Another Epic at Limekiln - Sat 5.10 w/ pics

Those pics are a report in themselves, WTG fellas. Etienne-bro, you are looking GQ sharp there my man, Phat f@#^%ing stringer!

great report and nice stringers! Question - how was the wind condition at Limekiln in the morning till noon? What weight of jigs were used?

good report....solid photographic rep of a classic Sur trip.

WTG scott and co.

Impressive. I really hate work it totally gets in the way of fishing. Any chance for epic III in the future. Sin Coast how bout it? I told the wife next weekend I am going catching not fishing.

Have you ever had a day where you...

Drove so far you thought you were going to Shelter Cove

Were really happy to make it through the surf without getting thrashed

Paddled so far you thought you could see Hawaii on the horizon

Caught so many fish your arm was tired

Pulled on an Abking size ling for 5 minutes before breaking off

Had a stringer so heavy even with 2 hands it was hard to get it in your tankwell

Saw everything from 50 pelicans flying in formation to whales

Never saw anything but NCKA on the water

Were really happy to be with good friends on the ocean

Yesterday was one of those days.

It wasn't WFO but it was very good fishing. Ended up with 9 jumbo rockies (4 verms, 4 coppers, 1 olive) and a 25 inch ling. Good to hear the Etienne scream again when he hooked the 32 inch ling. Gave the ranger a giant copper so he could brush up on his fish ID skills.   And of course the FISHONADISH pic for Adam.

Scott

WTG Guys! 

Good thing the epic wasn't recorded on video we'd have to take seasickness meds to watch it!

The on-the-water and carnage pics tell a story but what went on behind the scenes are even more impressive.  The early morning wake up, loooong a$$ drive, marginal surf and weather conditions, rockin and rollin in the swell, catchin (and landin) big a$$ toothy fish, loooong a$$ drive home and then you get to clean up. 

Hats off to you NCKA bros, it takes big gonads to pull off a trip like this one.  I think the Chef was watching over you guys and made sure that everyone had a great time.  Nice to share a piece of his fishing heaven.

Gary

WTG down there guys.  Nice stringer and great report!  looks like you had a great time.

WOW! Awesome trip and report guys. Very impressive

Question for Yakuza & GB2;

How do you clean a fish like that?  Leaving the fillet on the fish & skinning it?  What's the trick?

Thanks In Advance,
PJ

Awesome Report, Totally Awesome!!!!!

Well Scott and Martin told the story very well.   And it was Epic,.  I will add a few details and and highlights of my own followed by a few pics.  I was really lame with the OTW pics.  Not sure why just having too much fun catching.  Eric, I was doing well with a red sparkle fish trap and a green scampy on red leadheads with eyes both tipped with squid.  Later I did OK with a hex bar but swim baits took the day.

The meeting a Monatary at 5:30 was key.  We were kicking the sand and wighing optoins when Martin simply said "let's charge it."  That was it I do not think another word was said and we headed down to LK in convoy.  The launch was typical shore dump for LK and not at all as bad as it can be with nice openings in the surf to launch through.   I took some water over the bow upon launching and really appreciated having all my gear stowed inside the Maruader.  After getting on the water I headed to my close Cabby spot for nothing so I headed to the deep reef where Scott and Martin had headed.  I had been keeping an eye out for them to pass me but with the swell, I never saw them.

Chasing my gps coordinants, I approached the reef and saw that Scott and Martin had already drifted north from it so I stopped just south of my waypont and pulled up a nice Vermillion on the first drop.  The quality and size of the vermillions and coppers we excellent.  After the sixth one my stringer was very heavy, then I got my biggest ling (or fish for that matter) ever.

The Ling Story:

The drift was northward and I had not had a bite in two drops so I paddeled back south to my way pont to start a new drift.  I put the rod in free spool and set it in the holder while the lour dropped to about 100 feet so that I could re rig my other rod.  The lour stopped 10 feet from the botttom.  I figured a schoolie blue had hit it but there was no pull.  I jigged a little just to see if I was on some kelp or something and fell a slight tug of a rockfish.  I started reeling in slowly a little dissapointed when the line went slack and then suddely the fish felt much bigger.  It was pulling like a ling and even took a couple of vertical runs against my drag.  When it came to color about 10-12 feet below me, I saw a huge white mass that suddenly split in two.  As that happend I saw the ling turn almost a full circle and a 13-inch or so blue rockfish sort of dazed on my line.  In less than a second I hit free spool and blue and ling both head down together and the ling turns and hits the blue riight in my sight then takes him down.  I engaged my reel and made sure the gaff and net where handy.  This hichhiking ling had alredy let go once.  Careful not to let him break the surface, I reeled him close, rod in left hand gaff in right, when he was about 2 feet away I went at him with the gaff, an upward pull and got him behind the gill.  Rod back to the rod holder (the blue can wait), lip gripper, fish be cool stick, be cool.....bam bam bam.....Be Cool.....bam bam.......BE COOL....Bam...Ahhh   Primal Scream.  I got him on the stinger and had to use two hands while supporting the stringer on my lap to close it.  During the mayham, the blue with multiple bit wounds got away.  Lour and bait were still there ready for the next drop.  The ling taped out at 32-3/4 and about 13 lbs.  My best yet.

All in all it was an epic time.  I like Scotts summary except I did not see any whales.  Martin how do you skin a fish while leaving it on the bone?  That looks awsome.

My two biggest reds out of four were 22 and 20 inches and weighed in at about 5 lbs each.  The others we not small and while I do not have a total on the weight of the meat I ended up with we can simply call it Epic.

We may do the same next week.   LK 7AM
 

Question for Yakuza & GB2;

How do you clean a fish like that?  Leaving the fillet on the fish & skinning it?  What's the trick?

Thanks In Advance,
PJ

Awesome Report, Totally Awesome!!!!!

PJ -

I use the standard dorsal spine incision with dissection over the ribs preserving the belly meat. Martin uses a secret Ninja technique which he did not teach me on our 4 hour car ride. I think he said something about not liking to scale the fish. I think it is a variation of the "death by 100 cuts" technique perfected by the Yakuza.  BTW, weather permitting, Etienne and I will be hitting LK next Saturday. You and the Cambria boys should join us.

Scott

The one thing I miss most about Cali is the rockfishing.. insane!!! That's a damn good haul fo sure. Sakyak, that stringer is HEAVY. WTG braddah!!

Z

Etienne - I like your new boat and hitchhiker ling-catching story.

Are you going to post epic III?. I am clearing all work off of my desk by Thursday. I am ready to convoy to lk or south. I am putting the surf hatch on my x factor today.

Scott, thanks for the info & the invite.  After groveling down here, I'm down for a trip.  I was thinking maybe Thursday the weather will lay down?  Friday could be equally good?  Can you take a weekday off for better weather??? Maybe it's not neccessary? 

If someone down here (SLO/Cambria) wants to carpool I'll split the gas?  Rustic Andy? Dog Pound? Anyone?  PM me or we can talk as thurs or fri gets closer.

Thanks,
Awesome Report Guys!!!
PJ