Santa Cruz Salmon with Khahn

What's up guys. First trip of the new year for me was spent with Khahn of Northcalsportfishing.com fame. Many of you already know him but for those that don't the dude is a total legend. From seabass to salmon and everything in between Khahn knows how to get it done.

I've been jonesing for some salmon for  the last couple years and hoped that these early season fish would be withing kayak range for us mortal non bluekayak types. Unfortunately it was not to be and I figured the next best thing would be a trip with Khahn.

My friends and I had a great time today at Soquel hole outa santa cruz and we ended up just one shy of limits for three. We lost the last three bites with two of them being large fish.

If any of you are looking to feed your family some fresh local chinook before our season gets shut down I highly recomend a trip with Khahn. Just make sure you clear your schedule first because you will likely be the first on the water and the last to leave.

I hope these fish move up the line in a couple of months and that we still have a season to fish for them. I've never caught a salmon from the kayak but would love to try.


-Eliot

nice fish otter hope zee doesnt see your photos and rain on your thread. tight lines. bulldog

Nice fish 
Thanks for the report/pics

Thanks guys.

Why would Zee rain on the thread? Did he have a bad experience with the boat?


-Eliot

he saw a pic with me holding what he believes to be a native salmon.fin not clipped. as in some of your photos of fish.  he was hurt. my thread was non yak santa cruz salmon. no biggie. just his point of view. tight lines. bulldog

Congrat on the catch Eliot.  I went out with my friend in Bodega bay yesterday and got one too.  My wife and I love fresh wild Salmon Sahimi style!  Thanks for the report and pictures.

Right on thanks for the explanation Bulldog. Two of our fish were hatchery and three were wild. Ooops! I would rather catch all hatchery fish any day!  Good news is we did give the two hatchery heads to the biologists so they can determine where they were from and hopefully have a bit better science in the future.

I wouldn't be suprised if allot of these are oregon fish that just came down to feed and fatten up. I don't think theres allot of natural reproduction for the sacramento run anymore.

I'm so with you on the sashimi Sailfish! The belly pieces were melt in your mouth good! As I told my friends these are the tastiest parasites you will ever eat. I know you're supposed to freeze it first but I can't help it.


-Eliot

Very nice Eliot. Just made my mouth water looking at your salmon there bro.
Thanks for the report.

Jedmo

Glad to see you go out with Khanh.  He is my VN homie from way back.  I loved to fish with him off the Backbrace, and so true, he takes it to the max.  We ran for tuna once out of HMB, bagged a bunch of albies, then headed to Pescadero for rockfish.  It was the most intense day of fishing I've ever had.  Don't know how he does that day in and day out.

I am going to book a run with him this year. 

Glad to see you go out with Khanh.  He is my VN homie from way back.  I loved to fish with him off the Backbrace, and so true, he takes it to the max.  We ran for tuna once out of HMB, bagged a bunch of albies, then headed to Pescadero for rockfish.  It was the most intense day of fishing I've ever had.  Don't know how he does that day in and day out.

Does Khanh has a day job or he's "in between job" like me?    Most VN-ese I know love fishing 

I believe he's a fulltime skipper now.  Got tired of MechE and answered his true calling.

Fantastic!

Bull dog don't think Zee was bagging on you pretty sure he was just surprised as the rules are a little differant up north.

Glad to see you go out with Khanh.  He is my VN homie from way back.  I loved to fish with him off the Backbrace, and so true, he takes it to the max.  We ran for tuna once out of HMB, bagged a bunch of albies, then headed to Pescadero for rockfish.  It was the most intense day of fishing I've ever had.  Don't know how he does that day in and day out.

Does Khanh has a day job or he's "in between job" like me?    Most VN-ese I know love fishing 

I think most of the best captains are asian! Quang on the Goldeneye 2000 and Shim from the New Salmon Queen are both super hardcore fisherman as well. I've been out twice with Shim for albacore and both trips ended up being 24hrs. One dudes wife got so concerned she called the coast guard!

It's cool too see someone doing something they are so passionate about. Khahn had been getting up at three every morning for seven days straight and was bummed that he couldn't fish this weekend because he had prior obligations.

I'd like to book another trip with him when the seabass go off again or maybe this summer for a live bait rockfish/halibut combo.


-Eliot

he saw a pic with me holding what he believes to be a native salmon.fin not clipped. as in some of your photos of fish.  he was hurt. my thread was non yak santa cruz salmon. no biggie. just his point of view. tight lines. bulldog

Look BD, if you got a problem with me PM me and let's straighten this out. Don't try to smear my name.

As to the fish, it had an adipose fin so is a hatchery fish. You know, I was hurt. I hope the entire West coast can have salmon fishing for many years to come but in order for that to happen it takes responsibility on many people's account. CA gov, CA DFG and every fisherman out there. Selective harvesting is proven to strengthen salmonid fisheries. You might think it's my point of view but there's thousands more thinking along the same lines. Check out the CCA.
http://ccapnw.org/WA_Position_Statements
http://www.ccapnw.org/pageview.aspx?id=31322

I still hope the CCA can get a chapter out there very soon.

Otter, sorry about this but I had to answer BD's comments.

**Threadjack out**

Z