LM 2006 july 1

quite a crowd bravely launched into 3 lines of breakers. only 8" tall tho,  .

I saw lings and cabezon and rockfish and a monster striper caught while I was there,
but the sentiment was that it was slow. Jason and Greg and Danglin and craigh looked
like they were hooking up regularly or with something good when I paddled by.

I caught underlings (I swear the same one followed me around) and rockfish on a 5" anchovy swimbait.
released all but one blue rockfish that was hooked in the eye. Tried briefly for salmon when
mooch went after bird activity and I followed. No luck there.

choppy bumpy water from this mendocino windswell.  I was not that comfortable myself,
bailed pretty early.

J

Now im pissed I missed the memo and I went to hmb this morning and since the weather was so nice there I went out by myself and did ok 2 blues and 1 underling and 1 huge halibut but I dont want to talk about that next time I will have to make sure to check the boards the night before but its good to hear so many showed up at linda mar.

I launched around 730am after deciding the night be for to not try for salmon.  Paddled out past the nipple to the crew and landed several small rock fish (mostly blacks and kelp).  Kept 4 for dinner.  Conditions weren't great (choppy with some wind), but I've seen worse.  Landing was dry.  Had good lunch at L&L with the guys - lots of food, good stuff.   

A few nice lings landed by others as well as a nice legal cabby by GTO.  I can't wait to see the pic of the fish of the day (caught by a 1st timer on the ocean yakker)...

Had a great day, choppy and windy, but at least I caught some fish. Left Modesto at 3:30am got back at 3:30pm. I brought home a limit of 7 black's and 3 Gophers.

Mooch, thanks for the chart it came in handy. Lunch at L&L was great, I'm still full.

Here's a pic of the 17# striper caught just past the surf, Great catch

 Tim almost about to do a nose dive into the water while landing, and a pic of some of the guys at the end of the day.

Craigh

Great to meet some of the new members,  I came home with 3 Blacks and a couple of gophers.  Was trying for the go home fish but it wasn't to be.  As said conditions were okay, but a little choppy for me.  Off the water at 9:30am.

John

BTW -- the newbie luck was out in full force again, a Sac Fire Fighter (sorry forgot your name)  was really only out to try out his new Hobie.  He caught a 17 pound striper on a Blue crocodile spoon with a rusty hook.

Had a blast out on my first trip through the surf!  Getting out there was cake, and getting back in was easy too.  Inverted, and wet, but easy.

Would've limited on blues and blacks had I kept them.  Went home with a just legal ling and a small copper.

Can't wait to do it again!

Wow...thought I had hooked the ocean floor! Thanks to Fishunter and all the other "newbies" on the surf today. It was great to try this with so many there and getting great tips to get out and back without much trouble. And ya, it's true, stripped down my Hobie for exspected disaster in the surf, one rod, one green rusted crocodile and one 17# striper 2 minutes past the surf...iT'S GREAT TO BE A NEWBIE!...DANGLIN

Oh, I forgot, thanks for the pic. posting, see ya all soon

Newbie Blues (or green in my case)

Great to see the turnout, meet new people and the fish caught (lings, rockies and MONSTER Striper) and not so happy to see the swell...

On the launch it took me longer to get past the initial breakers so in the second line I got some wash across my front deck but the third line broke over my bow.  I bungied my net to the front and when it was pulled loose it snagged my tupperware hatch and opened it.  So as the sea was washing into my hatch I was paddling like mad to get past the surf zone.  Then I scooted up and secured the hatch.  There were a few gallons of ballast but the yak still paddled fine.

When I paddled out short of the nipple I saw Tim hook up on a nice ling.  Oh boy, rockies for me...with the shrimp flies out I hooked up immediately but it was a king fish, so it just became ling bait.  Anyway, while I was bouncing around out there breakfast started coming back up so I had to make this a short day.  Made a banzai run for the beach, didn't bother counting the waves in the zone and kept it straight for a head-in dry landing.

I learned a lot from this first outing.  How to translate the buoy reports into actual conditions.  The gear to launch with, the gear to stow when coming in because I was definitely overloaded.  To allow for more time to start paddling and get past the first set of breakers.  I think the tupperware hatch would have been fine if I didn't have my net on the front deck but now I'm going to secure the hatch with a strap like Troy's Tarpon. Leave the front deck bare and expect water to wash over it.   Drag a lure around behind the surf line to snag the bottom like Danglin (you rock dude!).  Take my seasickness medicine.  It hurt to have to leave this target rich environment but it pays to cut your losses.  Like Arnold says, "I'll be back".

Gary

Great turnout for rockfish opener everyone!  It was nice to see that so many people made it out and a lot of new faces as well.  I caught 1 ling keeper and 3 or 4 underlings as well as a pile of small rockfish.  caught 1 14" Cabbie.  Here's the only picture I have, Joel has some more pictures he needs to post them!

Good to meet people not met before and nice to see people I have.Showed up at 6:00 with Lings in target.Given prelaunch do's/dont's(Good lookin-out JTF!)Made it through the surf with fellow surf-newb(wuzup' Bungle),past the cliffs(could see Devils slide/Rockaway Beach)and JTF says now get your gear out and we'll be paddling out there.The(I'm not feeling comfortable)feeling hits me and I replied in a hi-pitched(shruken-nutts)voice,"man I think I'm going back inside with Sandman"Reluctantly tucked tail and paddled inside to see Gary landing already and joinned him after a wave in.What was I afraid of ? a 13ft yak in 1ft surf sure felt different than a 3ft bodyboard in 5ft surf!(see pic.winter Rockaway)I'm gonna hope for surf and soon"Lake Pacifica" will arrive so I can pull out the "Rusty Crocadile" for surfzone-strippers like Dangle did For Real!

Here are a few pics of the"monster" and Danglin was following me to Rockfish!What a  I felt like!Way to"stick with the plan"Dangle!
Adam

Thanks Fishhunter! Now I can put it to those MONKEYS @ the firehouse, I think that last pic might make "Hobie " proud, Thanks again..." Have rusty croc, wiil travel".....DANGLIN

Danglin... that's HOG of a striper for sure.  CONGRATS!!!!!

It's been a long time since someone on a yak caught a big one there.  I'm glad you did.

Any idea of its length?

Adam.... nice pics!

Wow, the conditions out by the point sure didn't match up with the 8" breakers at the beach!  I swear I was at the bottom of some 6-8' rollers out there, resulting in the "uncomfortable" feelings described by Sandman and Fishunter!  Boy, barfing up an OJ breakfast is no good!     I launched a little late and came in early, but did manage to meet GTO out on the water (thanks for the tips and the heavier jig!), Danglin just before he launched for the epic Striper, and Craigh as he came in to re-rig.  Thanks to Joe/Skyboy for helping me load my yak!  Although I got skunked, I hope to give LM another try (I'll make sure to pop the Bonine next time).

Andy