1/6/7 Poke Pole Otter Cove

I poked up a nice grass RF (~13-14 inch) and a similar size cabazon (C&R) but had no way to measure it.  I did not feel bad about letting it go since several people watching the sunset from the shore trail saw me catch it.  It was a cool victory as I had the feeling they thought I was crazy out there on the rocks.  The swell was small with 1-3 foot breakers occasionally splashing me but I waded with my booties and knee pad up to my ankles and had a great first experience poke polling.  I expect to be even more successful when the swell is smaller and I have more time.  I hit the beach about 4:15 because my daughter had a basket ball game and was home just after dark.  Poke polling is fun, try it. 

Did you use a bamboo pole tied with a wire/hook at the end? Pretty difficult to transport that thing, especially if it's really long to be useful.
Surprised you didn't get any eel though, usually there are more eels than rockfish.

I actually used a rod made up of two pieces of broken fishing rod spliced together with tape and a wire coat hanger extending from the end with a loop and a short 10-inch 50# leader with 6/0 Siwash hook.  I did see a few small eel pick at my bait and pull it in their holes but they were small and not really what I wanted.  I was really happy to have rockfish as I am not sure I would want to deal with an eel.

Sweet!

Once I get housing in Davis I'm gonna go poke poling myself.

MolBasser

Ditto.  Sounds really fun.

Way to go and nice job catching no eels.  I was stoked to hear about your cab - I am sure there is a big, legal one waiting out there to be poke-poled . .maybe next time.

The winter time will be lots of minus tides and chances to poke-pole around Asilomar for what might be the last time as some MPA proposals call for ban of poke-poling in this area.  Why?  I don't know because hardly anybody ever poke poles . . I guess they want to make sure nobody starts.

Alright!
Good job on the pokepole, sackyak! Thats a pretty big grassie to get poking. And thats great to hear you released a legal cab...those guys are hard to let go because they're soo tasty!
I think the area you fished is probably more conducive to poking than the area I suggested/fished on Saturday. Smaller waves, in general, and more structure.
And chris is right; we should totally fish the stretch of shoreline that will be closed by the MLPAs before its too late! From Pt Pinos to Asilomar has so many good-looking spots. (Side note: I'm totally confused about WHY they would close that stretch of coast...nobody ever fishes there and the fish stocks are very healthy. It definitely wasn't a decision based on actual scientific evaluation. Sorry...mini-rant concluded.)

Thanks for the report,
and way to really get out there!
PK