Birthday Presents ----- Fort Ross and Tomales

Now that's a B-day you will never forget!!!
Nice job on the quality fish!!!!!

Some nice B-day rewards you got there, Patrick!  Happy 3-0.

Not bad for an old man!

J

Congrats and Happy Birthday Patrick.  Right on!

Patrick, way to go! Way to stick to your mission and accomplish! Nice lingzilla... Happy B-day, and nice little leapfrog on pops... Took him on the inside corner when he was lookin' over his shoulder 

and he quit smoking on his B-Day too...now that's were the "REAL" praise should be directed.
?Patrick? you are keeping your word aren't you?.....your Dad will like you to "stick with your promise" on this one.

OH....and I almost forgot....DOOD!  you are in the TOP SPOT!  no pressure now!

SWEET Day and see you soon!

     Did someone say cake?

   Unbelievable year on the coast weather wise.  After Saturdays launch the wind started to build with the combined swells and I figured we had maybe an hour at the most until things got ugly but that was not the case as the wind just disappeared not to return.
    I headed out to a spot that has produced some reds on a prior trip. After a little channel surfing on the depth finder I found what I was looking for and dropped down on it. Within seconds of hitting the bottom I was hooked up big time....the fish just would not budge from the bottom. When I finally got the fish to the surface I realized why .........a small ling had grabbed the bait  as well and was holding onto it all the way to the surface where it let go.
     A little while later I was joined by The New Sea Angler who dropped in just outside of me about 50'  away........funny thing being that I haven't seen many boats over this spot in the past let alone a party boat. Just as the PB turned off the engine and began his drift we all hear a giant WAAHOOO from way off in the distance ......that would be Patrick hundreds of yards away.....it took a few minutes to get the details out of him. The boats loudspeaker announced the fish were on the bottom and all at once thirty five anglers dropped some 70 jigs to the bottom. A  bit later to my amazement I heard the captain say the fish are down there but just not on the bite.......he tried a few more drifts and then moved on.
     I fished the deep for a bit and then decided to hit the cove for a cab and landed and released two before being joined by Patrick. I caught and released one more before calling it a day. We landed on the somewhat crowded beach where we played a little  show and tell  with the curious beach go-ers.
    Another Beautiful Day on the Ocean.

     Sunday was Patrick's turn to pick the fishing destination......Tomales. We scooted out across the bay to catch some bait. Seems the harder you try to catch the bait the more difficult it becomes.....just about the time you give up and put the rod in the holder they load up. About the time we loaded up on bait one nasty little smelt did a little dance and as I tried to grab him before going over the rail I caught one of the sabiki hooks right in the tip of my finger. I couldn't believe a #12 hook could be soooooo tough to get out. Finally  I borrowed Patrick's needle nosed pliers ......cut off the end of the shank, cleaned the hook as best I could then did a threading maneuver bringing the hook all the way around then out a NEW hole.
     We fought the current up towards Lawsons and before we got there we decided to turn and drift our baits towards the island. Well, Patrick confused the heck out of me when he rather calmly said "halibut"  and moments later he netted the fish. We drifted the same area a few times before being worn out by the tide and finish our final drift all the way back to the island then rode with the wind at our backs back to Miller Park.
   Another Beautiful Day on the Bay......and a Happy Birthday Weekend For Patrick..
     

Ouch! I'm gonna cry when that happens to me!...I don't think I can make a NEW HOLE
Very good read UncleAllen! Love it! whena' BIG Boat crowds a kayak then comes up DRY!
Next time i'm up there with you, I'm gonna mirror your EVERY drift! You really know your area well. Good on you for trying to upgrade as well as keeping it FUN!

YoungPatrick!!~ you are in the hot seat looking down.....KEEPitFUN&don'tLETup!

I had a skunk outside the door the last 2 nights. I can only hope it brings me that kind of results!