Monterey Salmon

I may have missed it, but has anyone been salmon fishing Monterey Bay via kayak this season?   I'm thinking Moss is the best shot given current reports (Soldiers).   I am thinking of going out of Moss on Saturday.   When I had my boat, we always started the season down there fishing really deep (trolling, or mooching) so I'm thinking this would be a mooching affair via yak at this point.   Shelter Cove sounds great, but I don't have the weekend to dedicate the time yet.   Any local intel?  Post or PM me.

It's been a slow bite so far. Opening wknd fish were caught up by Pajaro...but I've seen boats north of Soldiers club the last couple mornings. No word from the Monterey/PG area. But the few fish being caught are 80-120ft down so it's at least kayakable depth (compared to 200+ ft deep). If I was going out Saturday, I'd launch from Moss and troll north towards Pajaro. If you make it to the pipeline and getting skunked, you can at least get some rockfish.

If you wanted to hit up Soldiers, try launching from monterey and it's about 6-7 miles north. It's closer and you'll avoid the washing machine jaws at Moss. Some went deep but the majority were targeting 70-120' otw in Moss (a few were caught at 50'). You should be able to use a double deep six but it'll take a lot of pulls.

There seems to be a another school in front of Capitola towards Pajaro according to bayside.

Can someone get a map of where Soldiers, Pajaro and any names along that stretch ?
I have no clues where they are.

Can someone get a map of where Soldiers, Pajaro and any names along that stretch ?
I have no clues where they are.

Try google map and search for Pajaro river in Watsonville.

Can someone get a map of where Soldiers, Pajaro and any names along that stretch ?
I have no clues where they are.

http://fishingnetwork.net/nocal/gps.shtml

The Pajaro river is about 3 miles north of Moss Landing in the vicinity of N36 50.660 W121 49.288

Based on the bayside report yesterday, I would either launch at Capitola and head south or moss and head north.

When I was at Moss the other day checking things out there was a big group of whales straight out from the harbor entrance. Out by by the big bouy. My guess was at least ten circling around and surfacing a lot. They may have been chasing bait so there may have been salmon out there too.

Here ya go, Chet. I made this map of Monterey Bay beaches for the Surfperch Derby but it may be helpful here. Pajaro is #10 and Soldier's Club is #15.

Thanks all for helping with the names.

Best bet right now with the yak is straight out of Moss Landing, work the West side of the canyon.

Or- PG Coral Street quickly paddle out to 200 FOW, they'll be coming around the corner. (when they come)

Bushy

whatever you do DONT go to Coral St...and DONT go this Sunday 6  a.m and DONT paddle out in a kayak group and have a great time and troll and mooch some Salmon up -this would be a waste of time 

Best bet right now with the yak is straight out of Moss Landing, work the West side of the canyon.

Or- PG Coral Street quickly paddle out to 200 FOW, they'll be coming around the corner. (when they come)

Bushy

on the opener I fished pinos out of MBK after I split tacks with Etienne who headed up to Muligans. There was some bait 80-150 feet down in 180-200 FOW. I would mooch with an 8oz weight or jig a 6oz iron. If you want to troll, you will need to have something to get you down to 100-150'. There was more bait there compared to just south of muligans. In theory, they have to round pinos to enter the bay, but last year they rounded pinos far offshore and there weren't many fish caught near the pinos buoy that I know of.