Another Epic at Limekiln - Sat 5.10 w/ pics

Short version - Limekiln really put out today bigtime.

Carpooled with Great Bass 2 down to Monastery for a meeting of the minds re launch conditions.  Cold, bumpy and breezy at 5:30.  Jim and sacyak now among us, we decided to charge it down to Limekiln and go for broke.  Right choice.  When we got down there, it looked nice, shore dump w/ short period on a steep beach, but nothing too scary.

Paddled out to "The Spot" through a decent headwind and swell.  GB2 had about a  5 minute head start, and I just couldn't catch him.  His trout-trolling-as-conditioning really shows.   I'd never fished The Spot and about 30 minutes into the paddle, began wondering whether I was going to need a passport, so sure was I that GB2 was headed for international waters.  But then, thankfully, he stopped and read round for his rod. 

GB2 gets hit hard on his first drop.  My first drop produced a quality red.  GB2 called it in to let anyone on the channel know that it was WFO.  And that's pretty much how the day went.  Good quality, high volume.  Only thing I didn't bag was a legal ling or a legal cab.  Other than that, today was as good as it gets for kayakfishing.  Major permagrin. 

At the end of the day, the 8 fish I kept weighed 30 lbs AFTER being dressed, gilled, and gutted.  Quality reds, coppers, and two blues just because.  But GB2 and Sacyak's stringers were just MADNESS.  There were dozens of people on the beach whom we passed, all of them were like "WOW!!!!  Amazing fish!!"

As we were packing up, a park ranger came out to do a license and species check.  My license wasn't filled in totally.  Don't tase me bro!!  He asked that I fill it all in and sign it.  i'll let Scott comment on this ranger's fish ID skills.

Ridiculous stringers, good company, and very little lost tackle.  FANTASTIC DAY.

Scott's launch sequence.  Pretty clean huh?

Sacyak's launch sequence.  He got vertical on one of the waves but my slow ass shutter didn't pick it up.  It increased my pucker factor after i saw that for sure.

My first red and GB2 hooks up.  Other pics give some perspective on the substantial swell.

On the ride home, we were hydro cowboys, buckin' a pretty good swell.

Also passed those beautiful caves that Chef loved to frequent.  RIP amigo.

Once on the inside, the wind laid down and it was a pretty smooth ride.  Sacyak was the first to land, and he helped us time the waves, then flashed his goods.  "NIIIIIIICE", said Borat.

nice outing guys.

Awesome reporting, Martin!  Great photos.  You guys had a great day.  That last shot of Etienne is primo.

 

great report. yeah, ark, jim and i spent 1/2 hr watching the breakers and chickened out this time but we'll be back 

well done and good choice guys! me and the stog paddled around santa cruz for nothing. well, we did get some exercise paddling into the wind for what felt like a century or two on the return trip. dfg agents told us that apparently a few good size lings were brought in from the natural bridges area, but basically the rockfish score in town is pretty much zero for some reason.  didn't' see any bait of any kind, not even smelt. water is clear and cold.

clearly the early season lesson is go south, or go deep!

John

Nice going guys. Impressive stringers. Let the season begin.

What, no WSB?
Awesome pictures Martin. And good fishing guys. Permagrin for sure.

Way to go gentlemen.  At least you guys get fish and DFG.  Up in Santa Cruz/Monterey we just get DFG!

Outstanding job!

The pics were great....the entry, the hookup, the battle, and the meat pile...great!

I hope everyone has a day like that this season.

Thanks for the report,

S.

nice report , nice pics!!! Great example of an NCKA fishing report