to go for one, but I can't seem to find any actual info for these people. Can someone give me contact info for a willing guide to get me out there.

Thanks to all of you for the info you have layed out here so far. I feel like this is a sport that combines several of my interests into one great activity. It could become my #1 recreational activity. Do you think it is a worthwhile way to kill a weekend?

There are Floaters.  And yes, there are Brown Floaters.  But, what you really need to watch out for are
White Floaters & Red Floaters.  White Floaters come in lengths ranging from 6' to 24'.  They come fully
equipped with numerous rows of saw-shaped, razor sharp teeth.  Red Floaters are what White Floaters
are searching for.  Forget the nervous Nellie concerns regarding a little incidental chop or flawed launching
technique.  It's the White Floaters that pack the biggest punch.  Since you sound crazy enough to give
a Bolinas excursion your best shot, I will offer my body as a decoy for the White Floaters by accompanying
you on a launch from Bolinas Beach.  Again, though the Salmon may have moved offshore, White Floaters
have moved in to take their feeding positions.  Sure you wouldn't rather go for Leopards in S.F. Bay, first?

You don't need a guide just get with somebody that knows the area  Living in Marin you've got it made in the shade with Muir Beach and Bolinas right there  It's a little slow out there right now but the odd big one is hitting the decks and should be good soon Weird year

My wife doesn't know it yet but when our ship comes in we're moving north of the gate, at least during salmon season

good luck

floater

Some coastside reports of decent size salmon at Dux right now

Not much but I'd be out there right now if circumstances allowed

 I went out with scallen today. It was a very good trip. My first time in the open ocean. My first fish caught on a kayak (except for trout). I went with a Kayak Connection clinic he had booked out of Santa Cruz harbor. So I still have not been on a launch through the surf, but at least I got out beyond it. The sea was calm. We were watched by harbor seals, dolphin. and I really enjoyed seeing sea otters, 20' away, totally calm and going about their business.

We took care of business too and caught near limits of rock fish. I caught an 18" ling. Allen hooked into about a 20 lb. butt or ling but lost it after about 2 or 3 minutes.

I am out of practice at cleaning fish, but I took an hour and a half to filet 8 small rock fish and did a good job. Virtually no wasted meat and no bones. Made awsome fish tacos tonight. My wife was thrilled, and we have enough for two more nights!

Allen and the others on the clinic were a pleasure to paddle with. Thanks for bumping me up a notch or two in the learning curve. I now feel more worthy of joining up with some one from this group for an excursion......anyboby want to go out next weekend (9-2 or 3)? Maybe from Bolinas or?... I am hooked.

The day turned out Ok.  I admit I was a bit worried at first.  I hadn't fishred that area for a couple weeks and the first two spots wern't holding anything.  the drift from 57FOW near the Mile Buoy all the way to Black's Point had a good smatering of rockfish and a couple lings, one an underling caught by floater javascript:void(0); and a very big ling hooked by me that let go about halfway up.  (the biggest fish I've felt all yar so far....dang!  javascript:void(0);

In all a real nice moirninig with a great group of anglers.

Floater is a natural, and I think we have another obsessed yak angler in the group!  For a while there he was just pulling in one after anther.  I think he released like 20 "too small" rockfish, kept 6-8.

Allen

Thanks Allen.

I am going out somewhere this weekend, maybe Sunday and Monday.

I might go out, too;  thinking of either Mavericks or Alameda Rock Wall...

Best bet for Ling's right now is a Macaw pinfeather tied to a #2 Siwash.