My ramblings regarding Big Saturday

Edit: Looks like Mcag put up a post also. I tried to delete and merge but was unable to do so.

Warning, the following is not so much a fishing report as an unnecessarily long winded description of a great day…

I met Mcag at around  7:00 at a beach SOHMBNANO.

We unloaded our gear as Mike showed me the wonderful garden of poison oak that spread out to either side of the tail.

As I looked around at the mutant strain of itchiness that surround us I noticed a bad omen resting in final repose upon my front bumper--a dead sparrow. On the way to work is one thing, when going fishing it is another--I must have read one too many poems by Coleridge.

After doing the kayak casket carry down to the beach we stood there staring at a few  sets that were gassing out the back side. Nothing too scary to body surf, but seeing a semi-china wall close out set shutting down the rip you were considering a mad scramble through while sitting on a non-duck diving object sort of makes you wonder if you are doing the right thing. It’s not a survival thing, it is a replacement thing. How much of your stuff will you lose? I think I need an accessory pod…

Regardless we decided to chance it...DENIED. It is strange how things that happen so quickly sometimes seem to take forever. I didn’t really have time to look over at Mcag, but I can tell you what happened to me.

 The sets were stacked close, and the end zone was far. The first retaining wall of white water ate up my momentum and knocked me at the wrong angle to the surf line. I bailed and grabbed my yak to point it into the next wave of the set and semi dunked underwater as I felt the icy ooze of water enter my Koktats (so much for the theory of these being solid wear for yak fishing).

After the wave passed I pushed got up onto my kayak to try to get moving. As I pulled my leash in I felt a sudden loss of tension--my leash broke. I shared a kind word with the next wave as I bailed to save my paddle and then stroked back to grab my yak.

Discretion being the better part of valor, I turned my kayak around and did a side stroke in with my arm over my yak and paddle, until I could push along with my feet.

About this time I looked over to see Mcag doing the same as suddenly and with uncanny synchronicity we both lost the sand we were plodding along on and hit the deep channel. As both of us were doing a strange little slow mo dance (nothing krunk) a friendly little bit of white wash pushed us back to firm footing and terra firma.

These guys were hanging out there too…


After we got our yaks up on the beach we turned around laughing and talking about our next run, only to see a head high cleaner set wipe our ambitions away.

Needless to say if you were standing roadside about that time you would have seen  two wet dogs loading up their kayaks and shooting down the way for a little easier launch.

As we unloaded our gear at phase two, Mcag started telling me about a buddy who criticized his penchant for catching and releasing undersized or breeding sized fish.   As we carried our kayaks down the trail we passed this:

Whereupon it was explained to me that this was a special type of lure designed not to catch things. I thought maybe was should send a sample to the people that are trying to shut down fishing up here and see if there was some area of compromise using this interesting technology.

The rest of the paddle out was ridiculously easy compared to the episode described above--so much so that I have to wonder if I wasn’t a hidden camera surreptitiously recording our first attempt.

We managed to get a couple of drifts through the kelp beds, and I think that I spent more time fighting snags to retrieve my terminal tackle that I did actually fishing. After a while the wind started to pick up,  it was a nothing bad, but nothing right kind of breeze that didn’t make things any easier.
Mcag had a several  missed strikes and we both got schooled by the kelp mistress. Although I have to say I was impressed when he paddled backwards for about 50 yards to get his line out of a tangle and still managed to bring in his fish which he ended up releasing.

The fish of the trip went to Mike with when he boated a nice ling. I caught a cab after being forced to cut loose at least 3 swim baits. I don’t know about you but I hate leaving suji in the water…

As we paddled in the fog started to clear and I noticed a point down the way and asked….”hey bro, is that Ano Nuevo?”

“Yup”

Interesting fishing in the middle of a scene from Shark Week.

With that being said, the initial omen called for way more than a cold soaking, lost lures, and a lot of lost line. I love this sport. I love the ocean.

Mcag: thanks for the unmatched conversation and for another epic day on the water. I am looking forward to fishing with you again soon.

Pics:
Nice:


Mcag boats a ling:

Fish of the day:

Easy pose with a light stringer:

Sun is shining weather is sweet (WTF, why wasn’t it like this while we fished???):

Small set:

Loaded:

My son “helping” me cleans up:

  Sorry for the wash/rinse/spin cycle, but loved the story!  Nothing like a used condom to make you feel like you are one with nature!

Sound like a blast!! Nothing like a little cleanup set to start your day off right   especially on a "non-duck diving object".

What a great report!  Thank you, Kiaikai, for taking us along on an adventure.  I've spent many hours along the coast right in there - cool spots for sure, and some big lings (and abs) in close.   

Thank you for sharing the great report and pictures!

Too close to New Years Island for me.

Good report, though!  Way to try different spots!

awesome read kiaikai, good call on moving to a calmer launch, glad everything worked out, cameron

Good job guys... However, I'd be really careful south of the lighthouse this time of year... those be some sharky waters you guys were kayaking in. My friends were fishin up there this past weekend and got a visit from the landlord!

It's sharky year round, but you are right that it is more so now with the seals coming back.  I used to surf the south side of Ano (the point) and have been fishing there since 1990 (mostly on my boat or zodiac, recently on yak), and have some interesting stories that I can share over beer.  I actually think the spot just north of the lighthouse is spookier - that's where the ab diver got it some years ago.  It's also where there's a seal haul-out, and a real deep drop off.  But the landlord keeps the fishing pressure down...

Life on the edge! Cool report

Whereupon it was explained to me that this was a special type of lure designed not to catch things. I thought maybe was should send a sample to the people that are trying to shut down fishing up here and see if there was some area of compromise using this interesting technology.

 

This post should win an award for that description alone.  Great read, thanks for the report!

I like the way you write Kiaikai. China Walls huh? Where was your board brah? I've always wanted to surf that novelty spot just to add it to 'the list'. Anyways, the day ended up good with fish caught and thanks for sharing the stories and pics. The blue 'yak wrapper' is proof that someone "launched" something on that beach.    jim