Santa Cruz,

Hit the harbor launch around 7:30am, no wind and overcast. Paddled north to the kelp beds a little past the UC buildings. My fish finder must have been dropped too may times, I couldn't get it to work last night so I left it at home. So I hit every hole in the kelp I could find, ZERO strikes. Stayed out till the wind hit (11:30am) Decided to let the wind push me in, as I fished the edge of the kelp.  Using a small diamond jig and a teaser, I got a couple of hits. Then just as I was going to call it quits, I pulled up a nice 23" Lincod. Released it, hit the launch happy I didn't get totally skunked.

CraigH

That was nice a, a little kiss goodbye!!

What is it about the Hail Mary cast that seems to make it a sure thing?  It is too frequent too call coincidence!

What is it about the Hail Mary cast that seems to make it a sure thing?  It is too frequent too call coincidence!

I don't know either, but I do appreciate it.. It has happened to me more than once.

Today going to Bass-pro for a new fish-finder.. 

Craigh

I got a 23 inch lingcod and nothing else yesterday as well fishing New Brighton. All the lings I've caught in capitola so far are 23 inches exactly.

 I love that area, especially another ten minutes up the coast to Wilder State Park. I've never caught many fish up that way, a few nice ling's, but the view is so excellent it doesn't matter.
   From Natural Bridges up to Four Mile is a MLPA  200 feet out from low tide line. I'd never caught  any thing in there anyway,before it went into effect, except for having my line broke off at  Fern Grotto by what may have been a large halibut , but could have been a shark or other.
   Be careful of the wind, which is stronger up the coast. One August, I was fishing in the calm at noon at Wilder and 20 minutes later found myself in a 25mph+  wind and had to fight my way in to Natural Bridges from much further out  than I had intended  to be.Then made my way back to the lighthouse and harbor along the edge of the kelp.
    

Caught a 23" ling at Stillwater South on Friday, took a good run and felt bigger. Oh well, finally got some size.  <M

  Capitola was plugged with bait today around 2 pm.  A zillion birds and Pelicans dropping in on them.  The fish will be moving in soon.

I've never caught much that way either, but it is a nice paddle. There was a lot of Pelicans around that area too. One boat I talk to  at the Harbor, said they caught 5-6 underlings too. Next time out probably hit Capatola or the Bean.

CraigH