Big Sur campout Sept 25-27

Patrick,

I had originally indicated that I was in for the weekend however that has changed and can now only make Saturday's festivities.  Unfortunately, my wife and her mother made plans for the week leading up which effectively eliminates me from spending the weekend in Big Sur.

Not sure if that affects the wait list or not, but I wanted to give you a heads up.

Michael

Like a virgin on prom nite, I'm going to have to pull out.

LMAO!!      

Michael

Sin Coast,

Would it be okay if me and my wife just spend the day, Saturday with you guys?  Just want to meet everyone and learn from the Kayak Fishing pros.  I'm not planning to fish in a kayak yet since I'm really new with the sport.  Big Sur might be a little too much for me to handle.

Rey

Sin coast!
 Sorry to be a flake but I have to do a sudden appearance at a conference in WASH DC that weekend and will not be here.
Rats...
 You guys have a great time!
Steve
 

Great idea bringing such a huge group down there... blowin tha cover big time bro and after this its blown for good!..
Certain things were meant to be kept a bit more on the lowdown... I don't support bringing that many people down there and hope yall get blown out bigtime, or even better, a big southswell comes and blocks out all the launches.. There are enough sites everywhere else along the Cali coast that could easily support a big event like this while still maintaining the sanctity of one of the last great rockfish treasures on this coast!.. The true goods shouldn't just be given away life that...  Bah humbug! and you guys can talk all the smack about my party crashing that you'd like... but talk to any experienced fisherman about what happens when too many people find out about an awesome fishing spot without having to pay their dues propper... I've seen it first hand time and time again and am a bit dissappointed regarding this one, especially with all the talk you gave earlier in the season about everyone in the central coast crew not posting reports or giving out too much info on Big Sur...

I also echo Brendan's concerns and would encourage those fishing this weekend to:
1. Take only the fish you need to enjoy the weekend.Please don't stuff huge coolers with meat just because you can.CPR is highly encouraged.

2. Bring a descending device such as a Shelton Fish Descender and use it.

3. Pack ALL your trash including fishing line.This is a good location for a trash pickup BTW.

4. Be respectful of the locals and of local authorities.The last thing we need is unwanted attention from local authorities focusing on kayak fishers and locals pissed because we trashed and pillaged a place they love and have a spiritual connection to.

5. Know how to do a surf launch/landing and have the proper safety equipment and skills for salt water rigging and navigation.If someone gets seriously injured or dies here the entire kayak fishing community will pay for your mistakes.

Brendan you are such a thread jacking dumb ass.  Big Sur is no secret to anyone?

Andy I caution you against personal attacks on NCKA...they are not tolerated.

Brendan is an expert kayak fisherman who has pioneered many of these spots for over a decade.Some of us have a deep connection to BS and don't want to see it disrespected.

Brendan is an expert kayak fisherman who has pioneered may of these spots for over a decade.Some of us have a deep connection to BS and don't want to see it disrespected.

Didn't Brendan used to take people there for hire??

Great idea bringing such a huge group down there...

Completely agree Brendan.

I'll lay money than some guys won't be able to resist to urge to fish some of the less well knows spots, their cars will be seen, the stringers will be compared, and all will be lost. You might as well drive a bottom trawl right through BS with a group of this size.

And what is worse is that it will then be posted in bloody detail on this public forum and then quickly desiminated by word of mouth. We'll have groups making trips from LA, San Diego, Tokyo. Jebus Crap.

****
****Edited by moderator ( PM or email 'Brian G' with any questions)
that last comment on the salmon page ended up in one of the most educated conversations I've even seen getting started on this page... yeah, i lived on a ranch overlooking Lucia Bay part time during the summer and guided out of a few spots from 2000-2004, back when no one new about that fishery... Only a few locals fished those spots and the pact then, as it was now, was to keep it on the downlow... I got the blessing to guide cuz I had an in with everyone... I was one of the only ones who fished those spots, aside from a few other locals... I even posted TONS of info on this page about the specifics of that fishery, and if you are OG enough to have been around for awhile, you may have read some of what I have written, and what was published in Pacific Fisherman, the LA Times, and the Kayakfishing magazine about my guide service...I stopped guiding when I got tired of watching guys catch 100 fish a day and letting 20% float away dead... and when I was done with the whole thing-taking newbies out in dangerous waters and the liability that could have come with a serious accident... By then it was blown out of proportion... Too many folks fishing, too much garbage at the spots, and the quality of fish slowly dropped... Typical story of any secret fishing spot getting blown up too much... In the past few years I have realized that I never should have guided down there for the sake of letting that area maintain its ecological integrity, but I was young and wanted to share one of the best things on our coast... So, in essence, I take a bit of responsibility for the spot getting blown up.. I also told all my clients to keep it on the downlow... but, to no surprise, they started taking groups of folks down there the weekend after i took them out... I have also received a call from a spots writer who wrote an article in 2003 on Big Sur in which he expressed some sort of sadness for letting the spot get blown up... The agreement this summer was that we were all gonna keep it on the lowdown and not post reports, etc... and to see a tournament posted for the area was kind of saddening... well, the conditions can be 50/50 at the end of sept... the swell could be 10 ft overhead, 30 knot winds, and 48 degrees, or it could be glassed out and calm... I realized that my post last night was based on an emotional reaction to the fact that a spot that is sacred to a few, and is one of the healthiest groundfish fisheries left in the state, is about to get a bomb dropped on it... Every newbie with new skills gonna get the goods without paying their dues and the spot will then truly be blown for good...Certain things should be kept sacred, and the treasures should be left to be discovered for those with enough balls to do it on their own accord, and without the assistance of a big crew like this... All my humble opinion... I'm gonna talk with Pat and, if the event does happen maybe I'll help out a bit...  

Although I don't know much about Big Sur in terms of how accessible it is, etc, I have to agree that a lot of secret or little-known spots get too much publicity here sometimes. I have a spot or two that I have fished since long before the internet came into play and I HATE seeing newbies blabbing about it on the web.

Good luck and don't leave floaters behind your yaks!

****
****Edited by moderator ( PM or email 'Brian G' with any questions)

 I don't think my comments are worth fighting over, but I'm not going to take it back if we meet in person. (Brendan, thanks for threatening me to say it to your face via personal message, so no one else could read it.)

 Thank you Aaron for the cautioning me, and I respect the way you posted your concerns.  I guess I was just a little irritated that Brendan doesn't start his own post and the way he goes about it.  I think it would have been more productive to ask the people involved to catch and release.  I have no problem with that.  

Well, I'm bummed you feel that way dude. And I fully understand your concerns. But I also feel like kind of you're blowing this out of proportion though.
I'm still going camping with my family and friends. I'll make sure everyone there understands how special and fragile this fishery is...they'll even get a chance to practice conservation with the Shelton Fish Decenders that I bought as gifts for everybody (with my own $$$). Remember, this is not a tournament.

What a bunch of weenies!
Don't get your panties in a bunch!

A simple word of caution and reminder to CPR (catch, photo, release) is enough, there is no need for stirring up the crap.
It is a lot of people for one spot, but generally 20% never show, 30% get skunked as I have many times, the chances for rough seas and weather will keep another 20% on the beach. In fact this might end up a big camping trip with very little fishing at all. I might bring along some surf gear to try to get something if it gets too rough OTW.

Pat, if you set a self imposed limit on daily catches to 5, it might help keep the feathers from getting ruffled.
Remember, if you are fishing 2 days, you can still only take 10 fish home. It's not like 50 people are gonna take 20 fish each.

I agree that everyone should use decenders whenever they can. I used them last weekend and released 10 fish successfully, never had a floater.

Everyone try to be good stewards of the fishery, those who abuse the situation will not be invited again...

I applaud the fact that Pat is putting this together, as keeping everything on the downlow (as I have done many trips this year), doesn't promote the sport or let people that otherwise would never get to go to Sur because of the dangers and accessibility problems, seems safer to do this a a big group, rather than a couple newbies going it alone and ending up hurt or dead.

my 2 cents

Stoggie

Pat- Maybe I have blown it a little bit out of proportion, and for that I apologize,but like all beautiful and pristine wilderness, there are people that have worked their entire lives to preserve the ecological integrity of a given area, and their are people that get a bit riled up when they feel that a group comes in and treds to hard on a given ground... imagine if John Muir hadn't gotten all riled up about Yosemite at the turn of the century... if he hadn't cared about the presevation of beautiful spaces, then our national park system never wouldn't have gotten started... I do respect the fact that you have taken the energy and time to put something like this together, and that you are emphasizing conservation... on the converse of my previous perspective, it could be a great opportunity to teach some folks about good environmental stewardship...

****Edited by moderator ( PM or email 'Brian G' with any questions)
FYI, maintaining the ecological integrity of Big Sur, and keeping it from getting to burned out, is an emotional topic for way more people than just me..