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

I loved your story Eric, maybe there's hope yet for a 10 of my own, of course I'd actually have to go looking for it. 

Shit stirrer decided to delete his own account.  See ya!   

-Allen

I enjoyed Eric's report and appreciate all the work that goes into showing his big Ab's in the best light.  Finding the 11" Ab that I found was a lot easier.  Salmon fishing out of Bodega a friend showed us a spot he'd been keeping secret for 15 years.  They'd found over fifteen 10"+  Ab's in the vicinity over the years.  I swam a 100 feet away from the boat and was diving in 25 FOW against a wash rock.  No need to measure this Ab.  I took it back to the boat and handed it up.  Tape measure said it was real close to 11".  I went back to the same spot and pulled a 10 1/1/4' and 9 7/8".    That was in 2007.  Last year I went back and found a 10 1/4" on the first dive.  I dove for another hour there and could not find another 10",  just bare spots where some other trophy hunter had been there.  Heres some pictures of  those abs and my collection of 10' shells I've managed to hold on to.  No 10" Ab's in 2011 for me.  The 11" I got still calipers out at 11" + a hair.

Shit stirrer decided to delete his own account.  See ya!   

-Allen

So was that Likens yelling at Matt for sort of distancing himself after realizing that Likens is not real popular here?   Old guys like me need it spelled out.

I liked Eric's story of his big ab.

I got one over 11 out at Limintour beach in Point Reyes after salmon fishing out of SF.  I got three big guys that day.  i had the guy in a 19" Whaler following me around because we were so scared of the landlord that day.  I doubt I'd ever dive there again - scary place.

The place Eric took me out to years ago for big abs is also up there on the scariness factor.  Middle of nowhere, Humboldt.

I think so Dave.  I think he wanted to draw attention away from his own shitty actions by claiming that Matt never actually pulled that 11.  Weeaaak.

I don't believe it was Likens.

-Allen

Thanks for the kind words, Guys, and thanks for sharing your story, batt.   

I agree with Andrew - these critters are ancient.  I feel the numbers are accurate - 60-100 years old or more.

Here's another story that I may have told here before, but it's another good one.   

Moose and I were obsessed and hit it hard together for two years or more where we each scored a couple dozen tens.  We were at one of our hike-in spots having a ball on a great minus.  I found a big ab up in a cave - a dry cave at minus tide that you had to hold your breath to get into by crawling through a little opening, but then you were in the cave and there was daylight coming through from a few vent holes.  I saw a beautiful, healthy looking red abalone hanging from the top of the cave - 2' or more of air below it to the puddly bottom.  I shimmied up to it and measured it carefully - 9.5" and, like I said, very red and healthy looking.  Over the years I returned to that ab many times - it never moved, and over the years I've encountered many such abs that inhabit one spot and one spot only.  It had been a few years and I measured that ab at 9.5 again.  They do grow in a spiral, so it takes much growth to get longer.  Many seem to even max out - look for the red "growing" edge to see how healthy and robust they are.  Anyway, I was back up at this spot a few years back - it was 10 years since I'd found that ab.  I went to get in the cave but it was too rough and the water level prevented it.  I thought of those holes where sunlight came in and started digging around moving rocks trying to get in the cave from above.  I moved a few boulders and looked up in there to see that red ab still hanging there!  I worked a bit more to where I could reach it, and I pulled it - longest time I've ever farmed one.  It was STILL 9.5", but it had a great growing edge - very red and fresh.  My point is that I believe abalone to be extremely slow growing - I would not be surprised if that very ab was 100 years old, and I have many abs that are bigger and were battling much more adverse conditions and parasites.

I found 5 tens in 2009 - I pulled zero of them, and a few are on video.   

I found 5 tens in 2009 - I pulled zero of them, and a few are on video.   

And that my friend, is why you are the AbKing.

I found 5 tens in 2009 - I pulled zero of them, and a few are on video.   

And that my friend, is why you are the AbKing.

I found 5 tens in 2009 - I pulled zero of them, and a few are on video.   

And that my friend, is why you are the AbKing.

Indeed!!!

Thanks for sharing your Ab stories Eric. 

Hey all, Eric mentored me in trophy hunting a couple of years ago and what a difference it's made. I in turn, have mentored my nephew Zack and he's really come into his own. Above all I've preached to revere nature, respect and nurture her. I've been blessed to have found some awesome big abs. Matt is not a liar and I know that he found his big ab, the whole story. Whoever the naysayer is, he's  misinformed and full of venom and I hope it does not consume him.

SRJ

Awesome post Eric ! and also thank you all for not buying into the b.s and backing me up. As for what this guy said it is not true several people were there and saw it go down. As for his comments 

Great stories!! Eric, I feel like I was there with you in that cave! Very inspiring... I still believe in only taking the small ones!

Do you guys spend as much time scouting in the winter as you spend diving during the normal ab season?
I have been at a point where I feel I need to dive with someone who has actually plucked a 10".
Am I tripping or what? You guys must know this feeling.