more late and lazy santa cruz 2007/6/14

I got down here for the weekend a couple days early.

I tried bouncing an 8oz banana ahead of a dual hook rig with a whole squid
off the west cliffs. really long leader and dropper, like 6' each.

In general, I am a lure guy, not a bait guy, but I like to mix it up... 

quite a little pack of powerboats in MY fishing area. sheesh... 
and two kayaks I didn't recognize.

looked like they were all drifting for 'buts there.

thought for sure I would get something good even tho I got out late again
(left harbour mouth @ 9:30), but I did not have the mojo today, I lost both
my weights on snags (I tried something fancy for the weights and it didn't
work) in short order, the DFG gave me a visit and I got snagged while
chatting to them,  .  I did have two rods out (wasn't really fishing
one of them, but didn't to but no fish on board.
They said once I get a rockfish on board, go to one rod, I said, yes sir!

I got one good hookup while jigging small iron for a change in 50 feet but it LDR'ed.
did not feel like a rockfish. felt different. not small. did I hook and lose a 'but?

and the only fish interested in my whole squid was the biggest smelt I have
ever seen or caught,  . I put him on my stringer he was so big, I'm
curious what these things are like to filet. I could be wrong, I heard they
are edible, I might eat this one just to see.

Maybe I will head out tomorrow morning, considering paddling east to capitola for a change.

My younger kid is the hunter half of the hunter/gather and wants to eat anything he catches.  I did fillet a smelt he caught, and he did eat it.  My recollection was that is was bony.

Thanks for the report, j!

Sounds like a nice day despite the non-catching. All this time spent on the water will surely result in a big hali.

Regarding what the DFG said, if you are fishing with two rods and catch a rockfish, it must be released. I used to think that you could fish with two rods UNTIL you have a rockfish in posession, but this is wrong...if you're fishing with two rods and catch a rockfish, you have to let it go.
Of course, if you're releasing the rockfish, you can continue using two rods. Heck, I think you can use like 5 rods for halibut if you wanted...but that might be difficult to manage in a kayak.

Thanks,
PK