GSXIX - 5/17/25 - 80 of us! Hit me up for pre-fish trip if you're interested

Past GS Champions and AOTY's stacking up on the roster...

I've got a delay hitting me hard on the shirt art, but I'll get it all laid out before too long.

Thanks for your patience.   

Registration's in the mail! Took me a minute to remember the last GS I attended. Looking forward to seeing you guys!

Registration's in the mail! Took me a minute to remember the last GS I attended. Looking forward to seeing you guys!

It’ll be good to see you at the Cove.

Just sent in my registration. Stoked for gyotaku!

Thanks Eric!

Just FYI the campground will be filling up extra fast this year. I just got off the phone making my reservation and there is another event taking place the same time as GS. Their group will be booking 30 campsites today or tomorrow. I was told that you can call up to 8 pm tonight to make a reservation as they will be working late. She may be on the other line so leave a message and she will get back to you.

Looking forward to a great weekend at the cove!

Thanks Eric!

Just FYI the campground will be filling up extra fast this year. I just got off the phone making my reservation and there is another event taking place the same time as GS. Their group will be booking 30 campsites today or tomorrow. I was told that you can call up to 8 pm tonight to make a reservation as they will be working late. She may be on the other line so leave a message and she will get back to you.

Looking forward to a great weekend at the cove!

Thanks for the heads up, Kendall.  I'll put a headline up about it.

Just made reservations online, campsites take up to 4 people so I'll have room for 2 more just in case.

Interesting.

I'll be there.

Just reserved a campsite.

Can't wait to see everyone!

Josh

I'm glad you're coming, Josh.   

Nice offer, Matthew.   

I've been laying low, with no t-shirt art to show!  I will have that finalized soon and I apologize for not having it settled earlier.  I appreciate the feedback I've received and have taken it to heart.

Meanwhile, I've got the venue rented, purchased some items for the raffle, have great Gyotaku prizes for the kids, and am working on Trophy Troughs and ceramic trough and tags.  GS is forming up, but the build-up to the event isn't like it used to be.  Back in the day, this post was alive with excitement about the event.  I'll take the blame for it - it's my thread and my event.  I admit I haven't been attending to this like I could be or like I would've been, years ago.

Years ago, the event hit 200 participants and more, for a few years.  It was amazing, as I enjoyed handling that scale, having built it up over some years.  With most attendees coming with family and friends, it was turning into a full-on festival.  What was very cool was that the kayak fishing community is exactly the kind of people that you want to be with in a big gathering setting like that.  There were other great aspects that became apparent - our group showed the local community at Shelter Cove how we could utilize and enjoy the area's amenities and resources while being respectful and generous.  That hasn't gone unnoticed in the Shelter Cove community - I was very stoked to feel the appreciation last year when the tournament resurfaced and we were there to support the Cove businesses while respecting the locals' space as well.  Last, about the big group, was that when you were on the water in those big number years, with over 200 kayakers on tourney day, you could still find your own little personal and private acres of space - no problem.

The other side of the coin here, in those big number days, was that things might start to get a little too big.  I heard it from a number of participants - friends who I feel like I grew up with.  "Don't let it get too big...", they warned.  I listened.  I started pulling back on the build-up and adopted an attitude of letting things land where they will, in regards to overall participation.  I, too, have concerns about the bigger impacts of a larger group.  The numbers dropped into the 150 range for a few years.  Then covid hit.  I had to cancel GS14 in early 2020, and I didn't get back on this ride until last year.  I'm glad to be here, doing this.

The Cove can accommodate that big group, and I am fine with growing out the event more going forward - I'd like to turn it into more of a fish celebration (open salmon,halibut,lingcod worship) / community gathering (get ALL the kids printing fish - every kid gets a prize!) / art festival with vendors (ALL DAY taco shack, Tackle Exchange, artists like my buddy Shawn Griggs who designed the last two event pieces).  That said, I have tended to continue to adopt a mode of not attending to the build-up.  I feel like those who know the special nature of Gimme Shelter will seek it out, and that's happening, but I worry that I'm failing to reach some of those special people.  I plan to ramp things up a bit and make an effort to reach out over these next weeks.  Because really, that's what GS is about.

FWIW, I considered having GSXIX included on the World Championship Qualifier Circuit for the team that Boogie D David Elgas and Polepole Allen Sansano have been working on, but in the end I felt that Gimme Shelter wasn't a fit for it.  I wish the team well, and at the same time I do feel that the competition and the history at GS is a legitimate measure of any kayak angler along the west coast of North America.  So feel free to consider an at-large bid to join your team for the winner of GSXIX.   

I'll have a full showing of this year's tourney t-shirt's (blue shirt with multi-color art front and back), long sleeve t's, hoodies and rash guards (black with multi-color art front and back) when I have it all ready - hopefully early next week.

I'll also start sharing some memories from past events, with stats on who won, what was caught, and other highlights from the earlier years - the "Pre-Covid Years"!!  OMG, we're getting old!   

Please feel free to help me kick start this thread by sharing some great memories from past events. 

Here are some awesome tidbits, off the top of my head:

GS6 or GS7? - The ocean was super flat, and we had lots of divers in the group.  A bunch of participants yakked up to just north of Abalone Point and dove on rocks that are seldom accessible due to swell.  Several ten inch abs were pulled by members of our group that weekend.  (as a local, I grew up hearing "don't dive over there where the treated sewage outfall is", but, damn!, those abs they picked were nice ones!   )

GS3 - Jedmo was on fire.  In pre-fishing he brought a large octopus up.  It latched onto the bottom of his kayak, reaching up both sides!  Arial Sea went Animal on it and handled the beast for Jed - it was, to this day, one of the most impressive demonstrations of skill I've ever seen on the water.  A big octo is no joke!  Jedmo went on to win the tournament with a big wolf eel - over 50" I think.  I've not seen as big of an octopus or any other wolf eels landed since!

GS? - It rained, but the ocean was fine - totally fishable.  The field was prepared - everyone dressed for immersion, of course.  But it was just one of those bone chilling days.  I've never seen so many grown men (and ladies) shivering in wetsuits!  We had a blast.

Give me some of your GS memories.  TIA.   

Gear memories: 

The LingHead Vector Years were strong indeed.

 I do remember the rainy GS. The weather was wet and cold but the fishing was red hot. I think my brother was still shivering an hour after we landed.

I do remember the rainy GS. The weather was wet and cold but the fishing was red hot. I think my brother was still shivering an hour after we landed.

My memory is the wet one with great fishing was GS6.  I missed it because I was performing an outdoor wedding in Fortuna.  Similar effect.  We were all wet and cold and had great food and an epic event.

My memory is the wet one with great fishing was GS6.  I missed it because I was performing an outdoor wedding in Fortuna.  Similar effect.  We were all wet and cold and had great food and an epic event.

Well hopefully you're not marrying anyone this May 17th, Doug - we need an Oyster Boy!   

I do remember the rainy GS. The weather was wet and cold but the fishing was red hot. I think my brother was still shivering an hour after we landed.

Winning the event solidly with a nice stringer AND a 48"+ Pacific makes for damn good memories, Terry.   

I was so cold - had to get to the Tides, take a hot bath and then keep moving to finish the tourney day.  Good Times!

What if printing a fish was part of the competition?  I've been playing with that idea for quite some time now...