Santa Cruz salmon search Sunday

Well. I made a late night decision to paddle out at Santa Cruz instead of Moss this morning, because a few boats got limits in 85-90 feet of water outside Capitola on Saturday, and the evening bite was out if front of Santa Cruz in 90-150 feet of water.

Lots of people reported the bite was moving up from the Moss area.  Soquel Hole was working yesterday, though there were fish beiong caught everywhere.

Anyway, I paddled out, trolled a flasher/kajiki combo from about 40 feet out to 100 feet.

Lots of bait balls from 30 feet to around 65, then NADA.  I ended up with only kingfish bites after I switched to bait, alternately trooching or mooching if any bait signs were there.

On the radio, seemed like fishing was good, though a few boats got skunked.  the litle low pressure system is not helping things.  South winds and rain/drizzle.  Made me wish I had brought my hot coffee with me.

Wind came up and the south chop from last night winds combined with the west wind/new chop made things difficult by 11.  Lots better paddling once i got back to the Mile buoy.

In by noon, feeling good but fishless nonetheless.

I think in all, Moss may have been the better decision according to other reports here, at least you guys got bites.

I did hear of aat least one boat that supposedly limited this morning at 110 feet in front of Santa cruz, but I didn';t see them so I'm wondering where they really were, or thought they were.

Trying again mid- week, late laund (8:30-9am) moss or SC harbor.

Allen

Any halis in the SC hood yet?

The only flattie reports I've gotten are from commercial boats working deep.

hope they don't "head em off at the pass" like they did last year.  the commercials did real well wtih halibut, lurking at the mouth of canyons where the halibut come up from the deep.  We had very few inshore.....grrrrrr.......No provable correlation, but it sucked for halibut here last year.

Allen

Blue, If I could paddle like you do, I'd have headed out towards the Hole from the Harbor.  Lots of boats were getting fish that day and the Hole seemed to be the best spot.

the party boats went down to Moss area, Mulligan's, Pajaro, and out front in the deep.

For private boaters most of the radio chatter was from the hole, both sides.

I think the fish are there big time, but the low pressure kept them off the potential bite.  "When the wind's from the South, they shut their mouth."

I'd wait till this low pressure blows by and give it a try.  Wednesday looks like the high will be back in place with NW winds forecast.  Good luck.  (I might sneak out wed morning around 9am from Moss).

Allen