SC 9/29 Skunk report

Met up with another Boulder Creek local yesterday to do some fishing in SC.  Conditions were really nice in the morning with no wind and very little swell.  We launched at twilight and headed out in search of bait, to which we found fairly easily.  Started with small anchovies, but found some jack mackeral and smelt were in the mix so focused on getting them.  Around 40fow were thick schools, and we easily got enough to drift.  Headed out to the SC 254 buoy and started fishing in about 80fow.  After 30 minutes I was starting to feel the itch to move, when I saw my rod with a huge mac start shaking.  I waited a bit to make sure it was swallowed and then decided to set the hook, and the leader was cut almost instantly.  Something big down there ate that big mac    Retied and we drifted in a bit closer to 70fow.  Out there the mackeral were easy targets, so was easy to send down fresh bait.  Never got another good hit, only found some rockfish that were feeding, no lings. Red tide still present, but the bait fish seem to not care.  Clear out where we were fishing

Wow...sorry you didn't get that get away  fish that broke your leader.   Thanks for the SC fishing report Al.

Thanks for the report!

I fished my New Hobie Camo Compass on Thursday 11-3. I just bounced a hoochie around the Warf and Cowells trying to get it all dialed in. I hooked into a huge string ray and mark a ton of anchovies in front if the harbor. Was a nice day to be in the water. Going to give it a try again tomorrow and go all out. Thanks for the Report Al!

Sounds like y’all did right! Sorry it didn’t bring the catching you were targeting. Pretty much any day on the water is a good day.

I went out yesterday afternoon and the wind was up—it was so bumpy it was impossible to fish, so just sailed around for a while. After about an hour got tired of the constant soakings so went back to the dock to wait for the wind to ease up. Had to be somewhere at 6:00, so eventually packed up and left. Of course, just as I was leaving, wind was perfect…

According to boaters at the dock and fish survey dudes, fishing was slow. No BFT…

Red tide was noticeable everywhere I went except, strangely, near the dock, where the water was crystal clear…

Went Sunday. Rumor has it that there are some salmon around the pier. I trolled Apex for a bit with totally no expectations. Gave up after snagging a few kelp.
  My goal was really to catch halibut or big lingcod with live baits. Found some birds diving and got 10+ jacksmelts and a mackerel. My best bait catching so far. Slow trolling/ drifting the jacketsmelt near mile buoy with just one bite but not hooked. Switched to lighthouse area without much difference. Then decided to move closer to kelp bed where  I had some luck before. Caught a keeper lingcod soon after, just a bit over 22”, but my first live bait catch. So I would take that. Drift for another hour or so. Caught another lingcod almost the same size. After that, no more. Trolling back to see any luck on halibut but nada. The red  tide is still there. Probably give SC a break until the red tide recedes

Thanks for the report!  Yeah, I'm going to skip out on the red tide for a bit, and try for the ping meat in HMB