Fort Ross Finally!

     Dad (Happy birthday! Happy Father's day!), Rhino, and I finally scratched the ocean itch on Saturday, meeting up at Fort Ross for a predawn loadout.  The launch was smooth and without incident with knee high breakers at about a 7 second interval.  We started fishing to the south amongst the broken kelp for a few gophers and blacks.  The wind in the morning was relatively light but still made it difficult not to snag.

     After working the kelp and reefs to the South we moved North of the cove to some of our favorite vermilion pinnacles and picked a few nice sized reds.  We fished in anywhere from 85 to 115 FOW with the hot setup being an 8oz. jighead w/ rootbeer rubber and one shrimp fly teaser tipped with squid about 20" up.  The ling bite was there but not much size to them with two unders and one 26" that I photographed, whispered a few sweet nothings to, and released.  With the bite slowing Rhino called it and Dad and I made a run back to the Southern reefs where we got into some more gophers and blacks, and a couple of monster chinas. 

     With the conditions being so nice we decided to make one more trip back up north of the cove, and I am glad we did because on the way up we ran into Tote! (It was great to meet you! Gotta plan some "formal" hookups for sure) Messed around the kelp beds outside the cove with Tote for awhile, then headed to the wreck for cabs. Loaded a 6oz leadhead with whole squid and on my first drop I get a good tap followed by a strong load,fish on, and it was big. I felt the line rub through some kelp but got it out with the fish still on, only to lose it about 10 feet under the boat.

     After a short attempt in the cove it was time to head in.  Safe landings all around followed by a nice chat with Tote.

     We only kept 3 three vermilion which will be the perfect amount for a nice batch of fish tacos tonight.  All other fish were sent back down using a weighted release clip on a second rod.  The clips work really well and you don't leave a line of floating fish behind you left to die, what we call a "trail of tears."

     Man I love the ocean.

-Patrick

Good work!  Glad you got some time on the water.  Man, I miss the ocean!

EK

nicely done fellas. looks like it was even nicer saturday than friday.

you guys always make it look and sound so easy!

Nice report,

 Ocean Looks Beautiful,  wtg and Tote too!!!

Way to go Patrick. Those conditions out there look a whole hell of a lot better than what Stuie told me about up the coast a bit. Looks like a lot of fun.

Freddie

      Good thing the weather websites don't charge a nickel for every time you view them or we'd be broke after watching them all week in anticipation of Saturdays launch. 
      We arrived at the fort a little after five and unloaded all the goods at the bottom of the hill. Patrick and I then proceeded in the "rock-paper-scissor" drill to see who would drive the truck back up to the parking lot......I lost. On the drive up the hill Ryan was driving down the hill to join us.
      Fishing  started off a little "rocky" as we retaught ourselves the finer points of how not to snag the bottom due to a rather swift northernly drift. The catching was consistant but not not wide open. This year I tried one of the new (to us) fish release clips to my second rod/reel  instead of just re-hooking the fish as we had done in the past. The back up rod had a lever drag so I would start the fish back down to the depths and at the same time was able to bait and deploy my jigs to the bottom. I know the survival rate is not perfect but it sure beats the fish's options.
      After weeding through a few fish I  kept a nice vermilion, which about a half an hour later jumped out of the cooler and attempted it's getaway. Rhino was drifting next to me at the time and all I could say (and some things I cannot print)  was I should have taken it's picture when I had the chance. Moments later we hear something on the surface behind us and low and behold my little buddy made it's reappearance....this time introduced to the game clip.
      Later in the day we met up with Tote and chatted it up for awhile. Patrick and I finished up in the cove before calling it a day. It had been so long since we had gotten the taste and smell  of salt water in our senses it was difficult to leave.
       
     
     

Great report, Patrick.  That is one velvety sweet looking ocean you guys got to enjoy.  Cool that you ran into Tote - congrats, Mike, on getting a good trip after the bummer opener.  Good Times all around.   

Cherish the fact that you had a day like that on Father's Day with your Dad.  WTG, both of you guys.   

Got up at 5am only 2 miles from the Ft Ross entrance to a slight breeze coming from the south. I was too tired to deal with any breeze so I went back to bed.
Got up a few hours later and the breeze was the same so I decided to head out.
Launched around 10am and headed south to fish the reef in front of Pedotti Ranch. There were 10 PB's in the area and no one was reporting anything great but I stuck around for a couple of gophers and chinas. Did manage one thick 15'' black. I let the breeze drift me NORTH for much of the same.
As I was drifting I did see one kayaker absoultely haulin' @ss on the water. As I approached while he was drifting I hear him yell "Tote!" Since I didn't have on my glases I had to ask who it was.
Turned out to be Patrick and his dad Al nearby. Nice to finally meet you two even though it seems like I already know you. Just another cool thing about NCKA.
Switched to a green and gold (??) knife jig..color blind ya know.
First drop wham! Bring it up and I foul hooked him right between the eyes. Next drop I feel something..starfish. Next drop..wham!! Nice blue or black that broke me off under the kayak. No more flurocarbon for me. I was using 12lb fluro and I lost 3 jigs that should not have been lost.
I let everything go.
The water was perfect. The next day it was not so nice. Did an ab grab this morning and it was rough!! Three and out.
Props to FISHHUNTER for his underwater photos. I have no idea how you do it man. Mine were either out of focus or in focus but totally out of frame. I do get a A for trying tho. The best out of the 11 underwater shots I took is below.
A few pics
1..Ft Ross Reef
2..Pedotti Ranch
3..GLASS!!!
4..Right between the eyes
5..WTF
6..Out of Focus
7..Nice Colors ( Like I would know )

Thanks for the reports and great pics. Looked real nice out there.

Al

sweet looking water you guys were out in.   nice fish!   wondering if anyone is headed out this Wed?

nice report and pics, man that water looks great, still waiting for my window of opportunity for my first rock fish this year. f'''n wind can't blow forever just on my days off



don....

Good to see some of us got out to obsorb some salt during the window of op'. Looks like GlassyFun, i sure would have LOVED to be in!  I've only been there once and had a great time. You guys sent me over the edge when I got in this morning and see**FortRoss Finally**  those damned bouys said it was gonna back-off down here and that's what kept me thinkin it was!
A good reminder that if it's saying one thing?..it may turn out to be WRONG!
like white caps in the morning at Paradise?!(WTF?!) i should have made the RossRun!

Thanks for the shots fellas!!  running/paddling into fellow brothers, while on the water is quite COOL!
I'm so "on that" cove!!

Tote~ there are ALWAYS more misses than HITS on those subH20shots..Keep it UP!
(and keep it in AUTO MODE)   it seems to work the best so far

Great report.

Nice double eye hook...ouch.

S.