The late bird gets the verm (san simeon, with pics)

Hit N of San Simeon around 6:45 and fished until noon.  Got a barely legal ling on my second drop.  Fished some pinnacles and humps on the outside for enough gophers to drive you crazy, with some small browns and blues thrown in.  The action for small fish was there.  I finally started to keep some for tacos (see small fish in pics).  Everyone else had cleared out, and I was about to, when the gopher bite died, and the Verm bite took off.  I got these 3 guys in about 20 minutes.  I stuck with it, for a strong finish!!  They seemed to respond to slow presentation (1.5 oz white jigs) and the sun had finally peeked out too. 

Rustic Andy

Damn, Andy, you get some greasy water down there.  Great shot of your stringer too - those are beautiful vermillion.  Great report.   

Eric

Nice going Rustic.  Those are some good size reds.  Very nice pics.

way to go andy! hey didn't you know, we were actually targeting Gophers!!!  it was the first annul SLO County Gopher Showdown!

Littoral may have set the all time Gopher record in the mid to high 20's, I was no match I landed around 15 of the might beasts!

I ended up getting a Verm, Olive & Legal Ling, the thought crossed my mind to toss them back since it was the highly elusive Gopher we were after, but in the end i didn't.

how big were your verms?

fun day anyway.

pj

The verms were around 18" or so.  I did not weight them, but they looked to be about 5+ lbs or so. 

Rustic Andy

glad to hear you stuck it out.  So whats with the massive gopher population?  Is it just me or is this a banner year for gophers?

Way to go Andy, I'm glad you got some action.  That spot where you are fishing looks nice.

my dsl was out here are my pics.  including one shot where we were'nt sure the type of fish we had, needless to say we tossed it.

Nice job you guys. That looks like a chucklehead (white belly rockfish) from here PJ. If that's the shot you're talking about. I fished south of there Friday and it was sloooooow. South winds and thick fog. Waiting to get yelled at by another PB. he hehe. Ended up with one 28" ling after 3 hours! I'm guessing you guys fished Sat.?
                                   CoS

Nice job you guys. That looks like a chucklehead (white belly rockfish) from here PJ. If that's the shot you're talking about.
                                   CoS

aka copper rockfish, neverdie, etc.  you can keep 'em. they seem to always have just finished eating an octopus  or crab or something. they stay alive long than all the other rockfish typically. usually fight pretty good.

glad to hear you stuck it out.  So whats with the massive gopher population?  Is it just me or is this a banner year for gophers?

My guess is... only the gophers are active and biting, due to current, temp, fish movements.  The fish populations don't fluctuate as much as the  bite does. 

Good title!  thanks for posting the details and pics from your outing.
I try hard as hell to get in the water as early as possible(wind,crowd,traffic)
but, may have to chillout and get there a lil behind everyone else.Late guy gets the best action.
I'VEseenTHIShappenWITHmyOWNtwoEYESbefore!

Way To go fellas! I'm bummed I couldn't make it( had to house and dog sit for the inlaws)looks like  it was a great Central coast Ncka outing! hopefully  I'll make the next one!

Thanks for the report guys, very nice reds too. 

Norm