First 10" abalone

Took the kayaks out of Noyo with Patrick today continuing my hunt for a 10. Found a killer spot with tons of large abs. Judging by the size of them all I had no doubt this would be the place I was going to find it if I poked around a while. Shot a ling and a cab. Knifed another cab. Then finally came up on my 10. Popped him and looked a little bit more while Patrick searched.

We headed back and hit some large pinnacles that went from 15' to 45'+ looking for vermillion. I did a handful of drops to 45' but never really saw anything but a mediocre scallop. Hit the inside of the harbor on the way back and shot a blue, not much else as far as fish.

Ocean was pretty flat, vis was good (20-25'), not incredibly fishy but a few were out.

Glad that's over. Screw abalone. Now I can get back to spearing. Trophy ab hunting doesn't seem to require any skill, just time and luck of finding a spot.... You can spend years looking in places that don't have them or 15 minutes in a place that does...

Here's the video.

Dude nice job, love the choice of music and the John Wayne shot on first fish in video!!

Congrats on your Ten!!!

Congrats on your first trophy Ab.  I must look at the wrong places the last 15 years 

HECK YEAH!!!

WTG Gio!!!!

You had a goal and you put in the time and got it!!

Great job dude!!!

 

Sincerely,

Jim

ps...that vid is BADASS!! 

Glad that's over. Screw abalone...Trophy ab hunting doesn't seem to require any skill, just time and luck of finding a spot.... You can spend years looking in places that don't have them or 15 minutes in a place that does...

Interesting report.  I'm actually entertained and encouraged by your attitude.  So many people, myself included a couple decades ago, become entranced by the search for large abalone - it's refreshing to see someone escape the obsession.

You're wrong though, IMO.  Finding and taking trophy abs does require a significant amount of skill.  Just hauling gear to the water's edge, donning it, and immersing yourself in the ocean require skill, but it's true that anyone with basic physical fitness and courage can do so.  Taking it a step further, diving, marking large abs with your anchor, carefully measuring them, popping them without chipping their shells, and getting the whole show back to the beach takes skill, but again fitness, courage and patience will get you there. 

Where the really tuned skillset comes in is when you have to deal with more challenge.  Low visibility, low numbers of abalone, the need to 'rockpick' after diving down because they're in deep cracks, and a rough and surgy ocean do require a great amount of experience, knowledge and fortitude.  That's the kind of abalone trophy hunt that I enjoy.

Congrats on achieving what many divers hold as one of their greatest challenges, and thank you for shedding some light on the reality of chasing oldgrowth sea snails.

It's OK to admit when you're a blind squirrel finding a nut, but please consider honoring those who know what you've discovered and have moved on to more challenging modes.

 

Another great video!  What's the story on the grinch in the opening sequence lol.

Awesome video, thanks for sharing. Big congrats to your first 10".

Jedmo

Thanks!

Erik- I guess I shouldn't have said NO skill. It still requires the skill of being fit and physical activity that can be rigorous. But as far as hunting and diving goes, I still don't think so... I see write ups of people taking brand new divers to their spots and getting limits of 10s their FIRST TIME OUT. Dedication, yeah...Normally shallow so diving ability doesn't seem to be a factor. Nothing like stalking fish or even being able to dial in to finding scallops. Just my opinion though didn't mean to take away from the trophy hunters accomplishments!

Another great video!  What's the story on the grinch in the opening sequence lol.

Had some really messed up Christmases for several years, beginning with one of my friends and fellow soldier being killed in Afghanistan Christmas eve. This year I decided to get my Grinch on and blow up a tree instead of sitting around bummed out hating Christmas. Afterwards I had my first good Christmas with family in years...or maybe ever.

 

Great video. I enjoyed it

Thanks!

Erik- I guess I shouldn't have said NO skill. It still requires the skill of being fit and physical activity that can be rigorous. But as far as hunting and diving goes, I still don't think so... I see write ups of people taking brand new divers to their spots and getting limits of 10s their FIRST TIME OUT. Dedication, yeah...Normally shallow so diving ability doesn't seem to be a factor. Nothing like stalking fish or even being able to dial in to finding scallops. Just my opinion though didn't mean to take away from the trophy hunters accomplishments!

I hear what you're saying Gio....I see reports/posts of a group of guys going out in a power boat and all the divers pop limits of tens in 10 feet of calm, relatively clear water...

On the other hand I see Eric's reports of hiking miles and miles along the lost coast to get to a spot he has found after years of exploring...and then hunting in an old wetsuit, scuba fins and leaky mask and no gloves in zero viz and washing machine water and feeling underneath a boulder to find a 10 inch + ab by touch only and lovingly harvesting it and bringing it home to feed his family and then cleaning up the shell and giving it away as a prize at the next Gimme Shelter event...

I think there is a HUGE spectrum of what it is to hunt for Trophy abalone...Eric is firmly on one end where honoring the hunt and the experience and the abalone are integral parts of the process...

I also prefer shooting fish to abalone diving, but from watching and listening to people like Eric and my old school buddy and mentor/hero Jim Okumoto I think I understand their passion for the monster abs a little more...I will never get to their level but have total respect for them and their dedication to "trophy hunting"...

Interesting food for thought in my opinion....

Anyway, congrats again Gio and thanks for sharing your quest with us!!

 

Sincerely,

Jim

Thanks, Jim.   

You're wrong too though!   

I will never get to their level

Your dive at GS proved to anyone who's paying attention that you're not just a clear water diver.  You're pro, dude.

Thanks for letting me steer your thread a bit, Medic.