Carmel Pt 9/2

Fished Carmel Point area today from 8:45-2:30. Long day. It started with forgetting the paddles at home. Had to turn around and drive all the way home to get them...I'm not really a "morning person." Finally launched around 8:45.
Had plans to meet up with sacyac but we ended up launching waay late. Fortunately, we found him on the water and then fished together for a while. Great to meet you sacyac. Sorry we were so late. I had my friend, Keith, with me on Mahito's tandem (Thanks Mahito! I have some fresh fish for you.) MByakker met us at the launch and was nice enough to wait for me to return with the paddles. We launched together...he actually tried to surf down the steep sandy beach into the water (with the aid of Keith and I pushing it like a sled...it was pretty cool!).

We launched fomr the north corner of Carmel River State Beach, just down from the stairs. Conditions were great. About a 8-inch break and small swell. The wind picked up later but that brought out the sun, then the wind died down for a couple hours. It was quite nice.
First stop was just incredibly hot for blues, kelps, and gophers. I started off with a two-hooks rig I created. It has a shrimp fly on top hook and 6/0 octopus circle hook on the second hook---spaced about 10 inches apart with a 4oz end-line torpedo sinker at the bottom.
At one point...no kidding...I had caught 15 fish in my first 10 drops!!! 5 doubles in my first 10 drops was defeinitely a record for me! The quality of blues was great too, averaging 10-14 inches and plump. It was getting ridiculous after an hour or so...so we moved further north along the point, toward Ocean Ave.
We found a bunch of schools and lone fish as we moved from spot to spot but nothing quite like our first stop. We caught and released a couple almost-legal-lings. Well, Keith and Chris did. Sacyac got a nice cabezon.

The best part of the day was when Keith kept repeating (with more emphasis each time) "This is the best fishing I've ever had! Thank you for bringing me out here..."
I could tell he was having a great time, and it was his first time kayak fishing.

We ended the day trolling big grubs back towards the launch around the edges of the kelp. I had a shrimp fly on a dropper-loop above my lead-headded, curly-tail grub. And guess how I finished my beautiful day? With another Double! Great way to end a near-perfect day.

Wow! That was so much fun I can't wait to go out again! Maybe tomorrow...?

See ya,
PK

Pk Great report, I have almost got in my truck so many times. the launching reports have been so mild day after day. I know when I finally get down there I'll be standing on the shore saying you "gotta be kidding me" looking at surf conditions. I almost wonder if it would be better to do my first launch in nasty conditions. That way I just get it over and dont have a false sense of security. Randall

you want the yak again this weekend?
I'm gonna be outa town  =(

I am going to try and make it down to Randy & Pats on the 10th. I wont know for a day or 2. So Far I'm planning on it. Can anyone tell what the forecast will be for 9th & 10th? PK, Sacyak, Surfingmarmot? Sorry you won't be there Mahito.

Dude!
Where are you going THIS wknd Mahito? You've sure got a full schedule!
I just might take you up on the offer to borrow the yak again!
Carmel was absolutely nuts on Saturday. I caught about 40-50 fish and Keith (first-timer already hooked) caught about 30-40 fish. It was incredible. There were about 6 yaks out there too...surprised there aren't any other reports. Talked to a tandem that said they were lurking this site but planned to start posting soon. How did you guys do?

Next time I will troll the coutour of the beach for halis...maybe this wknd!!!

PK

PK - awesome fishing as usual.  That new 'rocket launch' technique is awesome . .we gotta find an even steeper beach to try it on.  My Dad said the vermillion was awesome . . thanks for cutting that guy up for me.  My total for the day - 1 vermillion, 2 underlings, a few olives and ~1 billion blue/kelp/gopher rockfish.  

rrnelums:  It's a little too early for a good forecast but, unless something really wierd happens, there will be easy launch conditions somewhere in the area and decent wind conditions at least in the early morning . .and very possibly all day.  As long as the wind forecast stays at or under 10-20 and the swell stays lower than about 10 feet, there will be launchable/fishable water.

I'm looking forward to Pat's BBQ . .it will be nice to finally meet some of you guys and gals that I haven't yet had a chance to fish with.

Ditto!!

Sorry about the late post but I was totally consumed with painting after retruning form an epic day of fishing with you guys.  I ended up with 7 nice fish four blues all about 15 inches, two olives of about 16 inches each and one 18-inch Cabizon.  The cabizon had worms in flesh  .  I have representative photos but will have to post them from home later.

The bite out there was crazy Saturday.  I could have limited on blues within the first hour.  I must have causht 50 or more fish all day.  The cabizon was the highlight but somewhat disapointing upon cleaning and finding the worms, it sure was fat though.  At one point I had 20+ blues right under my kayak.  I would unhook a fish and if my lour hit the water I had another one on.  I could hang my iron at a depth of about 5 feet at watch the school attack it.  I ended up do this for about 20 minutes watching and moving the lour toward the lager fish, bam fish on again and again.  The blues were just crazy chasing lours right out of the water at times.

In the end, I burned up a good supply of WAF points by not telling my wife when I would be home and staying out much longer than she expected.  I must have fished from 6 till about 1:30.  I did not have my watch and was jsut having such a good time, I did not even think aobut going home and when I did it was already too late.  Lesson learned.

modesto symphany orchestra in yep you guessed it modesto 
gonna go work for a few days  doin that  =)  will be back sunday afternoon/evening
you better call me if you want the boat cause I'm leavin today  =P