Pt Arena report 7/18

Had a one day window and heard there were salmon taken the week before so....left Oakley at 3:25am, hauled ass, and arrived at 6:35am. Met NCKA member Randy from Tracy, who already had his kayak off his truck. He and his wife left Tracy at...around 1:00am! He was going to fish in tight for links, then check out early...never got his report.
   NOAA called for 15k in the morning dropping to 10 in the afternoon. They were right about the 15 knots, but it never died down. Strong south wind along with usual north drift made for a slow pedal south. Sloppy jacuzzi conditions, small tight waves from every angle...a wet ride. Lots of stick boats along with about 10 private boats. Never saw a net fly. Most people quit by 1:00pm.
   On the water at 7:15am. Tried watermelon apex and herring with rotary killer....zero all day. Trolled for maybe 5 hours, rock fished for the other 5 hours. Hit the beach at...4:45pm! Could hardly stand. Caught about 14 legal lingcod...all small, from legal size to 32 inches, maybe 4 undersized. Kept just one ling, trying for the big one. Used all swim baits, 2 and 4 ounces, either white or rootbeer. Not one cabazone, black, nothing but links.
   Fished for salmon inside and outside the bouy, up to 140 feet, and about two miles south...up, down, in and out! All rock fish were between 30ft and 70ft....the drift was too fast for anything deeper.
   At the end of the day talked to NCKA member Bird...he was fishing Sunday for salmon. Royal beatdown! Will post pictures later. Tired and beat up, Ron Perry

This was my 9th kayak trip of the season, I love it!

3/15/15 Pt Arena-freedive spear fishing on the north end, shot a few small legal lings
5/13 and 5/14 Pt Arena-limit of small lings and a limit of large 9inch abalone
5/20 Pt Arena maybe 20 legal lings up to 12 pounds, kept 2, kept 2 legal abalone
6/22 6/23 Shelter Cove, hooked one thresher mooching, hooks pulled after 45 minutes, rock fishing was excellent, kept a few for camp. Camped 8 miles from the Cove at Toyon Campsite
7/4 Shelter Cove-slower rockfish bite...keep a few for camp
7/7 Muir Beach- launched at 6:30am, fished until 4:10pm...one thresher saw-off...only bite of the day! Trolled Watermelon Apex and herring/rotary killer. Windy, rock fished a little with no luck.

I fished with Bird today and the ocean conditions were beautiful,  unfortunately the salmon were not anywhere around to play.  Lots of mackerel in the water.  A local I know told me it has been real spotty.

Thanks for the report.