Stillwater sheephead today!

My goodness,
 Look what I caught at stillwater today.
I was spearing and fishing and caught this red, red sheephead and a huge yellowtail rockfish [ among others]
It was a mill pond today and the bite on blues was just silly...fast and furious.
        Steve

Nice!

Did you shoot it through the eye?

Yes, and thru the brain and out the gill cover.
 If the rockfish ban goes into effect Oct 1st...........I'll still be gettin dinner all the time it appears.
 Maybe more guys should take up spearing.
Lessons anyone?
 Steve

My goodness,
 Look what I caught at stillwater today.
I was spearing and fishing and caught this red, red sheephead and a huge yellowtail rockfish [ among others]
It was a mill pond today and the bite on blues was just silly...fast and furious.
        Steve

nice fish! on the north side of stillwater there are some pretty big sheephead as well.

did you score those by the washrocks in the middle?

i think im headed there this saturday. looks ideal.

john

I saw 2 more big females...in the middle of the kelp off Pt Pescadero.
 I was going to the Pinnacles until Usagi reminded me that distance from shore in a kayak doesn't mean the place isn't pressured all the time by power boats and dive charters.
Besides....where ever theres a lot of tourism, I'd just as soon move futher on and let em have it.
The mass of kelp and rock from Pt Pescadero to Spanish Bay is incredible! I guess it all looks nice when the weather is but there is a lot of turf there protected by the $9.00 entry fee to get in the 17 mile drive and the golf culture..
Still, coastal access is mandated and the parking was ample [ weekdays]just a short walk away.
If you dive in the middle of the kelp mass where one cannot even fish the mid water rockfish are pretty common. Its a bit dark though without the light. I saw 4 greenling and no cabs at all. No ling either for a full hours diving at 40 feet.
Steve
 A local told me the live fish guys work the cove at Stillwater all the time .

Nice!  I didn't know that you could find sheephead this far north.  I used to catch them as a kid off the San Clemente pier, but haven't seen one up here. 

You've made me think twice about giving up scuba...I haven't gone in probably 14 years (I'd have to check my dive log).  I was just thinking about offering up my scuba gear and speargun for trade on the "Pass it forward" thread since I never use it anymore.  The early closing of the rock fish season has me thinking that maybe I should take a refresher course...my friend is a dive master & instructor at West Valley College & he's always offering to take me out with one of his classes.  Of course, that would only mean upgrading to a new wetsuit and more toys...my WAF account is gonna need a big surge of bonus points before I consider that. 

Wow,
Maybe there will be a surge to learn spearfishing!
My wife says to put up a spearfishing class and charge money ...[for her to go shopping with.]
I am new to kayaking and am descending into the madness but with a spearo twist.
We get to fish all year round and get in shape to boot. Also....for divers, launching a kayak is a lot easier, safer  and simpler. Going into the drink in full wetsuit is nothing.
Losing gear over the side hardly happens and you get a lot of lower body exercise to go with the kayakers upper body workout. The greatest benefit meets somewhere in the middle!
For you gear geeks....spearguns give you the same playground of high tech, med tech and low tech toys and the dive skills get you abs and round the tropical world benefits. It makes you a double threat as you can dive when fishins off and fish when diving visability is off.
 

Steve
 I have been spearing fish since 1969 and grew up diving here.
 As a teenager I got a 54 pound halibut snorkling off Del Monte and used to camp out under the Monterey cannneries to dive early in the mornings where the aquarium is today.

54 pound halibut snorkling off Del Monte

   How deep Steve?

20 FEET only....
 I have the old photos and need scanning ability to replicate em. It was 1971.
 I shot him underneath where that big, cement monstrosity is now right in front of the MBK beach. We went on a sleighride that lasted about 5 minutes.
I went back to try and do it again 6 weeks ago and found the place had ...changed. Hundreds on the beach, sea lions buzzing thru out the dive and dozens of boats bobbing just off shore.
So, I thought of moving the re-live the past obsession down the beach a few miles.... when the shark attack at Marina happened.
 Now, I think I'm gonna change obsessions.
 SteveI

Awesome report and info, bajareefer!
Thanks!

PK

i am still a firm believer that del monte beach is the place where if the day is good, its really good. if its bad, well, you just go home after a good workout: )

i know a few folks who have speared their first butt at del monte including myself.

i was hooked after that. for some reason i didnt go back to del monte all that much though, i would find myself looking for them in other places.

i need to get some diving in soon: )

thanks for the sweet report!

john