Big Sur non-yak, Sunday 3/8

SinCoast was playing the good husband today, but I shipped my wife off to work and decided to head down the coast solo.     Somehow I managed to miss any and all mention of daylight savings time on TV, radio, friends and family...Doh!  Heading out an hour later than planned, I still managed to hit Pfeiffer State Beach right as the tide hit dead bottom. This was after stopping in Carmel for a sandwich, checking out Garapata SB (it looked good, but there were already 6-7 fishermen there), and then missing the unmarked turnoff to Pfeiffer SB and driving an extra 20 minutes down the coast...that'll teach me to rely on memories of my last visit to Pfeiffer 15 years ago. 

Despite the late start and driving in circles I managed to focus on the positive; it was a beautiful day, and I was going fishing!



After parking my truck I loaded up and headed north up the beach to find someplace fishy to park my butt.  I passed a guy carrying a pokepole and wearing a big grin; he said he'd caught a "nice one".  Same story with the 4 guys fishing from the beach - they said they'd caught quite a few nice fish since arriving.  I worked my way past them and set up on a big rocky area that was void of fishermen.



This place looked fishy so I dumped my backpack and went to work.



A mere 20 minutes later, as I was digging out my sandwich and a cold can of Kirin, I see my pole jumping.  After a few minutes of hide & seek I pull up a 15" Grass rockie...my first rockfish in months! 



Say hello to my little friend...



Unfortunately that was my only catch for the day, but I was nonetheless happy. 



I had one more solid hit that apparently wrapped my line around a rock or two (my only lost rig).  I stayed another 90 minutes or so, until the wind got blowing too hard, and then headed back to the truck.  After loading up and using the facilities, I turn the ignition key and realize that some moron left the headlights on.   Fortunately I had jumper cables, and a nice couple was able to give me a jump start.  The two hour ride home passed fairly quickly, and I didn't even have a yak to clean when I got back! 

Rig: Single dropper loop with a 1 oz. flexible sinker on bottom, size 4 Gamakatsu circle hook loaded with squid.  Photos taken with my new Optio W60.  Beer courtesy of Kirin Ichiban, Japan. 

Nice grassie Pete! One of my favorite rockies.

Thanks Pat...maybe next time you can make it!

Two hours is a long drive to fish from shore.  You must have an addiction
Nice fish. Nice pics also

Great pics and narrative.  Sur has always seemed fishier than the Lost Coast, and the water is so much nicer.  Way to go find it.