8/16 Santa Cruz Report

Launched at 6:00 to slight fog and FAC conditions. Trolling sabikis out of the harbor, Cody caught a croaker, then David, Cody, and I found a brick wall of anchovies! 4-6 immediately on every drop, with very occasional smelt mixed in. We messed with them for half hour or so, then headed for the lighthouse. Everyone got big take downs right off the bat but wouldnt stick. I caught an undersized WSB, seen a small shark, and then...the bite DIED! Decided to mess with anchovies looking for a mack bite, but none to be found.  Let it drift us back to the harbor.
Loaded up and left, almost out of town, and realized........we left, ALL of our rods at the launch!! How? I have no idea, but they were all still there when we got back. David kept a sack of chovies fron his first salt trip, Cody kept a smelt that he broiled up as soon as he hit the door,  and is already gone! All in all, a great 40th birthday, and finally landed a ghost.......wish it was 4" longer.

Nice day OTW - Happy 40th Rich!

Spending your Bday with your kids OTW, that's priceless. I'm looking forward to that when my rugrats to get a wee bit bigger. Happy Birthday!

Mike

Happy birthday fellow 8/16er.  . Enjoy the rest of the night. Glad you trip went will.    And congrats on a year too.   

Happy 40th birthday Rich    Thanks for the report and picture.

Happy birthday!

I caught a whole lot of rockfish, I stopped counting at 11. Was on my last couple bait by 8AM when I finally caught a mackerel. Used it as bait for the rest of the day since I was out.

Caught a lingcod with the mackerel around 12pm. 22 1/2". Legal sized but let it go anyway. The only fish I kept for the day is a rockfish that swallowed my treble, I felt it'd be cruel to release him.

Not sure what it is, I just didn't really feel like keeping any fish today. I mean maybe if it was a 28+ Ling or a Halibut, but otherwise I didn't feel like it. Fun day OTW though, flat for most of the day.

Wish I could go out on Sunday as well. But I am very sore from a 70 hour work week (wearing a heavy tool belt the whole time is a killer on the hips and shoulders). Maybe if I had a PB!

Good times all around. I think I saw you OTW. But I was way out far past the mile buoy at the end of the day.

There were a bunch of kayaks out by the mile buoy at day break, then they thinned out, we pretty much stayed shallow between there and the point. Couldnt ask for better weather, that's for sure!

Thanks for the Bday wishes folks! #imoldnow

What is the fish in the hawg trough?

Jack smelt