Linda Mar 7/23

Joel, Jason, Chris, Mike and I launched around 5:30 into amazing conditions, light breeze, no swell and sunny. I saw a pod of dolphins streaking around chasing bait. They where really moving fast, amazing to watch.

I started trolling for salmon right away and in about 30 minutes hooked a little shaker that I let shake off next to my yak. i would estimate 16" or so. We all decided to troll down towards the pier to see what we could find, except Mike who hung out where we where. All the way down to almost the pier and not a bite. I think I might have had one tap on my WMA but nothing to write home about. Joel and I decide to head back towards Pedro Point. Jason and Chris where inside of us a bit and fell behind. They can post their adventures later  

Joel and I made it back down to where we started and Joel hooks a shaker coho, about the same size as mine. The fog is really coming in now and in a matter of minutes visability is greatly reduced.  Safety note guys, even if it is sunny when you launch the fog can roll in at anytime. Get a compass and/or a GPS! We bump into Mike who has one keeper salmon. We decide to call off the trollfest and go for some rockfish. We drifted outside right of Pedro Point for nada then moved over near the nipple where things got a little crazy.

The Cabezon bite goes WFO! About ever 5 minutes or so one of us is landing a cabby. Some of them are huge. Final keeper count was 3 massive cabs 10.5lbs, 8.5lbs and Mike's which did not get weighed was the biggest of them all. So yes I am the new leader of the Rock/Cab pool with a 10.5 lb'er! It was 25" long but was fat as hell. When I cleaned it it's belly was packed with crabs. Caught on my hand poured swimbaits in Texas trout color! yellow top/rootbeer bottom.

Here it is:




Joel and I with our cabs:

Yum! I love cabbie.

Hey, save the rest of us some cabbies.  Nice looking cabs, I'm gonna be out there tomorrow in the a.m.   JTF..

I think I got at least a pound from the belly full of crabs. There where at least 3 whole rock crabs in there, the biggest one was about 3 inches across.

They are beauties, guys.  I got a small cab today that was red and white......not a bit of brown.
Pat

Nice catch, So where did you guys launch out of? If you don't mind me asking. I'm not famillar with the areas off of High way 1.

I launched out of Lovers Point in Monterey. Paddled north from that point to catch the drift (SE) Had a late start about 11:30am. After an Houre the wind and fog started to move in and blew me southeast in to  the bay. Fished for halibut, no luck 6oz. not enough. So I headded northwest to the kelp beds for rockfish. No wind. Loaded up on blues and grass cod and a few goffers, but mostly blues. Couldn't keep them off my hook. All between 1# and 2 1/2# the biggest blue.

The prowler 15 is nice against the wind and current!!!!

http://www.ncwsc.com/events_surffest_04_directions.htm

Just park on the shopping center (across from Denny's)There is a small creek that feeds into the ocean. Launch in front of the first house you see once you're on the shoreline.

Pick your days when lanching from Linda Mar - it gets big out there. And like what Bill had mentioned earlier - invest in a GPS or a compass. THis time of year - The fog rolls in pretty fast.

Congrats to Bill and Mike (red prowler)  for their big cabs   I was using an iron at first - and caught a black and gopher RF....and a few starfish   ...when I switched to Bill's home-made swimbait, the cabs went wide open  

How heavy a head do you put on the swim baits for the cabs?
Pat

3-4 ounce lead head - we were only fishing around 20 ft - at the most. Pedro Point has a lot of bottom rip-rap (just like HMB). I would only fish that area when the conditions are flat. Lot's of barely exposed pinnacles on top - gotta keep any eye on them - especially when the tide is low.

Thanks Joel.

One more question.................
You are using the swimbaits in kelp?  Moving them up and down rather than "forward"?  It think of swimbaits as something to cast out and retrieve.  This is a new application for me.
pat

I vertically jig them, casting a retriving is a sure way to snag if you are anywhere near the bottom.

I was using 3oz heads, generally speaking go as light as you can while still maintaining a vertical line.

bills swimbaits do kick ass.

i like the black top with the clear glitter bottom  5 inch long.with the jig heads 2.5 ounce that are painted white have the little eyeballs on them and owner hooks in them.deadly combo

forgot to mention - Mike (red prowler) lost one of his rods (and reel) while he was securing his monster cabby on the game clip  

It was a bummer because it was fairly new