GS9 - Super Long Report on Page 61 - NCKA Rules!

Indeed the bar was fun. After that, Chels and I decided to make one quick lap through the campsite to see if anybody was still awake.  Glad we did     Good times

some good memories from Saturday:

-paddling out to Abalone Pt on Saturday in the wind & chop with MDoka Matt & wondering "what are we doing out here?" while laughing at the conditions.

Dude I almost went in early to go hiking with the ladies.  Glad I stayed afterall.

I had a great time. Friday and Saturday I did not fish much, but wow I can't believe so many people left Sunday morning!!!!!!!!!

I had to poke and prod and kick and yell and punch and throw my brother Matt across the room to get him to wake up. Raydon got to see me go up the stairs with my "why the f*** are you sitting down" look at Matt. Even Raydon knew that look! TIME TO GO MATT. WE GOT FISHING TO DO. I don't care if he's going to chum the waters out of both ends, we're going!

It was a glorious day on Sunday and I finally kept my first fishes (I was CPR on Thurs-Saturday). Three nice Lings to 27" and five blacks, smallest 18" largest 19.5". Took home some food!

I am exhausted and cleaning everything and sorting them from the trip.

Special thanks to RacingRob, Uminchu Naoaki, Raydon, SuperVato, Insearchoffish, piski, and ATD for being such cool roommates at the house.

And tremendous thanks to LoletaEric for his awesome guide trip on Thursday, and his hard work on this event. As well as all the other volunteers who put on a great show. I did not accomplish much on game day, but that was a very, very, very minor footnote on a grand day.

So much information that could have clouded the write up, but I think I did a good job capturing the basics, and the event from my perspective. You could write a book each year about all the stuff that you experience there, but some things can't be "unseen" and should not be published! 

Here is a link to my write up! Thanks again to Eric, and everyone that played a role!
http://itsbangtime.com/gs9-shelter-cove/

Awesome write up Rich!!

Really enjoyed camping next to you and Cody and Savannah and her friend.

You're a great dude and a great Dad and it is so cool to see you out there with the kids having fun!!

You could write a book each year about all the stuff that you experience there, but some things can't be "unseen" and should not be published! 

 

 

Sincerely,

Jim

My 7the GS event! It never disappoints, ever! Arrived Wednesday and didn't fish until Friday. Was one of the last to come in when the wind began howling. It was really sporty out there. I turned around to look when i was off the Tides Inn and saw a fellow kayaker go overboard! Kayak upside down in some really nasty water. Stood by as he righted the yak and climbed back in....didn't miss a beat.

As has always been preached here, you better know your business when you head into the big blue....she is unforgiving in every way.

Friday was a little slow for me. I caught over a dozen Lings with over half legals.  Had an ultra close encounter with two whales. Attached the clip and hope it comes through. It was gnarly to hear the exhalations and have the boils move my kayak!
As has been my tradition the last few years, I was the first to launch on tourney day. Got on the grounds and was into fish immediately. Caught a big Vermie that stabbed my knee cap with three nasty spines that only stopped because they hit bone. Hurt like hell for about thirty minutes then was a dull ache. Still hobbling around today! Vermie was a bout 6 lbs. Landed another about 5 lbs a few minutes later and then caught a Vermie that was somewhere between 8-9 lbs. I had just landed two dandies and let the big momma go! After that the Ling action heated up big time. For the day I landed over twenty Lings with four between 26-27 inches. Could not find that big one! Lost at least that many fish. A great day, a fabulous event and stoked to get after it next year, the 10th anniversary of the event.

Eric, you pulled it off again and we are all stoked and appreciative of the work you put in to make this a truly world class event. You make it look easy but we all know its not.

Am back home now....tired, sore, wind chapped, sunburned, all cut up on my hands and just plum wore out. In other words, a happy man.
SRJ

Awesome write up Rich!!

Really enjoyed camping next to you and Cody and Savannah and her friend.

You're a great dude and a great Dad and it is so cool to see you out there with the kids having fun!!

You could write a book each year about all the stuff that you experience there, but some things can't be "unseen" and should not be published! 

 

 

Sincerely,

Jim

Thank ya sir! It was neat that you were the first one I ran into Friday night as I pulled in. I stopped, you walked up with your headlamp on, I was blinded by the light. Then this godly hand reaches out for me, and like a dumbass, I extend mine, not knowing yet who it may be....then CRUSH!!!! Oh, Hi JIM! lol
Seriously though, great to see you and spend time chatting. The kids love ya man, they told many "BigJim" stories new and old all the way home. Ok, well, maybe until the top of the hill, then they were all asleep until Clearlake, then they wanted to eat.....

So much information that could have clouded the write up, but I think I did a good job capturing the basics, and the event from my perspective. You could write a book each year about all the stuff that you experience there, but some things can't be "unseen" and should not be published! 

Here is a link to my write up! Thanks again to Eric, and everyone that played a role!
http://itsbangtime.com/gs9-shelter-cove/

LOVE IT!  Congrats again Cody!  Way to get out there and make it happen!  ...and way to show your Dad up!   

Great as always.
Not towing a trailer made it even better this year. 
Left Monday the 11th for an exactly 800 mile round trip.
First 2 nights in Arcata......beer and burgers baby!!!! Six Rivers brewery was way too good!
Spent too much time resting my back as my sciatica was acting up big time during the week; so if I didn't say hi to anyone I apologize for that...sometimes it's hard to be social when it feels like an ice pick is being jammed in your back and leg.
Hit Shelter Cove on Wednesday to beautiful conditions.
Highlights of the week:
The beach at Samoa...dunes for days.
Six rivers brewery; best burger ever (The beer was great too...as I remember)
Loleta Cheese Factory (It was a treat tasting all the different cheeses before buying)
Eel River brewery (Oysterhead Stout. So good I bought a growler...it didn't last long)
GS9..all of it and all the people
Yard Sale on Friday (more about that in a separate post to follow)
Being 2 miles south during tourney day then realizing I left my bait at camp   
TACO SHACK! (You guys put on a clinic!)
Bikini Teenies and monster sized shots of Jose Gold Saturday night (Big Jim, next year I'll shake your hand IF you do a monster shot with me  )
Not waking up hungover Sunday
Making a safe journey home.
Already looking forward to next year!

dems wittle baby dears 

I had a great time at GS9 with everyone's great vibe, the fishing, people,food, awards ceremony/ potluck. It was awesome to finally put faces to  names. I did ok on tournament day catching lots of lings and blacks but nothing that was a "holy sh#&t" moment. Congrats to the winners and anyone who got out and fished that day. At times it wasn't easy and you always had to have your head on a swivel. It's a great start to the north coast rockfish season and hope everyone gets what there dreaming about. Thanks again Eric! You put on one hell of a tournament. We gotta go back!!

Thank You Eric, all the generous sponsors and congrats to all the winners. Me and my team partner Napa Justin headed south past the green can to some structure. As we got closer to my spots the wind and waves increased. Our original plan was to fish there until 930ish and switch it up and troll north and hopes to find bait/ salmon. Well, I was out there for about 15 minutes with a couple fish already landed but WX was looking worse. We decided to scratch the plan and felt it was safer to head North now. We went about 3 miles North in 70' of water for a few more but not much to talk about. It was close to 11am when finally found some good fish real shallow. I actually found a school of huge blacks and the Branson Bait slug did it's job. I landed 5, biggest 20.5" for a new PB black and the smallest of the 5 being 18". It was fun fishing the rest of the day with Justin, Ricci, ATD and Novo. We all seemed to be doing real well and the WX turned good. Do I regret leaving this spot, No, safety first and it turned out OK none the less.

I was able to place 2nd along with 3 others including my teammate, Justin. We also took the team competition for some really cool prizes, thank you ATD lead heads, Rich - It's Bang Time for the fly's and maps and some limited colored Branson Baits  .

I think my highlight of the day wasn't placing but on my way in I had a bit of a close in counter of the whale kind. As I rounded the point in about 30' of water I noticed something white moving towards me about 20 yards away. As it approached I noticed it was getting larger and coming upwards. First thought was Landlord, oh jeese here we go. I quickly grabbed my knife and leaned over to see a large fish coming up for my boat. Instead it was a small whale swimming sideways with it's eye only 3-4 feet from me looking right at me. I think I startled it cause it quickly dove and swiped it's tail which almost hit my boat creating a huge surge of water which propelled my boat forward and sideways. "Oh Shit!!!" It happened so fast but I will never forget the rush.

Shelter Cove!

Mike

Great time with amazing people! I got sick, broke down on the way out but would go hang with you guys any time I can!

To bad the o my fish pic I have looks like I farted in my dry suit😖 didn't make it out Saturday but got to help Eric score the results!

 Everyone was willing to help me out with my kayak and getting around. Any camp offered food, coffee, or beer. I know why it's called a brother(and sister)hood. I felt like family anywhere I went.

I heard albion was a joke, raffle was fixed and so on.

On a positive note:

Looks like another great event; but that's to be expected from Eric!!!

Congrads to all the winners; and to Roger, "Shu Bros Rock"!!

Thanks to all the sponsors for the time and generousity for helping make this events successful!

Great pics! Makes me feel like I was right there with all of you; and makes me sadder that i wasn't . Hopefully next year the stars will align and I will have enough WAF points to make it to GS10 and other activities in May. I miss my NCKA family!!!!

I have heard mixed messages about NCKA events. I heard albion was a joke, raffle was fixed and so on. Then I heard that give me shelter was the shit. So I decided for my first NCKA event I would attend give me shelter. The event, people,staff and over all atmosphere were great. I'm glad I attended, and eric put on a great event. Thanks for a great event

It's too bad your first contacts about NCKA events were from someone who had a negative take on them.  Sounds like you decided to find out for yourself and not let them jade you without first finding out what these events are about.  And you are right; the event, people, staff and atmosphere are all great! 

Now, go deal with who ever tried to talk you out of going with their 'mixed message' and put 'em straight!!