Yak-Patrol does Mattole - 2/8/09 - Video added on Page 2

Domenic and I couldn't get passes from the old ladies ( ) yesterday (when it was sunny!), and we both had multiple WAF chores to finish up this morning, but we got out of town just after 1PM today, and just as the rain was starting.  I mused that "at least the wind is light - as long as it's around 50 degrees or more we should be OK in light rain..."  Well, it was in the 40's...     We cruised the coast near the Cape and decided to head up Petrolia way to look at the Mattole.  Domenic had heard from the "lady at the store" this morning that the river was muddy, but we pulled up and saw it the perfect shade of green.  Granted, the nature of the recent rain (3"+ in Honeydew up river) would lend to fast clearing, but we figured she's probably not our best future water quality informant.     We tossed some lures in nice looking water for a few before heading back down the road for a little rockfishing north of the Mattole.  The beach hike was nice, with the gear loaded on the tandem and us sharing hauling duties with a stick through the front handle rope.  I keep forgetting to pump up that one Roleez tire though, so that added to the trudge.     We beach-combed a few nice shells on the way, including the always cool micro-ab, and enjoyed the views from the trail.  We arrived at Fish Bay and paddled out to fish the reef at minus tide.  The water quality was better than usual with the recent south current pushing some clear water on shore.  We didn't soak ab guts and squid too long before the "sea trout" and perch were biting steady.  We ended up landing at least 6 greenling and a few perch with several other short bites and rods going haywire when you were 40' away cutting bait or getting a beer.  It was steady action, and we got lucky to get a break in the weather out there too - it was actually sunny for a bit and rainless most of the time we were fishing.  We called it at sunset, paddled in, loaded the Roleez-mobile for home, lighter by a few beers but heavier with 4 fatty greenling, and headed back up the trail.  Back to the rig at dusk-thirty and on the road home.  Good Times, Domenic - thanks for coming along.   

The two limits of greenies averaged 15.25" with the fatty, blue-meater (male I think) going 16"+.   

Verry nice,it looks like alot of fun and never a dull moment.Im going to have to try the ocean this year.

WTG on the greenlings Abking. Thanks for the report and pictures.

Jedmo

What was with that bouy?  Was it tethered there or was that flotsam.

Sounds like a great trip...! Nice fish and Always "cool" micro shells....also looks like the place was made for poke-pole fishing.

WTG,

Gue

Good looking dinner you picked up, 40s and rain, makes me cold just thinking about it.

Thanks again for the report, ocean, pics, fish, love it. (oh yeah and beer)

Dale L

What was with that bouy?  Was it tethered there or was that flotsam.

It's been sitting on the beach in that position for years.  One of the coolest pieces of flotsam around I think. 

looks like the place was made for poke-pole fishing.

I think you could do real well poke-poling there, but there are deep channels running between much of the exposed bedrock - poking from the yak (when the season opens) would probably be awesome on a flat day.

Abking you've got the lifestyle I need

I still say you need to learn the art of the little white lie

I still say you need to learn the art of the little white lie

What?  and say I was at Trinidad?   

If you are referring to my disclosure of locations I maintain that the conditions are such that most people wouldn't enjoy what I'm doing most of the time...  and many who would enjoy it would have to get lucky to catch it right.  The biggest factor for me though is that I am more content to live sharing positive vibes than I would be to hold secrets and hoard the wealth of beauty around me.  You need to come up to the Cove, Paul, for a dose of Abking lifestyle at its finest.   

Steelhead and shore rockies in the same day? Now that's my kind of fishing!

That greenie w/blue meat is a rock greenling. They tend to grow larger than kelp greenies. They taste better too imo---sweeter like cabezon. It's strange to see so many females. Last time I fished up that way, we caught a bunch of male kelp greenlings (although, yes it was in a totally different area).

Thanks for sharing your spot w/us.
_{[Just remember its illegal to use a kayak to access + fish offshore reefs when the boat season is closed. Not saying you did that--just a reminder for people considering doing something like that.]}

wow what a great way to spend a sunday, good friend, good beer and beautiful scenery( oh yeah and fish to boot)

good friend, good beer and beautiful scenery( oh yeah and fish to boot)

You've hit the nail on the head, BW.   

...and regarding Sin Coast's reminder - it's definitely the case that using a boat to aid in catching off-season fish is against the regs, but I maintain that boating to a reef I can walk to is just another means of transportation.  My enquiry with DFG about it led to the "depends on the warden on scene" answer...  So I'm waiting to meet and speak to him or her about it.  Thanks, PK, for the word.   

Thanks also for the ID on the big rock greenling - it was a female then, because I know that male rock greenling rarely get over 12" and are much more colorful with blue-green mouth/throat (and meat) and great bright orange spots along the sides.  There do seem to be craploads of female kelp greenling in that spot as we released 2 or 3 smaller ones too.

I was a bit dismayed to not catch any cabezon in over 2 hours of soaking their favorite ab guts along with a whole box of squid.  It used to be that we'd catch mostly cabs at that spot, and an 8-10 pounder wasn't uncommon.  I think the long-line, live-fish guys took 'em all...     We released the vast majority of our catch over the years.

Thosed mini ab shells are so cool! Nice sunset too.
I've been looking at the Mattole flows...

Rock greenlings can grow to 5lbs but kelp greenling top-out at 3lbs. But the biggest rock greenie I've caught was only about 17 inches.

Awesome pics, looks like those fish made for a good dinner 

Jeff