Shelter cove opener

Okay Salmon fans-this is lackluster for the first report of the season but I'll try to be concise and give pertinent information. The forecast was for sunny weather but with a big swell due to arrive Sat morning. I drove down from Eureka and cut through the Avenue of the Giants to get to my turn-off at Honeydew. The drive along the Eel and through the Redwoods is enchanting to say the least. The road however is pure hell, the locals show no fear as they take hair-pinned turns at breakneck speeds leaving me digging my fingernails out of the steering wheel at several close passes. My first bit of advice is to come in from Garberville/Redway. Take the Briceland Rd to Shelter Cove (17 miles). before you descend the the steep road down to SC (8+ miles), pull over cool your breaks, check your trailer and hitch if your towing, put her in a low gear and coast down to the shore. There is a general store you pass just on the left that has camp supplies groceries and way overpriced gas but it's the only gas in town so fill up in Redway at the shell before you come down.
 
Once in town go right to Marios if you need tackle or bait. He also has an updated report there. follow the main road past the airstrip and pull over at Mal coombs park. Theres a big lighthouse and good views of the fishing grounds beyond bouy "20". Before driving down to the launch area check to make sure there is room to park. I arrived at dusk to scope out the launch for the next days paddle. The small parking area was crammed with locals enjoying the low tide surf break. A colorful and motley group if I ever saw one. There was a constant pungent haze in the air and at low tide vehicles will sprawl out along the shoreline that rings the cove in little encampments. A guy had just pulled up in a hi-tech PB and started passing out crab mostly undersized to the locals who happily took it.

There are plenty of camping options especially in winter. The campground right in town has proximity but at $27.00 a night you might want to double up with a buddy. I stayed up the hill at the BLM campgrounds along Chemise mtn rd. $8 a night and you can have multiple parties at one sight. the best campgrounds are the Wailaki and Nabelos. Well maintained, with pit toilets and Fire rings. This is big time Bear country so bear proof your bait and food and sleep near your car. I didn't see any bear but in the middle of the night I heard what sounded like a chain going down the road, opened my tent and shined my flashlight on Cujo pacing around my trailer. He was dragging a six foot chain that I assume he snapped clean from it's post. He didn't like a million candle watts of light beaming at him and moved off with the quickness, much to my delight.

I arrived at the shores around 8:00 am to a high tide surf launch. Sure enough the swell had arrived overnight and I wasn't getting out there with out getting soaked. I was surprised to find the lot empty on opening day. There was a lone old salt with a beat up PB waiting for a higher tide to launch. I asked him about the Salmon and he said they're probably not here yet but he was going out  to 25 fathoms to look. He laughed when I showed him my kayak and asked me if I had checked the bouy reports. I'm used to that but I if I drive there I'm paddling no matter what. He told me late spring will bring them within kayak range. I considered my options and prospects and decided to launch. I had kept my rods out as I was fairly confident this would be an uneventful launch. Zipped up the drysuit and positioned for the next surging wave. The water rushed up and I was seaborne. The wave  was already upon me, I tucked and reached over with my paddle to pull myself through the wave. I was pulled back slightly but made it through the rinse cycle. The next wave carried considerable more size and I paddled feverishly to make it over the crest with a bow slapping thud. Two waves and that was it. I paddled out to the first green bouy and eyed some unfavorable conditions beyond that. I paddled another 15 minutes and the rolling swells were starting break at their crest. The wind was more forceful outside of the protected cove but I managed to steady myself and get my rods set-up The red bouy was still a little ways off but out there solo I felt better nearer to the green bouy. I baited the chovie and sent it down with a 2lb lead on a sinker release. I had injected it with some scent and strung it with a flasher. 15 pulls and I waited and waited and waited. After 45 minutes of bobbing around like a cork and getting set by the ever increasing wind, I switched to a trolling set up and stated moving back torwards shore in a round about way. No bites, no nibbles buit still nice to be out there. I probably needed to paddle out much further than I was willing to even have a chance. I stowed my fish finder and essentials for the surf landing  and rode the same two waves in textbook style by paddling and back paddling. I quickly emptied my boat and spent the next two hours surfing my yak up and down the beach. Little by little some Pb's showed up but nothing like I anticipated on opening day.  I went back to camp and thought about trying again on sunday. The conditions wouldn't be any better so I opted out and drove to the South fork Eel where I put on in Phillipsville and ran the river to Fortuna some 50 miles.

All in all a great time on the water but nothing really picture worthy. My summation is that it's still a little early for salmon so you have plenty of time to plan and smooze your wives.

Thanks for the intel - very informative!

Thanks swellrider!!!
Great post. Hopefully you'll get one next time!

PK

Way to stick with YOUR plan swellrider.Thanks for the pics&port! I often solo too.....it's easier somtimes!

Hi swellrider,

Thank you for the detailed report.  Hopefully the weather will be "nicer" in March for out trip there.

Sailfish

Great to get a Cove report!  Did you hear of any fish caught then?  How far out were the powerboats?  Just past the red (whistle) buoy and either north or south is the usual, but the fish will be in around the green (bell) buoy sooner or later, so you were in a good spot. 

Wikked!... Thanx for the report...  We're headed up that way next week to backpack the surfboards out to Big Flat campground, 12 miles northbound from Shelter Cove... Tha Lost Coast... Whale bones hanging from the trees and driftwood pyrate shacks!!. Found a lingcod skull out there a few years back that was the size of a basketball.