FRI Salt Point /SAT Noyo

Sorry for the report with no pics.  I'm working on getting that resolved.  Anyway, headed out to Salt Point with jzumi and my buddy Mike from Fresno for some rockfishing on Friday.  The conditions were HORRIBLE.  Strong wind with white caps and nasty chop.  Ended up wiht limits of rockfish and lings including some nice reds.  Mike caught a 26 lb ling hitchhiking on a nice red that pulled him into the water after he gaffed it.  What a riot.  jzumi had some nice reds and a ling also.  Sean gave us a heads up on Noyo so we gave that a try on Sat.  Paddled out in the pea soup fog with only a compass.  Decided to hang at the bouy until the fog lifted.  Mooched for a while for nada then once we had a little visibility trolled a 5 oz banana with a silver flasher and a crippled anchovy for 2 salmon 20 inch and 22 inch.  Lots of hits trolling but couldn't make them stick.  I think the heavy weight allowed them to get a little slack in the line and spit it.  Mike could not make one stick for 5 hours of fishing.  Pretty good weekend all in all.  Sunday we just licked our wounds and cleaned gear to get ready for next time.

Mike caught a 26 lb ling hitchhiking on a nice red that pulled him into the water after he gaffed it

 
Thanks for the report.  I might head up to salt point in a few weeks.  Where did you guys fish in relation to the cove?

Conditions will have to be pretty bad to keep me from fishing that area this saturday.

Congrats, was that fish in the pool?

We fished out of Gerstle Cove, pretty much staight out in front.  I'm not sure of the depth because I don't have any electronics.  
Note to Josh,
I'm in the pool but my buddy Mike isn't.  He lives in Fresno and doesn't kayak fish much.  So JZumi is still in the lead.  He was there and probably glad Mike caught that fish instead of me.

Durn tootin' I'm glad Mike's not in the pool-- that was a monster ling.

The whole day was a hoot, though.  There was a pretty good wind and we weren't sure we'd be able to fish the outside so the plan was to make a drift and see how it went.  Well of course we all drifted waaay apart.  I noticed Mike kept on making short drifts and paddling further north than Dave and me so after a couple more drifts I paddled up.

When I asked how he was doing, Mike replied, "I got one about 15 pounds. Went for a little swim, though."  He seemed okay so I figured he was joshing.

I hit the beach first and waited for the guys.  Mike paddled in slow and his yak seemed low in the water so we said we had to see the monster.  Boy, were we shocked when he opened up the hatch.  The head looked like it  barely fit the opening.

Mike said he reeled up a red and could see he had a hitch hiker.  When he gaffed it between the eyes, the ling went ballistic and headed for the bottom pulling Mike out of the yak.  Somehow he managed to not lose anything, got back in the yak, and landed both fish.  Everything was leashed so I am now building leashes for my rod and gaff.

Mike's fish taped out at 43.5 inches, 26 lbs.  There are some monster fish out there!  Go get 'em.

Mike's fish taped out at 43.5 inches, 26 lbs.

WOW  


Wish you guys had a picture of that monster!

43.5 inches, 26 lbs. !!!

That's what my dad would call a "hawwwg".

-Sean

Mike took some pics so I will ask him if he can post them when he gets s minute.  It was a massive ling.  The belly was empty and it had no eggs, so I figure if it had eaten or had eggs it easily would have gone over 30 lbs.

I gotta see this fish!

When he gaffed it between the eyes, the ling went ballistic and headed for the bottom pulling Mike out

after hearing this incident - I'll be tying a one gallon "float" jug on my gaff...or better yet, on my lock down lip gripper.  

....when the fish tires out...he'll definitely float up  

Avoiding that kind of thing is why I let go of the sturgeon snare in jan...

My gaff is barbed so I can stick the fish and let go.  After it calms down and returns to the surface I can grab the handle and flip it aboard.  Halibut are especially bad about freaking when you stick em.

the barbed gaff is a great idea - wonder why they don't sell a version of it?

it's called a flying gaff

The ones for sale are big, and made for big fish.  But the idea is much the same as the problem us kayakers face.  They usually are tied to a rope and attached to a boat cleat.   The fish can be gaffed and then it's attached to the boat and can be pulled/winched aboard once it gives up. http://www.anglerdepot.com/htm/accessories/aftco-taper-tip-flying-gaffs.asp
pricey though!

It looks like you could make a flying gaff using a big barbed tuna hook attached to a small handle.  Hmmm... I might have hack one out.  

I'll be tying a one gallon "float" jug on my gaff...or better yet, on my lock down lip gripper.....when the fish tires out...he'll definitely float up

How much floatation do you think we should use?  I want to keep the bulk down to a minimum.

I'd place the jug on the stearn of the yak and run a bungee cord all the way to the center of the yak - tied to the gaff. Once you have the fish in range, gaff it...if it pulls strong, let the gaff go and it will pull the jug out of the rear.....just like what they did in the movie "Jaws"  

I'd be using this float set up more for big halibut   This is one fish that scares the hell out me - when fishing for it from a yak.   Just don't like the idea of it coming back to life after a severe beating.....it's been notorious for doing that