Late report - Otter Cove Tuesday July 18

Met up with MBYakker at 5:30am and he helped me get my marauder down the stairs at Otter Cove.  I definitely wouldn't attempt a solo Marauder launch here.  We made our way out through the kelp.  This was the trial run for my new fishfinder (Eagle FishEasy 245), thanks again Sean for the tips.  It seemed to work well but I guess the kelp make it do funny things, like a diagonal line of fish down to the bottom.  Must be the air in the kelp fronds.  Anyways back to fishing.  We started hitting some kelp rockfish (new species!!, its getting harder and harder) Not much on the size but cool nonetheless.  Decided to try adding some topsmelt fillet (caught on Seacliff pier previous day) to my brown/orange/clear 5" swimbait and first drop with that produced a 20" ling.  Moved about 25 feet away and 2nd drop a 29" ling, alright! fish tacos for the family on vacation, big WAF points!!!  MBYakker had to go to get out around 8:30-9:00 and drive to LA, yuk, but big thanks to Chris for showing me the location and his home spot!!  I stayed out a few more hours and caught 5 more lings (20-26") and let them all go. Also cuaght more blacks, blues, gophers, kelps and a barely legal bright red cabezon (released), wow, it was a beautiful fish.  One other fish I caught that was a highlight was a 16" treefish, I've caught them before off Catalina Island, but this was by far the largest of that species for me, another beautiful fish. I was off the water at 11:30am and back in Aptos by 1:00pm, also big WAF points! Sorry no pictures, don't have an on the water digital, but MBYAkker took a pic of the bigger ling and he said he'd post it when he gets back from LA. It was really orange/red but had bright blue flesh, cool!

Thanks to everbody who responded to my hookup request , gratefully appreciated!

Joe - it was nice meeting you.  I'm glad you caught a nice bunch of fish and we're able to get your yak back up those stairs by yourself.  If you're in that area again with your maurader . .you might try Coral St as it has no stairs.  Of the 3 launches I know in that area (Lovers, Otter and Coral St), Coral St is the only one without stairs.

Here's the picture of that bigger Ling you caught.

Chris

Glad you had the great day1  Welcome to the fun.

wow, what a nice day on the water, i am jealous as last week when i was out there there were not many bites. sure looks like a nice time now though!

great fish!

john