11-plus inch Abalone (Not mine..DUH)

Congrats to all those in the 11+" club!! Can't even imagine how heavy those suckers would be. Erick, thanks for sharing this cool inspiring video

Jim, I quite certain that you will join this club eventually. You're literally turning into a fish lol!! It's all good, I'll be following you to that path quickly as well lol 

Oh yay! Horray for Benedict Likens. NOT!   Likens sold out the NCC RSG's for his own selfish desires and as a result we all lost Fisk Mill north to the Sea Ranch.   All ab divers should shun Likens for the rest of his life for what he did.   I know I will.

Matt, if that guy is a friend of yours then you also are no friend to any ab-divers or kayakfishermen.    That is called aid & comfort to the enemy. Please tell me you are not really this guy's friend and more like you've met him etc. I don't want that you're his buddy to be true.....not after what he did. Please understand.....I will not forget or forgive what he did nor will I make light of it. Ever. jim

Oh yay! Horray for Benedict Likens. NOT!   Likens sold out the NCC RSG's for his own selfish desires and as a result we all lost Fisk Mill north to the Sea Ranch.   All ab divers should shun Likens for the rest of his life for what he did.   I know I will.

If that guy is a friend of yours then you also are no friend to any ab-divers or kayakfishermen.    That is called aid & comfort to the enemy. Please tell me you are not really this guy's friend and more like you've met him etc. I don't want that you're his buddy to be true.....not after what he did. Please understand.....I will not forget or forgive what he did nor will I make light of it. Ever. jim

+1

Oh yay! Horray for Benedict Likens. NOT!   Likens sold out the NCC RSG's for his own selfish desires and as a result we all lost Fisk Mill north to the Sea Ranch.   All ab divers should shun Likens for the rest of his life for what he did.   I know I will.

Matt, if that guy is a friend of yours then you also are no friend to any ab-divers or kayakfishermen.    That is called aid & comfort to the enemy. Please tell me you are not really this guy's friend and more like you've met him etc. I don't want that you're his buddy to be true.....not after what he did. Please understand.....I will not forget or forgive what he did nor will I make light of it. Ever. jim

Will Jim you are right maybe friend was the wrong choice of words he is some one I know and have spoken with. I do not agree with his view point on the MLPA, but every one is allowed to have there on beliefs and view points, even if I don't agree with them that is what makes this country great,we are allowed to be individuals, but like I said I do not agree with what he did. and have you ever heard the saying keep your friends close but keep your enemies even closer ! and you treat them like a mushroom keep them in the dark in feed them on Bull shit !

Matt, glad to hear that. The diving & fishing community needs to stick together to protect our rights and part of that is to let it be known that there will be consequences for those, such as Likens & Churchman, that collude with the opposition. Normally I would be happy for anyone to find a 11" but not in this case.....and I'll leave it at that. jim

Here's your cod piece, MoFo's!!   

11.25, Matt, and the big red one left of the vacant spot is the 11.026.   

Finding a 10 inch ab is like finding a big mushroom or something - if you have the skills and desire to be in that environment all you need is the time to put in the search.

This movie (not mine) is more about what I enjoy ab diving for anymore.

BlackAb???  Only the king of sling!!!  Way to show some Raider love to FM1!!!  By your avatar it looks like u finally "got some" of those willy salmoniods in your neck of the woods....Right Freaking ON!!! dude I got some WA smoked salmon for ya!!! I havn't been mushroom picking since the 80's  11inch ab...hell my PB was 9 1/4 felt like a 11 to me... BigJ and crew will be on the hunt for snails tomorrow...I will settle for good eats/good times...

?have you ever heard the saying keep your friends close but keep your enemies even closer ! and you treat them like a mushroom keep them in the dark in feed them on Bull shit !" 


I'll take an enemy over a fake friend any day. 

Maybe someday you will tell everyone how you found your 11.25 abalone, because we all know you did not find it.  So stop telling every message board you found an 11.25 abalone, it is getting old.

Maybe someday you will tell everyone how you found your 11.25 abalone, because we all know you did not find it.  So stop telling every message board you found an 11.25 abalone, it is getting old.

Are you talking to Matt or to Eric????

 

I'll take an enemy over a fake friend any day. 

Maybe someday you will tell everyone how you found your 11.25 abalone, because we all know you did not find it.  So stop telling every message board you found an 11.25 abalone, it is getting old.

Wow!  Here's a new one for you all.  A new user attacks someone on his first post.  The someone he is attacking is an account that is no longer active.  You guys sure keep the moderators job interesting.  What to do, what to do ... sit back and watch the drama unfold between the new guy and a non-existant user?

Well ... that was short lived!  Back to our regularly scheduled program.

-Allen

?have you ever heard the saying keep your friends close but keep your enemies even closer ! and you treat them like a mushroom keep them in the dark in feed them on Bull shit !" 


I'll take an enemy over a fake friend any day. 

Maybe someday you will tell everyone how you found your 11.25 abalone, because we all know you did not find it.  So stop telling every message board you found an 11.25 abalone, it is getting old.

Benedict does not seem to believe Matt or to be his friend?

Maybe someday you will tell everyone how you found your 11.25 abalone, because we all know you did not find it.  So stop telling every message board you found an 11.25 abalone, it is getting old.

Are you talking to Matt or to Eric????

 

He's aiming at Matt - I haven't told every message board about my 11.25...   

It's a pretty good story though...   

So it was around October '95.  I had a good buddy, John "Moose" Mela, who was into hiking a long way down the coast with all of his gear on his back, just like me.     We chased the minus tides, but we were ready for diving, picking, 'bullfrogging'...  or whatever the ocean and that tide presented to us.  Being in the wildnerness area that is the surf zone at minus tide was our focus - that's where it happens, folks.  We arrived at our destination - about a mile or more from our usual spots, we'd had our eye on this potential ab goldmine for awhile.  The late afternoon tide was to be about 1.5' minus - a good one for sure as the ocean was also relatively flat that day.  We were excited as we suited up and entered the water.  I was sitting on a rock in, literally, a tidepool to put my fins and mask/snorkel on.  I dangled my legs in 2' of water as I sat on this rock, its top a few inches above the surface.  I got my mask and snorkel and fins on and proceeded to lay down in the water right where my legs had just dangled - we're talking "TIDEPOOL!" - no waves, surge, or any of that - literally JUST GETTING IN THE WATER.  I almost shat my wetsuit when I laid down and looked at the rock I'd just sat on.  Right below where my butt had just been and down a foot or so where it would've been right behind my calves there was a monster ab!  It was sidewall on the rock within a perfect depression that allowed it to seal nicely to the rock's surface - I'll bet that ab lived its entire life right there!  Until I killed it.   

I plucked it off and couldn't believe what was happening - it was by far the biggest ab I'd ever held in person - significantly bigger than my first 11 incher from the summer before.  I held it up and yelled at Moose - he looked over and, I'll never forget this, his eyes widened, and he exclaimed "Holy Shit!!!" - and, this is what's funny, I swear he was looking under the rocks around him just as fast as he'd blurted out his surprise!     We were both convinced that we'd find a bunch of 10's there that day, but we didn't.  We went on to find about half a dozen abs apiece, none of them 10's but some nice 9's including a 9.75 that I led a warden buddy to a couple years later and he picked it.  My big 11.25" ab is like a bathroom sink.  We went by "Food Mart" on the way home (John's a butcher) and weighed the big ab in the meat department - it was over 10 pounds in the shell, but I don't recall just how big - 10.75 I think.  Anyway, it was a cool experience, but I do feel that anyone who sets their mind to it can put the time into the search and score a 10 or eleven inch ab - it does take some skills and hardiness, but mostly just time, determination and a stoke for the pursuit.  What I hope it also brings out of people is a sense of appreciation for these unique old creatures.  I also hope the big ab pursuit brings out the best of peoples' honor, integrity and pride as they learn about how to conduct oneself in a natural environment where many species are vulnerable to abuse and greed.

The feeling of coming upon a trophy abalone is a special one, and it should, I hope, be formed around not just achievement for the self, but also reverence for Nature and unity with other lifeforms and the energy they possess.   

Wow, that sounds like a big Ab!    Just curious, what would the lifespan of a 10-11.25 abalone be?  How long do they take to get that big?

Thanks for sharing that Eric, that was a great story. Some real wisdom and a good example in those words for people to think about in those last couple of paragraphs.

As for the one post shit stirring guy, that's not how we roll on this site, don't come back.
It's obvious Matt Mattison is an obsessed, dedicated trophy hunter, why wouldn't we/I believe he scored a giant 11 incher? That dude puts in work, and like Eric says, that's what it's all about, putting in time. I don't think it's hard to believe a dedicated trophy hunter scored a fatty. I don't buy that he bought it or whatever. It's so lame to swoop in a try to stir shit up.
 I also think (about the Sea Ranch honey hole incident) there is nothing worse than a sell-out, or a traitor, someone who f's everyone else to save what's in their own best interest is not someone who cares about the greater good, (again, not how NCKA rolls) and the greater good is what's its all about.
Have an awesome day everyone, see you all around!

Jeff

AWESOME story Eric!!

THANKS for sharing it with us, and you are right...after looking closer at sranchab's post it looks like he is bashing Matt and not you.

Well said Jeff....I have no reason not to believe that Matt found every one of his big abs...the man is obviously very dedicated with hunting for big abalone.

Sranchab, If you know something different let's hear it, instead of just coming on the board and throwing out accusations on your very first post.

 

Sincerely,

Jim

Wow, that sounds like a big Ab!    Just curious, what would the lifespan of a 10-11.25 abalone be?  How long do they take to get that big?

They're older than most of us - 50, 60, 70, even 100 years old is what I've heard.
What I'd be interested to know is whether the big ones spawn less frequently. I've heard ab divers say they do (possibly as some sort of justification), but other people have told me they spawn just as prolifically as small ones.
Anyone know?

Eric, that is a good story. Makes those of us diving 20 feet for 9s look foolish!