Bill / Dad - Moss Salmon report / July 8, 2005

Just got a call from Bill.

EARLY LIMITS / SHORT PADDLE OUT!!!!    Music to a kayak fishermans ear  

He was trolling (Allen's triple Cobra) with his Dad with an apex on an 8 ounce sinker -  less than a mile out the jaws (just by the yellow can - visible from the jaws)
They got out at 7AM and returned by 9:45AM!!

Conditions were great!

the score:

21#
15#
12 #
8#

Congrats on your first Salmon Bill (and to Dad as well)!! Catching limits just made it even sweeter!!


Pics and a follow-up report from Bill to follow ............

so joel what kind of troll set up do i need if i go out?

gto

Hey Speed Racer  Eric

Just like what Chuck,Bill and Chef had suggested:

A) 8 ounce banana sinker with an apex behind it.
B) deep six with an apex or rsk behind it.

 It seems like the fish are really hungry and are not on a particular diet.....seems like they are hitting anything and everything....gotta love that!

thanks man

i was gonna hit big big sur this weekand but this is sounding really good.are you going tomorow.or is anyone else going

Wow.... that's nice catch.  I can't wait to see the pics.

CONGRATS TO BILL & HIS DAD!

Anyone want to carpool down there tomorow, I can do pick-ups in the southbay.  Else I guess I'll go to linda mar, no fun to go on longish drives solo.

thanks man

i was gonna hit big big sur this weekand but this is sounding really good.are you going tomorow.or is anyone else going

I'd go tomorrow but I'm already committed to a Linda Mar trip with Scott and his Dad. They will be coming from Sac - I doubt that they would want to drive further South. Besides, I think Scott 's really hungry for rock fish

Maybe sunday for moss landing if everyone will be at linda mar tomorow.  Got the ok to fish both days this weekend.    If linda mar goes as planned I'll be back before she wakes up anyway.

I just got off the phone with Bill.  In addtion to limits, he and his dad farmed at least two other nice 12 to 15 lb fish.  He said the birds were going nuts and salmon were crashing the surface for bait.

Bill said all of the boaters that headed farther out got skunked. The bite is unbelievely close and won't get any better than this at Moss.  GO GET'EM NOW!!!  .... just be careful.  The boat traffic will be nuts there this weekend, especially that close to the harbor.

Good thing that rent for the Triple is fresh fish!!!

Way to go bruddah Bill!!!  And pappy too!!!

-Allen

Nice Job Bill & Dad!!

Isn't your fish 27.5 lbs???

Stu

Isn't your fish 27.5 lbs???

Effective today: New DFG rules states that any salmon caught over 26 pounds from a kayak - should be released immediately (dead or alive)...or you will suffer the wrath of Ranger Joel  (who just happens to be out on parole - for beating a fellow fisherman with an ugly stick for stealing his thunder)

Joel,

The only way that Bill would be able to "steal your thunder" is if he got a picture of playboy bunnies holding his fish.

-Allen

nice   THAT will do it!

Wow Wow Wow!!! Easily the best day I have ever had kayak fishing probably top 5 days ever.

We launched around 7 and the tide was waaaaay low.



We chatted with a couple of guys that where launching there boats and laughing at us since we where fishing out of a kayak. Not a mean laugh but a "Your nuts" laugh. They said they where going to head out to the Soquel Hole, I told them good luck, but we where going to stick close to home.

We made it through the jaws without a lot of trouble, it was actually a little bumpier right outside the jaws then inside. We headed straight out and about 1/2 mile out we notice birds diving a little to our left. We head that way and bump into a big ole bait ball the top of which is about 10 feet down. My finder only reads 10 feet and can't make it through the bait ball. Just then my rod goes bendo. Fish On! It puts on a pretty good fight but I could tell it was smallish since my sinker release was not pulled. I get it to the boat and landed without much trouble. I pull out the tape and it looks like 20 on the nose. I decide that it was to close for me and tossed her back hoping the salmon gods would smile on me for the sacrifice.

We start trolling again and about 20 minutes later my dad hooks up. This is a bigger fish as line is screaming out of the little ABU 5500. It hits the surface a few times as it comes close to the boat. The fish is puking chovies near the boat and is one is floating down we see another salmon nail it! Amazing!! The fish gets tired and I managed to net it on the first try and get it into the boat. It is a big fish about 28", a few whacks on the head and into the hull it goes.

Back to trolling and 15 minutes later I am hooked up, this is a much bigger fish than my first one. It breaks the surface several times but is pretty much heading straight to the boat. It gets close and zoom! off it goes on a nice run. I work him back to the boat and he makes a few shorter runs. I think he is done and try to net him but I miss, argh!! I didn't get his head in. Luckily he is still on and pretty weak so his run is fairly short. I work him back and this time scoop him up. It is a really big fish and I have a hard time getting him in. I measure him, 32" yeehaw!! I whack him a few times and weigh him with my boga, 15lbs. Hmm that doesn't look right, oh well I throw him in the hull and we keep going.

20 minutes later I have fish on again! This one is not as big but still a big fish. Long story short I net him first try and into the hull he goes. Now I am talkin smack to my dad since I am all done for the day! That just means I have to paddle while he gets to fish

Now the devil fish was a real pain in the rear. About 5 minutes later my dad hooks up, it is another nice fish but this on is a real head shaker. I mean this girls is going total nuts on the head shake. We get her to the boat but I have a hard time getting into good netting position and my dad reels up to far, the line goes slack and there she goes. Damn! Off to more trolling...

Then everything goes dead. We can't find the bait ball anywhere. We are on the south side of the tip of the canyon in about 250' of water, right near the bell bouy. I paddle and paddle but nothing is there. I decide to go in closer and I notice birds working near the yellow bouy right off the beach. I make a beeline over there. Someone calls my name on the radio and I look down and my VHF is in scan mode and I can't get it out. If you where calling me I am sorry but I did not want to stop and mess with the radio. We get over to the yellow bout and bait is everywhere again. Birds diving bait busting the surface. We paddle through and my dad is on again. Pretty good fight, again about a 10-15lb fish, it gets next to the boat and the knot on the hook breaks! Crap!! Instead of re-rigging he switches to my rod and we paddle back through. He is on again but it seems like a smaller fish. We get it to the boat and landed. It measures 22' that is good enough for me as by now I am pretty tired. Into the hull and we have limits!

We land at Moss and talk to about 3 boaters who had been skunked, they all ran out pretty far. One guy ran far then came close and was limited in 10 minutes. Could not find the guys we spoke with in the morning though...

Hans was there doing a catch survey for DFG, he is an avid kayaker and he was totally stoked we got limits of salmon. Here are the weights for his nice spring scale:

My fish - 21lb , 15lb



My Dad's fish - 12lb and 8lb



Joel you have the big fish but I think I have the big stringer! We chatted with Hans for a while and told him he should check out the site. He wants to start fishing from a yak.

Amazing day, weather was perfect, no fog, light wind, small swell. Go get them while they are there guys! Hopefully the boaters won't stop that close.