Stillwater Carmel Turns On

What a lovely day!...   Sun, no wind till noonish, manageable swell (4-6 at dawn, 6-8 when we came into the more sheltered areas) and great company.

Randy and I arrived just as the sky was lightening up to find Kim and Henry already unloading.  We were half way set up when Ed shows up as well.

Everyone got launched and Ed and I went looking for ling candy.  No joy there but Ed got the first Blue of the day.

As we headed out to the pinnacles, Henry found a hot spot of rockfish, so the two "newbies" (first time fishing Stillwater) had of course scored before the rest of us........ The fishing world was in good order.

We reached the outside pinnacle and the day began slowly.  Rockfish of the usual varieties, Blues, Coppers, Gophers and Brown? made steady if slow showings.  Then they began to wake up.  

Ed got the first Cabezon of the morning.  He will have to post his picture as it was taken on his camera.  He fortunately ignored my erroneus statement that it needed to be 16 inches (this is how I keep myself out of trouble........ )  He continued to catch and release lots of rockies and kept a nice string to show for his day.

Randy scored the next cabbie, a nice 18 incher.  

As things slowed a bit, I drifted off the pinnacle and came up with a personal first, a stout China which I quickly photographed and released.  It's that karma thing, y'know?  I generally release the first one of a type that I catch.

As the swell increased, Ed headed for home and Henry headed for calmer water.  Kim headed for the kelp and Randy and I just headed in.  Kim found them first and then Randy and I hit the 90 foot deep rockfish at about the castle.  They were large, quality blues and olives with the odd gopher and copper.  We had all kept a few at the pinnacle so a couple more only seemed right.


We met back up with Henry who was working the rocks just outside the pier.  I still didn't have a cabezon so I kept making desperation drops as Randy and Kim headed for dry land.  I finally chided myself for wanting more than my lovely 6 rainbow of rockfish and went to bring in my line in from about 22 feet.  It felt a bit heavy and then zing, away went the line.  A few minutes later I had a personal best cabezon, 20 inches and 5 pounds 15oz's.

What a nice way to return to RCG fishing after so much rough seas keeping us off the water..........
Weird that none of us kept a ling on though we all had what we believed to be ling hits.
Pat

Wow, what a nice day!  I think you guys had the best catch of the weekend.  Wish I was there.  I had a massive clean-up from last night spook fest.  Congrats on the great fish.

Jim "InSeine" Hobbs

Wow... it looks like I missed out on a great day at Stillwater -- still one of the most beautiful places I've ever fished.

Glad you guys enjoyed the day and scored!

Congrats on the cabby Pat    Your determination paid-off!

ooopsss....that was me  

Thanks Mooch, Chuck and Jim

We appreciated while we were out that we had an unusually nice fall day.

We will be looking to make it out once more looking for a Carmel best ling.  We'll post if we get the chance.

Pat