Bean Hollow 8-6-09 Check out my 'BUT!

Yes!  I did it!!!! Caught my first BIG fish ever in my life and it was from my kayak at Bean Hollow!

The day was GREAT!  Me and Jay (Fishin-Jay) met up with Ty, Ben (Fish Farmer), and Ben (Guitarzan) at Bean Hollow this morning.  The conditions on the water were very nice.  We were rained on during the launch, a little weird for August in Northern California. 



I started north of the launch by drifting some swim baits and had some luck with small rock fish.  They were fun to catch but I had trouble with the swim baits getting caught on the bottom.  After having to break off two swim baits and realizing the expense this outing was costing I switched to a pink jig, to match my pink flamingo pole.  The pink jigs caught several more rock fish, very fun.  I released them all.  Ben (Guitarzan) caught some of the action on video to be edited and posted later.

Jay led the way south of the launch.  We continued to drop the jigs on the reefs.  I was just about to call it a day when I checked my jig, a red one, and dropped it again.  I had a hit!  I told Guitarzan that I thought it was a small one, but then as it got closer I saw that it was a flat fish (a flounder I thought), nice sandy color.  Ben then stated that it was halibut and definitely a keeper.  I attempted to work the net and the pole and was struggling.  When Guitarzan offered to net the fish I figured that would be a great idea since then at least I figured my chances of getting the fish to my boat would increase ten-fold!  Guitarzan did a great net job and radioed to the others that I caught a nice one!  I am still smiling from my catch! 
 

My 'BUT is 31 inches long!  Here are some other pictures from today.

Ben's stringer


Ben's cab.


The launch at the end of the day!  It was very LAKE-like!


I now understand why so many of the NCKA members love rock fish season and are willing to get out on the water at early hours and spend days on their boats hoping to catch a halibut!  I think that I kinda like this fishing thing...but I really LOVE the catching part! 

Thanks to all of you NCKA members that have been so supportive of me learning to fish from my kayak.  Especially to my husband (Fishin-Jay) for all his love and support and of course for the pink flamingo fishing rod!  That rod is what caught all my fish today!

Hope to see you all out there soon!  Happy fishing!

Congrats. Nice fish. Conditipns look ideal.

Yes! I know how long you've been chasing that but! glad to see that lovingly wrapped pink rod of yours getting some hot action  
looks like a great outing. Ben (GZ), I thought you were a M-F corporate kind guy nowdays  

Very nice catch and report. Congratulations on your first keeper Halibut from a kayak!

Welcome to a magic place. I have to say I love the Bean.
I scored that Vermillion in my pic the day after my birthday there (as well as an 11- and 13-pound Ling). Talk about a belated birthday present.

Very Nice!!!!

  ConGrats!!!!

Wow! can't ask for better conditions than that for the Bean! Nice stringer of fresh food. Congratulations on being able to take advantage of the calm seas.

Alex

Yeah, congrats Theresa!  Nice hali.

Nice stringer and cab Ben - WTG.

Those conditions looked amazing.

Awesome!  Nice pics!

Another great day at the Bean! I got there at 8 or so... saw 4 yaks at the reef N and about a mile out or so and bee-lined it out without turning on my ff cause there's just so much structure its torture to watch it go by... so I get there and drop the jig I got from J and landed a 17" Cabbie, he went back after I caught a 23 1/2" a minute later on the big bass swimbait from the AOTY grab-bag. Released lots of fish in 40 fow, lots of fun. Kept 2 mondo Cabazon, 1 big black and 3 nice verms, 2 from J (Thanx!) Freezer almost full. Theresa was a champ with that Halibut, again I run out of batteries when I need them...I have some good footage of landings this time, tomorrow on utube...
First weekday Ive had off for a while Sharkie, I should have called you, I usually dont know till 6 am that day.

Great report, awesome conditions & some big, tasty fish! Congrats on the nice 'but, Parrothead. Fat cab, too, Ben.

Theresa, I like your "butt" 

Congrats!!!!

Sweet! Bake some of the fillets and then top with cilantro-chili butter

The pics are killin' me! The day looks like the best of the year so far!

(& nice goin' with the kayak fishing guide-work Jay!)

My wife LeeAnn just looked over my shoulder at your pic, with very sweet hali, on the computer screen and said "Wow, you go girl!" and I say... Ditto!  jim

Jay I like your life, wanna trade. I do hope that when I get my bride Pam to view Theresa's pictures some interest will spark. The Hobie Sport is for her now that I have Jed's Outback. You guys are living the good life. Congrats! dave...

Yaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!Alright Theresa! I was beginning to think Jay needed to make you a new rod with more luck strung in it.Those water conditions look great. Congrats, Craig