Trinidad 5/29-30...Lings, crabs & a too-friendly sea lion.

I was able to bail out of work a few hours early on Thursday, packed up the fam and headed over the hill.  Got settled in, and awoke Friday morning for a solo paddle.  The bay was fogged in pretty good, and I promised the wife I’d stay close.  I checked a few normal spots, my graph was picking up fish but I just couldn’t buy a bite.  After 2 hours and no hits, I finally stuck an underling on a 6” rainbow trout swimbait (shows my desperation…I threw about every bait possible).  Downsized to a smaller swimbait, and nailed a 27” ling in 10’ of water.  With taco meat taken care of it was time to call it a morning, and on the troll back to the beach I picked up 2 blacks, both of which came within 100 yards of the launch.  Got cleaned up and headed up to Big Lagoon for a moonstone hunt with the family, followed by a great fish taco dinner with ice cold Great White’s…delicious!

Made it out Saturday with a couple buddies, conditions were a bit bumpier but not bad.  We dropped my crab pot on the way around the head, and headed north.  Fishing was spotty, I picked up a few blacks (one 21”), and the others in my group had a pair of lings (one 29”…the guys first time yak fishing and second fish ever!) and a few blacks.  Around this time Trophy1 and his dad show up, along with a few other yaks and PB’s.  A bit later, I’m realing up when my boat gets slammed from underneath…not enough to knock me in the water, but almost enough to make me shit my wetsuit .  Five seconds later a sea lion, maybe 100 lbs leaps out of the water and slams down on the bow of my yak.  My buddies have seen what was going on and paddled over…we decide it’s best to stick close and start making our way back to the bay.  Got on the radio to let Trophy1 know what was up, and headed in.  The pot had only been soaking two hours, I decided to take a peek.  The pic below doesn’t do it justice, it was like a shot off Deadliest Catch.  Okay not quite, but there were almost 30 dungies stuffed in there resulting in 9 keepers.  Re-baited the pot, fished the bay a couple more hours for a few more blacks and pulled the pot again for 6 more keepers.  Fresh crab, oyster shooters and ice cold beer capped the day.

We burned most of our brownie points by being out so long Saturday, so Sunday was just a quick paddle around the bay and pulling the pot (9 more keepers).  I wish I knew you were out there boggie boarding Eric, would've loved to drink a beer and watch you freeze your balls off!  As it was, we picked up some clam chowder at the Eatery, packed up and headed back to 100 degree Redding, and another fresh crab dinner.

Overall fishing was tougher than anytime I’ve ever been over, but the crabbing made up for it.  I’m not sure what kind of games that sea lion was playing…not sure I want to know!   Trophy1 or Spedrcr, you guys make it out Sunday?

Tight Lines,
beenfishin

Nice haul! Looks like you found the crab honey hole.

Nice report, I'd sat that crab pot was deadliest catch status, at least in kayak standards WTG Maybe the sealion was rabid! Is that possible?

Wow I ran the front of my kayak into a big bull one time in Cambria.  His bark sure scared the crap out of me.  He was wrapped up sleeping in the kelp.  Nice fish and crabs.  Way to go.

You guys did awesome, Ben, considering what Greg told me about the bite being so bad.  I love pulling up a pot full of big crabs.  WTG - great report.   

Wow...you've found a honey hole for Dungies  Thanks for the report and pictures.

Great report and congrats on the crabs!

Awesome report beenfishin. Congrats on a nice haul dude. WTG bro.

Jedmo

Congrats on the all around adventure!!!

Sea lions are freaky, saw one out of OC bout a mile out, it was cruzing towards me "Huge" it had its head down like it was looking for fish and just swimming along not porpoising like they usually do...as it pulled along beside me bout 5ft away it realised I was there and looked up at me and freaked, barked real loud...thought I was going to have to defend myself with my paddle... but when I yelled and slapped the water with paddle it veered off...I think it scared it's self as much as it gave me a rush......

How deep were u dropping your pots? I've gone three times now out of ft Bragg area and have yet to pull a crab...got a 17" cap though....using ab guts....

Another good weekend at the beach  . Sunday produced quick limits of some big blacks but no lings, The water was much cleaner on Sunday making me wonder if that had anything to do with Saturdays slow bite? anyway sea lions kinda suck and they were being more aggressive than Ive seen before

Yeah, I don't know what that thing was thinking.  I just kept remembering this episode of Shark Week a few years back when there was a young seal with it's ass bitten off, trying to jump on the swim step of the camera boat to get away from a big whitey.  I'm sure he was just messing around though, from what I've seen the little ones spend most of their time playing grab ass.

Glad you guys managed to get on the fish Sunday trophy1, it looked good out there but I had to do some family time.  Did you manage any keeper dungies?

It was my first time ever crabbing from the yak.  Fortuanatley, all the seasons of Deadliest Catch paid off though...sometimes you just land on 'em.  They all came in the 50' range, nice sandy bottom.  Good Luck!

-beenfishin

I like that T-shirt, Shawn - way to get on the fish.   

Were the crabs male or female?
Tim

Its the alage bloom that is running the fish off. I tried to dive in the alage today in the mendo area on a world class reef that is always loaded with fish. Nada but in vis and fish. Not one black, blue or perch seen..off course i couldnt see but only a few inches.
And i was so ready to hammer the blacks, just gave up didnt look for abs..oh well.
Dugies are still around i got 7 on Sat.

Oh ya i forgot the sea lions where moving south in a herd about 100 yrds offshore,i waited a little after they all passed just to make sure if whitey was following them he would be way south. i think that the one that jumped your yak was hungry looking for food.