Run Silent Run Deep, Cambria 5-15

Gotta love it 85 degrees on the coast!!!   SHEEEET GLLASSSS & next to no swell, although the occasional chest-high west set was coming thru.  Could be a precursor to the upcoming west swell.

Launched @ 11:00 & found awesome conditions, no wind, & the water clarity has improved markedly!  It's amazing what 36 hours of no wind will do to the ocean.  It looked like the South Pacific out there, water color translucent aqua-blue & visibility @ 20-30' maybe more @ depth.

There was a whale cruising on the inside, probably 40 yard off the beach.  He & I went north together @ a distance of about 15 yards as I continued up the coast.  Several attempts @ pics were fruitless due to a lack of patience on my part.

Started out in 35 FOW & could see schools of blues & olives just hovering under the kelp.  Dropped my swimbait & found no takers.  It was the ole' could see fish checking out my bait but no one would bite, except for the occasional small one.  Also saw a few schools of anchovies swim thru.  Was using a big hook so they had to be decent size to stick.

Moved out to 45 & then 60 FOW & that's when I hit paydirt. Visibility was better & the fish were biting.  1st drop picked up a nice legal ling but I screwed the pooch on the gaff.  I was trying to get some shots of the ling in the translucent aqua water & after pic #2 I knew I was rolling the dice.  He was just hanging & the hook wasn't all the way thru his mouth, one head shake was all it took & he was off into the abyss. I'm pretty sure he was legal.  I won't do that again.

A few minutes later I had a decent sized black, a keeper.  & few more minutes I had a fat one.  was hoping it was the same ling but it actually felt heavier & took 2 impressive runs straight down.  i was stoked to find a plump 19" vermillion.  gaffed & boated no time for pics.  picked up a few more scaps & headed off to 125'.  the calm ocean & warm temps made speed no problem.

Fished @ around 125' for a few minutes & picked up nothing.  Found some structure & could see vast schools of blues & olives but again had no takers.

Overall was an awesome day, water clarity is on the RISE big-time & the weather was PERFECT!!!!  RUN SILENT RUN DEEP BABY!!!!

PJ

Just eat it

Now thats the way to cook them-on the bone. I like to butterfly the big reds and put them on the grill skin side down. Then just reach in with a warm tortilla add salsa and a beer and your good to go.

Now thats the way to cook them-on the bone. I like to butterfly the big reds and put them on the grill skin side down. Then just reach in with a warm tortilla add salsa and a beer and your good to go.

............... Kinda sound like our weekend huh boys?                   

oh yeah, thats the way to do it. we had no wasted meat that day.
Thanks for the report, cool pics.

I was trying to get some shots of the ling in the translucent aqua water & after pic #2 I knew I was rolling the dice.  He was just hanging & the hook wasn't all the way thru his mouth, one head shake was all it took & he was off into the abyss.

Worth it.  Excellent and humble description of the effort to share it all with us.  Well done!  It was fun, wasn't it! 

This is an excellent report with awesome photos all the way to dinner is served.  Nice one, Man.   

Eric

Definately fun day.  Cooking fish whole produces so much more meat it's a good way to go.  I usually just dig in with my hands when I'm done eating & end up with a pretty good sized pile of scraps off the fish.  Even a medium sized black like that produces enough meat for 3 meals!!!

I gotta admit it though I'm just a hack compared to Yakuza's prepping the fish with his "Vietnamese Backrup".  I'm dying to do that, it's just that after paddling 5.5 miles it's hard to spend extra time cleaning the fish. 

BBQ whole is the way to go though!

Now thats the way to cook them-on the bone. I like to butterfly the big reds and put them on the grill skin side down. Then just reach in with a warm tortilla add salsa and a beer and your good to go.

............... Kinda sound like our weekend huh boys?                   

  WHOOOT!   Cant wait to do that again!  Like SATURDAY!

I gotta head down there sometime soon, those pics are awesome!  Doesn't look like you could ask for a better day on the water!  Well... Unless your partying right after!

PJ! Way to represent the Cen Coast brotha. Those plump reds can pull drag and get the adrenaline pumping. Very cool shots of the ling.
Thanks for the report+pics!
PK

Love that photo of the Ling!

I guess I'm still a surfer first cause I liked that little reef breaker photo with nobody on it.

then I liked the underwater ling photo.

then the rest.

Great report and glad you found the fish, looks like your season has really started now!

John

WTG!!!! I just drove down the big sur coast this PM, and it looked a bit dicey!!! Thanks for the detailed post!!!  Those days are awesome, where you can hear the whales exhaling, as well as the birds on the shore. 

Rustic Andy