Exploring Carmel 7/10/11

Had plans to go with Bloodbath to this one spot in Carmel, but looked too rough for us when we got there so decided to go jump in at a new (for me) spot.

Super dark under the kelp canopy, but viz was still nice and had a blast exploring new territory and putting together a stringer of 7 decent RockFish and one beautiful 16 inch greenling.

Joe nailed two cabbies and a chunky kelpie quick and decided he was done so started swimming in....I followed, but took my time working through and exploring the surgy eel grass shallows.

Reward for my efforts was a nice 22 inch MonkeyFace!!
 

Back on dry land the cougars were out in force as usual and we trolled the streets with our dive clips and found plenty of takers!!
 

Boogieboardsteve and his NCUWH buddy were out tank diving and scored a BEAUTIFUL 34 inch Ling!!

WTG fellas!!

Hung with baitnbeer and alameda a bit on the way out...great to see you guys!

Back at the pad, kicked it with Joe and the fam for a few beers!!

All before noon!

Good times!!


 
Sincerely,

Jim

This might be my favorite BigJim video.  The very end is awesome.  Dude, your an eel fileting expert, thats some beautiful work there buddy.  I wish I could have been out there with you guys, but I've got some family issues keeping me on lockdown for now.  Thanks for posting that up, I cant wait to get out there with you guys next time.

Oh yeah, some NCUWH guy shoots a ling while on air...wow, I'm so impressed  ::fart noise::

You da man BigJim/Eel Master!

Jeff

Jim, sorry I couldn't make it out with you and Joe. Making time to fish or dive is gonna be a lil hard right now; an important employee of mine who used to take care of my duties while I was away quit on me without any notice making things difficult for me right now 

To tell ya the truth, it's my 4 yr anniversary today and I've got my gf helping me out right now lol!! I had made plans to take my gf and my yaks to the Channel Islands for 3 days of camping and yak fishing. And Albion too!! 

Sorry for venting out loud lol 

Anyways, awesome job on the shooting and the hookup, miss you guys!!

Another very cool BigJim vid., thanks for sharing brother

WTG, guys! Nice stringer, especially considering how dark it looks! Looks almost like a night dive!

Awesomeness +1

I haven't shot a monkeyface in awhile and was so jazzed I had to use the Funky Munky Bizniz song by Jon Cleary and the Absolute Monster Gentlemen!
 

Funky!
 
 
Sincerely,

Jim

Awesome video!  Thanks for sharing the fish hunt report Jim.

Made the most of what mother nature gave us today, and baitbag.
Good hanging with you jim!

love the big jim classic fish pet at 0:42 and the comment about trolling for cougars.   classic.  I think it would be best if you trolled with live bait, maybe a wolf eel or even a lancet fish and you can score one.  BIG BAIT = TROPHY COUGARS.  Or you can do what I do and take rick with you.  haha nice job fellas.
HP
 +1 on shellback

Damn thats dark! Way to go fellows im almost ready for some salt thereapy!

Great video Jim!  That monkeyface eel looks delicious after you got it all skinned.  Thanks for taking the time to create the video.  Really brings us all in the action you are experiencing. 

Rey

Great report Jim and Joe!    Man, that was DARK!  How do you do that with just a flash light?  The Monkey song was awesome 

Coupld other cool things that made the morning special for me:

-I haven't shot a monkeyface since March, and the ones I have found in the past few months I have screwed up the shot and the flopper didn't get all the way through and they got away! 

I was really, really, really, really hoping to find a "kicker fish" to cap off the stringer of rockies and was searching hard in holes for cabbies, lings or eels...

Found one hole in the eel grass that had a squirming mass of eel flesh in the back, but the surge swept me away before I could get a shot off, and then my repeated attempts over the next half hour to find the eel again failed....

Moved the boogie board about 50 feet closer to shore and clipped off to a big bull kelp head...as I got shallower and closer to the breaking waves the surge got stronger and stronger....found a nice hole in the eel grass (now I know why they call it eel grass!!  ) and there was my target MFPB head! 

He saw me and the hungry look in my eyes and tried to pull his head further back into his lair, but I was too quick for him and the spear went right through his eyeball and down and out of his stomach...perfect holding shot and the double flopper deployed and sealed his fate!!

 

We braised the filets with some zatarains mixed with tony chacheres and then topped it off on the plate with some raspberry chipotle bbq sauce...so good!!!

 

-The greenling I got was big and chunky and joe's scaling tool made quick work of the hard, small scales on the beach.  Have found their flesh to be a little soft when fried up, but this time we stuffed the belly with onions, green peppers, and lemon slices, rubbed some spice and oil on the skin and grilled it whole wrapped in aluminim foil...turned out AWESOME and the family really enjoyed it!!

Looking forward to future underwater explorations...tons of new territory to explore and hunt and good times to be had!!

 

Sincerely,

Jim

Thanks for the report Jim! It must've been exciting to dive in such dark place.