Shelter Cove - 6/19/20

Had to cancel my guest trip yesterday - forecast got weird. That doesn't happen much. Later in the evening on Thursday I saw that some friends were staying at the now-open Tides Inn, so I decided to go visit with them and it would be a good check of whether my rare cancellation had been the right call - of course I'd go fishing too.

I got down to the ramp at 530AM and found choppy water with a southeast breeze on it. A couple of guys on Hobies were just launching - way to be early. Saw Ron there getting ready, and my other friends staying at the Inn would be along soon. I got on the water quickly, and right outside the breakwater I got more validation for having cancelled - there was no glass, just slop. The breeze was steady but not bad, but it was opposite the swell - that makes for a messy surface that's harder to paddle/pedal on, and the conditions foul your presentation as it goes up and down instead of running steady. These things can be overcome, but it's an added challenge.

One of the visiting friends got launched soon after I started my troll, and we met up near Pilot Rock. Aaron's a long time Nor Cal Kayak Angler who's been up to the Cove for my tourney and other events and chills over the years, and he was ready to find a salmon or halibut. I asked if he wanted to hang together - "there was just that shark incident," I reminded him. He's like, "Sure - I have a Shark Shield." Sounded good to me, but right away it was apparent that we were going different trolling speeds. When Ron came by they kind of went with the current and the wind, and it was like, "bye bye - see you dudes later!" No worries - we are pretty independent out there, and I wasn't looking to change anyone's game plan for the day.

Over the next 30 minutes I determined that I wouldn't be going down wind and down current to the northwest - the lighthouse point was the right spot for me. Had some early biters - two black rockfish, a lingcod... Boom! Salmon. Got it in the box and began to reproduce the same moves that found it.

I'd checked in with charter captain Jared Morris as he motored south early, and I was keeping in touch with a few other local powerboaters who stayed near the Cove - we shared bite info, like the Cove fleet does. I'd also had a nice early check in from Nelly Griffith - she's the anchor and soul of the Cove on the VHF radio and has been for a very long time. Nelly's moving soon, and the Cove will miss her - I felt lucky to get to talk to her a bit, one last time.

Soon my morning ripened into a Super Hot Fudge Sundae - salmon on, in the box, I'm done! Aaron came along right as I was fighting it and watched me finish up. He was stoked when I told him that I had my limit, and we figured out that he must've been on channel 69 when I'd tried to get the word to the yak fleet after my first one. Aaron peeled off to try to get one, and I put my tackle up and started for the launch, well before 9AM. It feels really good to get an early limit here and there - doesn't hurt when it's the only chrome I've heard boated right at the Cove for the morning either! Kudos to Jared who had at least one 20 pounder in the box at that point, 5-7 miles south of me.

As I made my way to launch I was thinking of my cancelled guest - I was still OK with having changed our plan, but I didn't figure he'd like it much when I called to tell him I limited early! "It was rough out" - "mine were the only fish caught..." Breaking this news to my guy was a good problem to have, I admit it.

So I made my way in to launch and was filleting at my tailgate by 930AM. As I broke down my two salmon I'm listening on the VHF, and Jared plus a couple other boats south of port start commenting on how shitty the water and wind are getting. A couple more boats launch while I'm working, and I also see some pelicans crashing in between the moorings and the small breakers up the beach to the east of launch. By the time I'm wrapping up my fillet job and an early lunch snack, the radio talk has escalated both north and south of the Cove - it was getting bad out there! I got the fish done and on ice, put my fillet stuff up and was preparing to launch again just to try for a halibut near the moorings when suddenly fog was rolling in from the south, and the bad wind came right in to the harbor. There were whitecaps along the beach where the pelicans were still active, and I was just stoked to have gotten my limit before all of this developed.

I launched and paddled over to the moorings, and within 5 minutes the fog was so thick you couldn't see 200 yards, the south wind was steady, and all the boats were showing up at once to get off the water! My kayak buddies had gone north with that drift, and I was hoping everybody was in full command of their instruments and ready to navigate home in the fog, wind and slop.

So I'm trying to get a halibut as a cherry on my Sundae, and the water is nice and clear right to the beach. Tap-tap-tap - I'm on. I'd left my barbless gear on there instead of putting two rods out with barbs - wasn't that intent on spending the rest of a rough morning focusing on the hali's that largely haven't shown up yet down there. It was a perch - got a quick photo and slid it off the barbless. I turn and troll toward the launch as now several powerboats are around me, and, holy crap! I'm on, and it's not the halibut I'm looking for - its a pumper! In 14 feet of water, inside the moorings. I work a 10 pound Chinook to my boat, tired it out a bit with the confidence of not being at all worried if it blew up and broke my leader, and I had it next to me for a couple of pics - what a gift! Landing 3 salmon in a day on a scratch bite and rough ocean had me stoked for sure - not to mention having those boaters spectating. After touching only the hook with my pliers and watching that king swim off strong from the side of my yak, I had one group of boaters ask, "What was it?!" "A king! I already have my limit in my cooler." - motioning toward my truck. I could bask in it - that was fine.

The kayak fleet then showed up out of the fog, and I went right up to tell them to get their baits in the water. Mostly the crew was done - they'd worked the slop all morning, and now there wasn't much point to trying for their own miracle salmon in close. Except for Aaron - he was focused, and I think he'd taken my 3 salmon morning to heart. We all hung out and BS'd for a bit - saw my buddy Kiet, talked with Eric the Inn Keeper who was out on his new hobby - a powerboat, and I was ready to head in and call it a day. It had been a pretty incredible morning, and now, with the fleet basically bailing out because of conditions, I definitely had justification for having cancelled the trip!

45 minutes later we're enjoying coldies on the ramp along with some fresh smoked salmon belly, and Aaron lands his yak - the last to give it up. He and the fellas who were staying at the Inn had a bet going - first salmon and biggest salmon would split the pot. Aaron had managed to find a keeper halibut near where I'd last seen him, and he also pulled a 16 pound chromer practically right off the beach! He won the bet - even though Ron had gotten a king too.

I ended the day enjoying great food (Lou's pulled pork tacos - outstanding! Thank you, bro!) and much needed company with my old friends at The Tides. Great to see Josh, Lou, Loren, Damen, Kiet, Ron and, the dude with the biggest smile at the end of the day - Aaron.

My advice - whether you're looking for a guided trip or not - Get Cove.

 

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A MIGHTY fine day.. thanks for the write up and posting!

Great report, Eric. Makes me antsy to catch some salmon.

Good stuff Eric. Can't wait for my turn

great catch!

The Dude abides and the Cove provides.

You are a GREAT storyteller Eric!

Thank you for that