5/14 Crab Doran Beach

I'm heading to Doran Beach tomorrow, was going to drop a few traps. Hope to be OTW by around 9 or 10. Would be outstanding to have someone join me! Will be on Channel 69. Will let you all know how it goes!

Please keep posting Doran hookups, next time I am able I will go with you. Tomorrow I will be packing for GS8. Next time bro, anyone else going to join Tony Dungie?
-Amos

How did you do ?

Went over there today myself with eyes on poking around the jetty for some rockfish or walking the beach for perch. I got there just as that wonderful, flat, calm weather from yesterday got rolled over by a fog freight train. Opted to eat lunch at the picnic tables and watch to see how things were going with fishermen nearby and then make my move. The wind picked up and I didn't see any action so I went north to Duncan's Cove (protected from the wind). After a few short strikes from perch and a handfull of tackle donated to the rocks in the cove, I called it a day.

Hope that your grabbing trip went better.

So, my trip to Doran was quite eventful. Since this was my first time crabbing there and I wasn't sure where the sandy bottom ended and the rocks began, I started near shore. The weather was PERFECT. I saw a bunch of buoys there, so I figured I'd give it a shot. After 2+ hours, I caught nothing but undersize, and one BARELY keeper that was so soft, the smaller one in the loop had pulled several of it's limbs off before I was able to handle it! So, skunk city. I went out deeper, way past the 2nd jetty towards the big rock. After drifting my grid south a ways, I finally found the meat. Another 2 hours and I've got my limit. I get ready to pull my last trap and suddenly, SNAP! My Mirage drive quits working! I pull it up and find that one of the steel rods going into the fin had broken. SUCK!!! So, no quick fix. Murphy's (or Neptune's?) law, suddenly I've got a 15 knot headwind heading back in to shore. I've got my sail, amas and my paddle (my amas aren't placed to be able to paddle with them on so as not to take away storage space and to provide extra stability further towards the middle of my yak), a hull full of crab and some ocean water (for the crab), four traps and my 190 pound ass. To say I limped back to shore would be an understatement.

Fortunately, by the time I got back, I had some friends show up with ice cold beer and boiling water. We hid in the camping area, watched the sunset/moonrise and then I witnessed one of the most amazing sites I've ever seen. The ocean came alive! Right near the jetty, I started seeing fish jump, dolphins, sea lions, pelicans diving in the moonlight, and the water boiling with baitfish! It was so close to shore that I was able to cast a flasher out there, but nothing doing (plus I was being distracted by a nice young lady, or I would have gotten back in to my kayak!).

Overall, it was a beautiful and unforgettable day.

Man, Doran must be getting slammed right now with a bunch of people along the jetty.  Nice report tony!

Thanks for the report Tony D.

mirage drive failures is my chief complaint against hobies.  such a complicated device.  i've had several mishaps OTW, each was painful, dangerous, and avoidable only through a seriously rigorous inspection and maintenance program the type of that would eat up so much time as not to seem worth it (at least to a lazy ass like me). 

whenever it happens, I always think f- hobie!!  Glad you came out ok.

For a moment, I thought I was reading something out of a short story novel. Elements of danger and a beautiful ending!  Please post us some pics next time will ya? thanks for sharing! 

Only got one, I was exhausted!!!