3 Days of Bliss! - Sara and Al's Memorial Day Weekend -

Rather than camping out, I decided we should stay mobile and try and hit up a few spots this weekend for a variety of fishing.  Since none of the A-Hulls could work out a hookup to see eachother, we visited each A-HULL  

Saturday we headed out to Fishermans Warehouse to see what was going on for their sale.  Picked up an 8'6 Ugly Stick Lite and a Penn reel to use for perch fishing.  We then drove out to Manresa SB and hooked up with Stoggie for some Perch "Fishing" (no, didnt catch anything).  It was beautiful, but packed on the beach and we fished this one area for a few hours and chilled a few more taking in the beautiful day. Then we made our way down to Monterey and stayed with Pat/SinCoast for the night.

Sunday: Get up at the crack of 6:30 and lazily we make our way to Carmel.  We skipped on Stillwater and went sout the the beach instead.  Sara makes me proud doing her first real surf launch (and landing!) that day, like a PRO!    We get out there and though the wind isn't blowing hard (yet) its a decent mixy (puky) swell.  After about an hour Sara heads in, got the ick and had her first OTW up-chuck experience.  Pat and I stay out a bit longer, before *I* get the ICK and decide I have to head in as well.  Caught only one olive, and I was being nice and didn't lip grip him so when I went for a measure pic he stuck me with a spine and flipped himself overboard.  Pat stayed out a bit longer until the wind REALLY picked up and it was white caps everywhere!  

We hit RG Burgers in Carmel (yUm!) and heard that Andy (FM1) was somewhere in BigSur hanging out.  So we travel down the coast and make our way to pfeiffer beach.  It was so packed that we couldn't even get down the road to the beach, they had security turning people away.  But then I rememberd a spot Andy told us about by the river, and we eventually met up with him, Chris, and Brenda having their own lil' chill spot on the river.  We hung out, splashed in the river, BBQ'ed up some grub and drank beers and had a good time.

Monday: After two days of traveling down the coast I wanted to stay local.  We get up and drive over to Capitola hoping for some nice conditions.  We get there and Stoggie is on the Wharf chatting with Brent (Porky) on the VHF and we let him know we are getting ready to launch.  But, by the time we get re-parked and ready to launch, we see him pulling out of the water, and he says he has to go home to take care of his daughter who is ill.  

While getting ready the fog rolls on in.  Figured it would be that way the rest of the day, but by the time we re-parked the car, it had burned off and pushed back and it was a beauuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuutiful day!  No swell, hardly any wind, and lots and lots of talk about Hali's being caught just before we launched.  Drifted in the shallows looking for some hali's to bite, but no takers.  We head out around the kelp beds and try to pull up some RF, but the bite was ultra slow.  Sara heads back in, but I stay out another couple hours trying to take advantage of the awesome conditions.  I hookup with this guy thats fishing on a cool Humbolt Kayak, and he and I keep looking for the fish for a while together.  A band started playing on the end of the Wharf so I had tunes to listen too while fishing  

I'm chasing some bait balls around tossing my swimbaits and anchovie hoochie all around but getting no bites.  I'm about ready to call it a day when I see my spool start zinnging!  Reach down and grab the rod to set the hoook and think to myself Halibut!!!!   Reeling it in this is a decent fish!  But as I can see while its coming up that its no Hali but it IS a LINGCOD!   I'm so excited it takes a few runs for the bottom, I'm trying to work it right and not break the line, but eventually have to heave-ho it back to the surface.  Get it on the lip gripper and give it a quick measure.  23.90!!   DAMN them Capitola underlings!  

I eventually get some more bites, some bait theiving juvinile brown rockfish, but they must be small as most of them were un-hookable on my 3oz leadhead and 2/0 hooks.  So I give it up and call it a day.

What a weekend!!!  

Cool report, Al - dig that dual-hull kayak and the mega-cooler!    

What a great weekend. Thanks for the report & picks.
 Randall

Right-on Al, what a sweet weekend! Way to do it up right.    

What a great report!!!  Sounded like just hooking up chatting and drinking a few brews with the bro's was your agenda...  nothing like some salty air, good friends, and some great fish stories...

Great meeting you and Sara @ GS4, that sunday rocked for sure...

great weekend al, thanks for sharing your adventure, sounds like you guys had a great time, cameron

what a weekend, you really covered some ground..Nice!

Nice post Al!
That looks like the twin of the ling I picked up the same day. I think they know they are "unkeepable" at 23.99".

That catamaran yak is pretty crazy!

your weekend is more than most do in a five year span= GET THE FAULK DOWN&OUT you 2!
and to click as you went?, means you went for ME!  thanks for that, for i am waiting for the RF opener to soon hit in my front yard. 

AAAWWWEEEESOOOMMMEE!!!!!!!

Really wish I had been around to hang out with you guys!!!

Beautiful pics...love that big cooler man!! 

What a pretty Ling and clear looking water too!!

I am gonna start bringing my dive gear out with me out there just to try and get down and check stuff out when the vis is nice like that!!

Thanks for sharing!!

 

Sincerely,

Jim

Awesome dood! Great story, what a weekend! You two rule, always on the move! Good to see ya!

Sunday: Get up at the crack of 6:30 and lazily we make our way to Carmel.  

Dude that was hella.early for me 
I knew we shoulda used kittens for bait, at least it would've kept the gophers away.

a seriously cool weekend of fishing.  Sincoast up before 9 am to fish? shocking

 In capitola the lings know that 24 is the size limit so when they hit 23, they start smoking and doing things to stunt their growth.  

Glad you guys had a great weekend
Let me know when you guys are ready for a trip up here, Shasta Lake is full and I have the rest of the summer off
Tad
 

great report, thanks for sharing!!