China Camp Re-Visited "Part Deux" 1-19-08

        Holy Toledo and I mirrored our friday start right down to the same lunch, bait and start time. The water was a whole bunch calmer right from the getgo and later turned into a millpond. Pushed off the beach and headed to fridays gps spot only to have it filled by a power boat so we pushed out another couple of hundred yards and settled in.
        The current was really ripping and my anchor (5 lb +  3lb ball and 100' rope)   and Patrick's anchor (two 3 lb in line)  did the job ...........I think we slid a total of about 20' feet all day. After setting up shop and getting "comfortable"  another power boat squeezed in between us and the original boat on anchor.....not too close but just close enough to keep an eye on.
        At exactly the same time as Patrick's hook-up Friday  I fell a slight change in the feel of the rod tip........Took a swing and FISH ON..........I yell it's  gonna jump..........and it does.........a good four feet in the air!!!!  I was able to stay on anchor to fight due to the current keeping the fish below me.  Finally the fish tired and was subdued.....measured 51 inches...........2 1/2 inches bigger then Patrick"s fish the day before.
 I had bested my son's fish and got on the "board"  all at the same time!! I Released my anchor and Patrick swung onto my anchor.
        After tagging the fish, putting my pole away and trolleying my anchor to the front of my kayak to face away from the sun I settled in for the "celebratory cigar".     Well That's my half of the story....
        The weather was beautiful and the bay was like glass..........we were already headed to a mudfest so it was decided that Patrick would fish  the rest of the tide.   After another hour Patrick told  me he was baiting up for one last soak...........thirty minute rule in effect.      As Patrick tossed his bait out into the water I said to myself "that's the one" and before I could relay my thoughts he voiced to me the same. Ten minutes later he says "I gotta tap" takes his rod out of the holder.......gets another tap......swings..............FISH ON!!!  I could see his fish rolling on the surface like a hog salmon would .......then it off it went on a giant run downstream forcing Patrick to release anchor and chase it down. He ended up more than 3/4 mile from our anchorage  with a fish that BESTED mine by FIVE INCHES..........56 inches.   We retrieved our anchors............set off for the beach............headed  for home where we cleaned/iced   the fish, showered and raced off to meet our guest from out of town for dinner. 
     Today will be spent delivering fish to family and friends......       

WTG ...Fellas...

  I now Hate You

couple more shots....

  When you going again

and more...

I still can't believe it...  what a beautiful day. 


here are some more pictures.

-Patrick

  What took me 4 years to catch...only took you guys a weekend to do It's not fair at all  I hope you guys sleep well tonight 

You guys got major mojo.

Always good to get the dino early and work for an upgrade for the rest of the year. Congrats. You two are each other's lucky charm.

Howard

Welcome to the MADNESS!  Way to go again!

Certified sturgeon slayers X 2!

Awesome...

BTW... how was the walk to shore from where you beached it north of the pier.  I've always considered trying that area during a big mudfest.

EK

am I have deja vue all over again or did you guys both catch sturgeon two days running?

amazing.

John

Amazing, Awesome and Entirely Unfair.   
Great going guys! 
Do you ever fish/dive the Mendocino Coast?
-Matt

so let me get this straight. you guys have been out sturgeon fishing a total of 4 times this year and you have caught a total of 4 sturgeon.  i hate you

Wow!  (again!)   

Great going SONOCO crew! I read the herring report and saw the tides....somebody put it together.