Santa Cruz Thursday 5.30.13

I was going to head to the main boat launch in the harbor but decided to try out Aldos. Found good parking closeby. Was on the water by 730am. Since I am still unfamiliar with the area or where the mile buoy was I decided to head for the first buoy I saw. A guy in a blue and white Cdory told me to head for the yellow can, and just pointed out so I didn't really think anything of it. I ended up at a red and white floating tower, but had a feeling it wasn't the buoy, no bites but there were other boats fishing the area. I looked north and found the yellow can, tried that and nothing. So I decided to go south and finally found a buoy, a yellow one. I said to myself this must be it!   Ate a few pieces of roasted chicken legs,  while drifting around it and ended up hooking 6 blacks, keeping 3 of the decent sized one, then got into a school of jacksmelt! Got a couple nice ones. Ran into one dolphin that kind of hung around. All in all a great day, and much needed water therapy.

Nice work steph! Now you know where to go!

That's great StephL. You found the spot. Glad you had a great day! Thanks for the report.

Nicely done.  If I understand your "buoy progression", you paddled quite a bit.

What did you get the jacksmelt on?  I've been trying to make bait on them the past couple times out.  There are a lot of them swirling on the surface, but my usual goto technique isn't getting the job done.   

-Allen

Good job!  Lotta paddling eh?

the "tower" thingie is the Mile buoy.  buncha sea lions sitting on it?  Due south of SC harbor 1 mile (duh).

Little tiny reefs out there have been producing well most days for RF and lings, and nearby, an occasional halibut.

Main thing is you got out there!  And CAUGHT FISH THIS TIME111

WTG.

Bushy

Nicely done.  If I understand your "buoy progression", you paddled quite a bit.

What did you get the jacksmelt on?  I've been trying to make bait on them the past couple times out.  There are a lot of them swirling on the surface, but my usual goto technique isn't getting the job done.   

-Allen

Thanks yall!

Allen - Yea there was quite a bit of paddling involved, the good thing was going to the yellow buoy I had the wind at my back pushing me. That was awful convenient. I was using Sabikis for the Jacksmelt, and yea they were pretty close to the surface. The big one I got was about 12 inches long. Fried em up when I got home and they were delicious! 

Bushy

Good job!  Lotta paddling eh?

the "tower" thingie is the Mile buoy.  buncha sea lions sitting on it?  Due south of SC harbor 1 mile (duh).

Little tiny reefs out there have been producing well most days for RF and lings, and nearby, an occasional halibut.

Main thing is you got out there!  And CAUGHT FISH THIS TIME111

WTG.

Bushy

Ohh so that was the Mile Buoy! I was thinking it would look like a round beach ball looking buoy, which is why I thought the yellow one was the one 

I got into some jacksmelt there last year. The tuff part is getting them, and yourself, off of the sabiki while still staying on top of the school. Those little hooks are sticky. I know they make a special rod for sabiki - I'm cheep.

Anybody ever smoke jacksmelt? Boney?

NICE JOB. SHOULDA DROPPED ONE OF THOSE JACK SMELTS DOWN FOR A TRY AT A HALIBUT. CAUGHT A FEW THAT WAY

Thanks for the post and remember life is the journey!

Thanks for the Cruz report and picture StephL.

Definitely need to drop one down next time. Worse case scenario is no biters and you STILL get to bring it home for dinner

Sent from my EVO using Tapatalk 2

Thanks guys, next time im out im def gonna drop the baitfish and drift for some butts. 

YouGoGirl!    WTHook'em&Eat'em 

I've caught jacksmelt on Super Duper trout lures, big fun.  I didn't know they were decent eating.

Way to get out there!

You did better than I did. Went out Sunday & got the skunk.

I've caught jacksmelt on Super Duper trout lures, big fun.  I didn't know they were decent eating.

Way to get out there!

I've caught them on tiny kastmasters too.