Fishing deep in the kelp

Thanks, I tried to keep that subtle, and wondered how long it would take for someone to notice.

Brian

I've caught lots of sand bass and halibut on drop shot.

Any technique that keeps the bait in the fishes face is gonna work.

MolBasser

We fished a solid mat of kelp down near Carmel today.  Hard to paddle even.   In the thick mat we got a number of smallish rockfish, I brought a short-ling to the side of the kayak and I hooked but lost something very large.  We were more successful on the edges of the kelp mat.  Heck, the small blacks and olives were way eager in the open 100 foot water.
So, if you want thick kelp, it is available in Carmel bay.
Pat

Thanks!

MolBasser

Bsteves:
I have had tremendous success adapting freshwater bass techniques to fishing in the kelp for rockfish et al.  As has been mentioned, shrimp fly = drop shot.  Texas or carolina rigs work great with large extra wide gap hooks.  I usually take a hootchie and put the 3/4 - 1 oz bullet sinker inside. For shallow lings & cabs I use a 10" Berkeley power worm and work it through the thick stuff.  Flippin tubes and Brush Hogs are awesome baits in saltwater "heavy cover".

This past weekend I tried driftng a floating crankbait (with single barbless hooks) in 100' using a plastic line slider + 4oz torpedo.  It worked quite well until I had 2 fish on at once... then things got exciting.

Ed

Suspending stickbaits on a 3 way rig have done well for me in the past.  I kinda ripped off a bottom trolling walleye rig I seen on in-fisherman.  The weight end had a 15" coathanger wire with 4, 1 oz weights threaded and smashed midway up the wire.  You could literally drag this rig over the reef.  The only problem was the stick baits took a beating and at 6-7 bucks a pop it was cheaper to just use a diamond jig.

Hey MolBasser,

I'd like to get some more experience around SC an would like to hook up with you for some Westside fun next week.  Are you inhibited by working in the daytime as I am?  Anyway, it owuld be great to hook up with someone who really understands tye-die.

Pete

Unfortunately I am currently not encumbered by a job....

Lemme know if you want to go.

MolBasser

Have you had a chance to take the New toy out for a test drive yet ?

Let us know your personal pro and con's

Oh, by the ways did you have bill tweek your fish to move like that or did you do that yourself?

I'm testing the new toy tomorrow at Fort Ross.

As for the tweaked fish, I did that myself.  It's an animated GIF file created with photoshop.

Brian