Carmel Bay 9-30

As others have said about yesterday's conditions, we found Carmel bay to be especially clear.  A bit more wind and drift than we would have liked but the fish were biting nearly every drop.  Rockfish of at least five varieties, one ling.  Also, more kayakers than we have every seen.  This is no longer a novel approach to fishing or recreation.  Not a single powerboat in the eastern quarter of the bay but no fewer than 12 kayaks and at least 7 kayak fishermen.  But, this was not the story of the day.  The story was ocean mammals.

I need more practice getting action shots with my digital.  There were humpbacks still in the bay.  They've been there for at least a couple of weeks.  They were feeding in circles and came within 20 yards of us.  A humpback is REALLY big.  The pictures don't really show that.  What I have no good pictures of is the dolphins that came through a couple of hours later.  At least 20 of the big ones....bottle nose?  They were feeding enthusiastically and periodically putting on incredible aerial displays.  The day was another of those once in a lifetime events.

 

Wow, what a day!

Not only was the fishing great, but the local marine mammals put on a show worthy of Seaworld.

Launched at Carmel River Beach with Etienne around 6:30.  Conditions were better than forecast with light winds and the advertised south swell barely perceptible.  Got into the blues and olives almost immediately.  C&Rd a limit or so in the first 30 minutes.  Etienne needed to make it in early to build WAF points, but was able to witness the humpback show before he landed.  He took home a ling and a nice stringer of assorted rockies.

Pat and I stayed out for another couple hours and finished the day with at least 5 limits including a ling, 6 vermillion and a mixed bag of Blues, Olives, Coppers and Gophers (all released except for the 4 we broke).

The real highlight of the day were the Humpbacks and Bottlenose dolphins.  Pics can convey better than words:

Awesome!  Those kind of days are very special.  WTG on getting some photos for all to see.   

And you turned down sharks in the bay for this?!?!?!??! 

Amazing stuff and great pics!

EPIC!  That is Paige's dream day on the water!!!

Those are some great pics!  and good story, thanks for the post.

That day I surfed manressa, the south end,  whales and dolphins and many many diving pelicans just outside. Saw one whale breach. I assumed grey, just cause they are so common, they don't usually breach but I ahve seen some big spyhops. but maybe they were humpbacks?

when I lived in mexico, the humpbacks put on a big display in the winter, about an hour north of cabo on the pacific side, off of pescadero and todos santos, that is the only place I have seen them in big numbers.

I have seen some big breaches, like more than half the body out of the water, I would not want to be too close to that. Even those big dolphins, when the blow out of the water near you, you realize how big and fast and powerful they are, I have been suprised by them before while surfing, you feel real slow and puny around them.

J

wow what a day....i have been witness to humbacks but never the dophins like that what a treat great pictures!

Oh, we should have mentioned the sound that the humpbacks make.  It was really loud....Reminded us of elephants.  It was sort of a combination of train straining to start on tracks and some other huge industrial deep yet slightly piercing sound.  Really impressive.  We didn't hear it early in the day but when they moved east of us, further out towards the ocean they were making "calls?" everytime they blew.  Maybe it was just some sort of whalish wheezing?

Absolutely fantastic photos. What an expereince! Kayaking, fishing, Whales, and Dolphins all in one day. What a great day indeed.

That is awesome!
Those humpbacks have been hanging around there for a couple weeks now...amazing!

Thanks for the pics and report,
PK

Just to add my late two cents worth, it was totally magical out there on Saturday   .  I left at about 9:30 but stopped once on the way in when I saw a good group of fish on the FF.  I dropped down and got one last Vermillion for the stringer.  Other than that, Pat and Randy really captured the feeling of the day with those awsome photos.  Sorry I missed the dolphins but the humpbacks were incredible.  Once shortly after Pat had her close encounter, I had a fish on when I heard a loud roar behind me.  I turned to see a huge whale back slipping into the dark followed shortly by its buddy.  They we 30-50 feet away between where Pat and Randy where fishing and myself.  Upon landing a jogger came over and asked if I had seen the whale breach behind me, I had to admit that I missed the breach but I saw a whole lot of whale anyay.  I ended up with five nice blues a legal ling a vermillion and two gophers.  I kept the gophers for fish prints that I will try to photograph and add to the post later.  I just does not get much better than that.

That is absolutely incredible!

Alaska?no need......go south?!?!