Randy Fry event

We planned on leaving the house at 9 am Friday so we would have time to dive the area to scout and get some dinner. I figured we would get some abs and maybe shoot some rock fish and then I was going to go out and fish from the yak for a ling.

I had the truck and trailer loaded and was backing the truck up to the trailer when my dive buddy pointed out that the tread had delaminated from one of the very old tires on my trailer. We went to three different shops trying to fins tires because shops didn't have the size I needed or they were too busy, I thought we were screwed but the last shop hooked us up quick.

We finally got to Ocean Cove at 3pm. It looked like a lake out there and the sun was blazing. I've had so many bad conditions trips this year that I was silly excited. We paddled out not even to the end of the cove and my sonar was reading 25 feet and I could see the bottom. We got in the water and it was beautiful.

We were shooting greenlings and big perch and we got one nice black. It was so calm that I swam up against the cliff rocks and didn't realize it because the water wasn't knocking me into them. The conditions were so good that we stayed in the water for 3 1/2 hours.

I brought all the fixins for some fancy parmesan ab and lemon pepper fish. By the time we got back to shore it was dark and we were too exhausted to clean fish and abs.

We got up Saturday and it was foggy but still pretty calm. I went out with the mighty ABman and my buddy that drove up with me. We went out on the west facing cliffs and the vis was still very good but not as good as the day before because of the fog. I made it for about 2 hours as usual and then started getting motion sick. I hunted the entire time instead of looking for abs. I didn't find any big fish but there were big perch eveywhere. There were a lot of 9ish abs but very few urchins.

I have dove to 40 feet before just to touch the bottom but not to hunt or pick abs. Yesterday I was cruising the bottom at 35 feet looking under rocks and swimming through the sand channels. I felt I could have worked a little deeper but the water was only 35 where we were. I was happy with the conditions and my improvement with relaxing and working deeper. Hopefully vermillions at 60 feet next year.

I saw one big ling and one that was bigger (maybe 15 pounds) and some not so big cabs at weigh in. I think the winning ab was 10 1/2 but I didn't stay around to see all the results. Our group didn't win anything but I had a blast.   

That's awesome that you got great conditions and felt good about your dives, Merv.  WTG!  Thanks for reporting on the event.   

EPIC!! 25' vis and 3.5 hours in the water, outstanding! I love it like that, too. Everybody in my crew will be out of the water, getting cold-I am still exploring, yeah, I've got some extra insulation, but it is more about loving being in the water and apppreciation of the beauty and diversity on our coast.
Thanks for sharing.

Merv,

glad you finally hit some good conditions. As per my PM to you, have a busted up knee and was unable to dive or come up and see you all. Maybe next year. Take care and thanks for the report,

Shannon

Merv summed it up well and he didn't even complain about my diesel waking him up at 6:30 am.   Great time and fantastic conditions.

Big ab of the tourney was 10.022"  by Brandon a NorCalUnderwaterHunters.com, I had two abs over 9.5" but not even good enough for third because second and third were both over 9.9"

Over all the spots we dove were pretty good for abs, but not very fishy.

Met Brandi Easter for my first time...very humble about her accomplishments.

I do really enjoy these tourneys and seeing all the great stringers come back.

One last note worthy fact from the event weigh-in.....the Junior Ab was over 9.7".   I don't think I'm worthy of the login of AbMan maybe I should give it up for someone who could at least place in the junior category.  

Seriously it was a fun event and raised a lot of funds toward representing us in the North Coast MLPA process.

Merv, you are turning into a fish. You remind me of Kevin Costner in that movie
Waterworld. Thanks for the report and BTW, I hope you still have my
back when it comes to my second attempt on ab diving.

Jedmo

Good job out there guys! Good vis makes everything worth it.

Grats to you guys for repping NCKA at the tourney. James you are the AbMan of NCKA whether you won the tourney or not. And Mucho Thanks to AbWoman for dinner. I apoligize for the dine & dash but with no camp spots available I had to jet up to the O.C. and find da boys before dark. I'm sure you guys will podium next year. jim