Stillwater middle rocks and just north of them.

went Saturday with the family to sw cove in carmel and it was high fog and darker than the last few times i was out there. vis was also a bit less possibly due to kelp breaking up or something. i unloaded and saw a few others heading out to spear and it looked like people were just having a good ol beach day. i got my family situated on the beach in a mini cove and headed out towards the middle rocks on the north west side just near where the seals were.

first drop, it was dark, got down to 50 ft or so and it was pretty darn dark and no fish anywhere. i did several more drops in this area and did see one kelp rf but other than that it was fish-less. i figured it was too close to the seals and the fish got the hint that they would be eaten quicker around this area.

i moved a bit north between the middle rocks and the north side of the cove and did some drops around 40 ft and after multiple drops i saw a reef that rose up to about 15 ft from the surface. the blue rf overhead with scarred bodies meant something was hanging out below. i saw a few fish with bite marks and i just had to look into it more.

the south side of this reef had multiple holes and caverns and out of the corner of my eye i saw movement slithering head first into one of the holes. i saw the body of a ling cod heading in. unfortunately this hole was dark, went in far and i didnt have the flashlight with me.... my yak was about 50 feet away.

i laid the gun down in the hole and remembered where my orange float line was at the surface. swam back to the yak and got my light. came back over and got my breath to dive down. the gun had slipped out and moved but i recognized the ledge upon where it was at. there the ling had returned face out sitting there watching. i dove down again and speared it and cleaned it out immediately which brought the big school of blues back to the area.

i got some blues and headed in.

this day was strange, very not fishy and what fish there were were all hunkered down. i have seen this happen before a storm or when waters were about to get rough again. i think for rod and reel anytime before a storm or big swell i would think it would make for bad fishing. fish are just hidden and what fish i get i have to go looking in holes for.

on the plus side water did warm up compared to last weekend so i was ok staying in a while. the downside to a overcast day is a dark bottom and general loss in colors underwater.

here is a photo.

Great report and nice ling!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What you said about the fish hunkering down before the storm makes total sense....

Thanks for sharing and congrats again on the fatty ling!!

Sincerely,

Jim

this day was strange, very not fishy and what fish there were were all hunkered down. i have seen this happen before a storm or when waters were about to get rough again. i think for rod and reel anytime before a storm or big swell i would think it would make for bad fishing. fish are just hidden and what fish i get i have to go looking in holes for.

Thank you for your observation. This may explain why I did so poorly at GS4. The kelp bed was deserted.

 You cleaned your ling out under water? not afraid of what you might invite with the blood? Thats a nice fish btw. Were you scuba or free dive?

Nice report, and I second your thoughts on the fish hunkering down. I fished all over SWS Sunday , first just inside for a few small ghophers then I went around the point . I worked that area inside out, a few more gophers and one olive. It felt like I would have had to hit a ling on the head to get one to bite. Big change from the previous week. I might wait till after the US open before I hit SWS again. Thanks for the report, aka-Kimo

this day was strange, very not fishy and what fish there were were all hunkered down. i have seen this happen before a storm or when waters were about to get rough again. i think for rod and reel anytime before a storm or big swell i would think it would make for bad fishing. fish are just hidden and what fish i get i have to go looking in holes for.

Thank you for your observation. This may explain why I did so poorly at GS4. The kelp bed was deserted.

usually i see a lot of fish in these areas when i dive, fish are out in the open and in the water column. also sitting upon the reefs and on the rocks scattered about. this day, except the blue rf, the fish were all deep in holes lounging away and really inactive. no blacks , kelp rf, olives on the kelp forest and no lings in the open, no cabezon as well in the open.

there have been times i cleaned out fish caught before a storm and in the belly was pebbles, shells etc... it is almost like they know the storm is coming and they weight themselves down and get in a hole for cover. the fish caught when there is no coming storm or period of high swells seem to never have a whole lot in their belly.

these are just my thoughts but perhaps i am way off. i dont know.

 

You cleaned your ling out under water? not afraid of what you might invite with the blood? Thats a nice fish btw. Were you scuba or free dive?

hey there, i was freediving, i used to scuba but that gear is so heavy and expensive. freediving i seem to see more fish as well.

i typically clean my fish out in the water and by the time i am done with one, more fish have amassed underwater. when i do this sometimes it seems thee are fewer parasites in the meat. someone at the dive shop told me the worms move from the belly cavity to the meat when the fished died so i started cleaning them underwater as soon as i got them.

there is always a chance of attracting the unwanted to the the area like sea lions and sharks but there is also a good bet of attracting other fish i am looking for. the fish seem to like the guts they get to eat and with many lings i pop out a octopus for the blues to dine on. when t he blues feed sometimes other lings come out to check out the action lining me up for a follow up ling when i am done cleaning and reloading the gun. the other fish get to eat the guts and everyone is happy.

i dont advise cleaning fish under water and i know that i have been in real close proximity to sharks, leopard and "others" from what people who were diving near me have said. at the same time i dont feel very fearful of sharks either because its not just spearfishing people who have been attacked by them.

i guess if you have any reservations about being attacked by a shark the best thing is to stay above the water because the last thing you want to get is anxious while you are diving. people can probably work themselves up to an anxiety attack if they think too much about it. i just kind of feel that if its my time it will happen one way or another be it driving , diving or flying. freediving and spearfishing is really my only getaway where i can have time by myself and thoughts so its a good trade off for me.

anyhow, yes blood attracts things and sometimes good, sometimes bad.

Cool. Thats good to know about the parisites, So do you think that would apply to yak fisherman? Catch the fish,snap quick pic, then hold it under water an clean it.

Cool. Thats good to know about the parisites, So do you think that would apply to yak fisherman? Catch the fish,snap quick pic, then hold it under water an clean it.

i just bleed and clean my fish as soon as i get it and if you are dropping the guts something is bound to come looking for it. i think its like chumming the water, brings out more fish. of course some days fish just dont come out for anything offered. thats when we go looking for them. 

Right on john! Way to be patient and find the right area. I want to dive with you.

Right on john! Way to be patient and find the right area. I want to dive with you.

we should hook up sometime. i usually travel with the family so i arrive later but i can always meet you all in the water right?