Albion May 14-17..... ARC-1 2010

Albion Report, ARC-1

Well this report prolly wont get much interest with GS4 going on at the same time, GS4 was too far for me to make it this year.

Date: May 14, 15, 16, 17
Location: Albion River Campground

Not being able to make the GS4 shindig, I decided to head up to Albion/Russian Gulch for my birthday. Albion was so cool, we never left to go to the Gulch. I dragged my daughter, wife, mom and aunt up there with me. This was my moms first ever camping trip and she had a blast!

Long drive up to Albion, mainly cause my two dogs were puking ALL OVER THE Suburban on the way up, NOT FUN!!! Thank goddness we were not going all the way to GS4, at this point I was happy with my choice!

Got to Albion on the 14th, got our trailer set up (rented one cause mom didn’t want to tent camp just yet) This was first trip here and I was stoked upon arrival, LOVE THIS PLACE!!

Anyway it was windy and cold! Just chilled, had some beers, BBQ Tri-Tip, and crabbed from the dock all day long, what a blast!!

SATURDAY:
Up at the crack of light, and one the water... Rode the tide out... Dam that Sh#t is shallow, got stuck on the rocks/sand! But it was an easy out, not so easy for the many power boats I saw stuck in the same spot!! Its was cold, foggy, wet, and pretty dam swelly  out there, really swelly and in two directions. Fished out by the buoy on the outside, but had a hard time finding the reefs, always on the flats, occasionally I would get over the reefs and pick up some fish. Only two other yaks out, after a while I noticed I was totally alone and decidied to play it safe and come in with my catch, a few rockies and a legal ling. On the way back in I pulled my crab traps I set, pulled only 2 legal crabs.

Had a oh sh#t moment, as I was pullng my traps, I had my paddle floating in the water, on a leash. After getting my crab on deck I noticed I was drfiting towards the wash rocks fast. So I grabbed my leash, pulled my paddle in,and then snap! The velcro had rotted and broke and my paddle was now drifting away from me, no longer attached to the leash! I was sitting sideways, and was frantically trying to paddle with my hands to my paddle, luckily I was able to stay calm and quickly reach back and grab my rod and BARELY snag my paddle and draw it in!! Now I was going back to land for sure!! Lesson learned!

Also at this point I realized I am not really into crabbing from the yak. Its just not my thing, too much crap to lug around and pretty boring, id rather use the extra time to fish. So expect to see some traps for sale. I did however have a blast hooping crabs from the doc all weekend long, now that is fun! Many, many, many crabs but only two keepers all weekend!

SUNDAY:
Late start at 8 am I was on the water, minimal swell today and I was feeling good. Today I used different tackle and fished all the rock pinnacles on the next cove over, with calm seas I was able to fish in close to the pinnacles and all around them. I was out fishing for hours having a blast fishing these rocks! Keeping a careful eye on the ocean swells, which were pretty flat. Today I fished the old stand by shrimp fly rig with a bottom weight and its was ON!!! Picked up a load of rock fish of all kinds and kept 5, also picked up real feisty 21” cabby on one of the rock structures in close. The fish were everywhere in close to these pinnacles. After my cabby, I decided I had enough fish and called it a day. What a day t was out there, but again I was alone so played it safe and came in before the winds.

Windy afternoons, cold air and grey skys. Monday was the warmest, but its rained.

The people at Albion are just great, met up with some AB divers who eagerly shared there days catch with my family as we traded stories.

Got hooked up with some GREAT wild tuna they canned themselves too, AMAZING!!
 Met so many great people who were all eager to share story, food and beers! What a great time!

Did some walking around and came across about 50 giant crates, of thousands of UNI!!! They totally hooked me up and I didn’t even have to dive!! So at this point all I had done was fished and crabbed, but yet I had, Fish, Crab, now AB’s and endless pile of FRESH uni!!! What the hell!!

Beautiful place, beautiful food, beautiful people... Had such a great time with my family and new friends and couldn’t have been happier to show my baby girl such a great place.

Yup, I missed GS4!! But I feel like I gained so much more!

Stoked for my homie Jim and his new yak too! Way to go jim!

more

and more...

what a great spot! So stoked to have my daughter there with me!

Sweet! Great report Porky. I cant wait for July31st. That place is gonna rock.

Nice job on ALbion! I love this place and will be there on Memorial weekend. Good to see you got up there ok and I'm sure the dogs are feelign better running around on the beach.

Brent, great report!  Looks like an excellent time!    Don't worry, Shelter Cove isn't going anywhere anytime soon   

Good time Porky! Albion is awesome. Looks like you did well for yourself and the family. Keep the traps. I know its a pain but you do get better at it (and more comfortable). Even if you uses them just a few times per season

nice way to include the whole family in!!   From the sound of your stoke, you did have a blast!!
Thnx for the follow up

oh yeah.. The dogs on the beach!!

Sat night my dog Honor was hot on the trail of something, it was pitch black out...

i heard him by the big rock growling, i figured he found a deer or something, turns out he scared the crap out of some couple who decided to go down to the beach to get there pump on!!!

Thats my boy, holding down the beach!

Nice post, love that place too.

great post porky, thanks for sharing the family weekend, looked like a great time, mmmmmmm......uni, cameron

great post Porky. That's what's all about right there.

Great report Porky!!

Albion is a special place but I could do without that foghorn!!

Rich

Nice work Brent

Hope to get up to Albion in July with da crew

stoggie

Dude we missed you at the Cove. ...where I had the same revelation as you: I don't think I enjoy this kayak crabbing deal as much as I imagined I would lol.
Thanks for the report bro!