Santa Cruz Harbor to Mile Buoy - slow rockfish opener

Fished about a quarter mile past the mile buoy, looking for halibut. Perfect conditions, with light to no wind and a moderate swell. It was so calm in the late morning, it was necessary to troll in order to move at all. Caught a small olive rockfish, but no halibut action. We didn't really expect much rockfish action, since we were trolling over sand the whole time. No kelp or rocky bottom at all. Ran into Tall Paul on my way out. Hope he had some luck.

So much for my concern that conditions at Santa Cruz might have been a bit rough, hence the extra driving plus $9 to get to Stillwater.

Scott

So much for my concern that conditions at Santa Cruz might have been a bit rough, hence the extra driving plus $9 to get to Stillwater.

Scott

Sounds like it was worth the ride, judging by the reports from down there. Also, the wind kicked up big time in the afternoon up here. I was off the water around 12:30 when it was still calm. There were whitecaps later in the day.

Do you santa cruz guys ever fish a spot called 'false bottom'?

we used to freedive it

Well, conditions were great, sunny skies, flat water and winds pretty calm until mid day. I paddled out to the mile buoy and messed around there for an hour or so, working scampi's and megabaits and squid, for nada...one good takedown, rod loaded up, then nothing.

My girlfriend was expecting fish tacos, so I scooted over to the kelp beds by the lighthouse, letting the wind carry me over the kelp and using a squid tipped megabait in thirty feet of water, drooping down when I could and trying to avoid hanging up in the kelp. I boated a couple of quality rockfish, three and four pounds, before heading home with the wind picking up. The only other anglers who seemed to be producing were also working the kelp beds, and had a legal ling there. That kind of fishing requires patience, but it often salvages a slow day.

Happy to be fishing again,

tight lines