Dux is the real deal

- half of the pools would've been won by us Bodega Bay Boys

Dustin...I'm sensing rivalry here    

you "bodega Bay Boys" might want to check out the numbers on "the guys South of the Golden Gate"

Alex Velasco : 32 # Halibut - Santa Cruz
Joel / Mooch: 27 # Salmon & 24# Salmon,Moss Landing & 15# Halibut, Monterey
Colm: 25 # Salmon, Linda Mar
Jason / jselli: 24 # Salmon, Linda Mar
Brian: 28# ling Cod, HMB
Bill: 10.5 # cabby, Linda Mar & 18 # Halibut, Oyster point
Mike/Sturgy: 20# thresher Shark, Linda Mar
Roger: 30 # White Sea Bass /Linda Mar
Craig: 22 # Striper, Linda Mar
Steve / chefstefano: 24.9 Halibut, Monterey
Allen/Pole Pole: 27 # Halibut, Oyster Point
Josh/ P-Spark: 60 # Sturgeon, San Pablo & 20# Ling Cod - ?
Paul/Blue Kayak:37 Pound salmon, Duxbury
Patrick/Goldenarrow: 37 # Halibut, Santa Cruz

oouuuhh yeeeahhhh  

did I miss anyone else?

Maybe we should have a gang war next year. The North Coast dudes (anyone who lives and fishes North of the Golden Gate) vs. The South Coast crew.....

tally up the big fish totals on each "gang" by the end of the year and  the loser gang will host an all expense paid campground + BBQ for the winning gang on their home turf  

Great pics Paul !!! That is an "eskimo" salmon!!!

How long did you fight that monster?? How heavy was your line?

So, this would be whichever group had the most "biggest x's" would win?
Will there be a sand dab class???
>>half inch pat<<.......

Holy Smokes... Paul... That's one HUGE slug of a salmon!!!

Thanks for posting the photos.

For awhile... we were beginning to think you were some fugitive from justice since no one I know has ever actually fished with you or seen pictures of you .... except for the one from Muir with your face cut off.

Holy Smokes... Paul... That's one HUGE slug of a salmon!!!

Thanks for posting the photos.  For awhile... we were beginning to think you were some fugitive from justice since no one I know has ever actually fished with you or seen pictures of you .... except for the one from Muir with your face cut off.

yeah Paul - I was thinking you were in America's Most Wanted cause no one from the board has ever seen or fished with you  (except for Chuck and Stu when they just happen to run into you at HMB)

....you're like a mystery to all of us.....like a ghost......it's just like seeing Alan Tani paddling his kayak from out of the blue     (forgive me Alan)

only thing I'm doing different this year is I dropped the flashers out of the line-up

Paul, what does your trolling setup look like?

All I know is that you use a long rod and must troll some heavy lead.

Josh/Promethean_spark: 60lb sturgeon, 20lb lingcod (fort ross).  Fremont.

Josh/Promethean_spark: 60lb sturgeon, 20lb lingcod.  Fremont.

gee - how could I forget that! Sorry Josh! I will add that on to the list.  

only thing I'm doing different this year is I dropped the flashers out of the line-up

Paul, what does your trolling setup look like?

All I know is that you use a long rod and must troll some heavy lead.

I'm using 10 1/2 ft Shimano and line-counter reel and troll 2lbs although I'd really like to stop dropping so much lead

This year I've just been hooking up whatever bait holding rig fbr, rsk, crippled herring etc I don't think it matters too much and I tie up longish leaders w dbl hooks

My results haven't been so good this year and last year wasn't so good for size I just caught more fish, before that I was turning up my nose at smaller fish, I like them in the 15-30lbs range. I might go back to flashers next year and see if it makes a difference, but I'm also thinking about using deep 6's and I don't know how that will work out, too much gear dangling behind an unreliable diver unless you're moving pretty fast

Good photos of awesome conditions you were in--I could feel the bump!   That is a beautiful salmon--nice work.  

Regarding the Deep Six, Pink Lady, diving planers, they are reliable at low trolling speeds.  I think you'll like them.  Ideally there's no gear loss with a hookup and it gets down like lead.  Try it out.  I caught my 21.5#er at Shelter Cove last summer using a Deep Six.  I've gone out with my dad in his powerboat for 25 years+ and I like the diving planers more than downrigging, lead balls, or other methods.  And we troll slow.  In my kayak, I was trolling out two miles to the fleet at the Cove and two guys in PB's told me I was going too fast!  (I wasn't going very fast at all!).  I slowed down and the planer kept it's diving action down to very slow speeds.  
Lots of nice salmon caught over the years in the powerboat, but never a 37 by me yet.  Again, nice work on the kayak.

Paul - That is THE fish! Fantastic job!

Helluva fish!  I just wish you could have bounced Mooccccch!!!!!

Patrick/goldenarrow 37# halibut Santa Cruz

Patrick/goldenarrow 37# halibut Santa Cruz

Maybe they was twins

That's is an amazing fish.  

Between, the fog, swell, surf and GWS, if my wife ever read your post I would not be fishing from a kayak.