Pacifica 7/20 - Report

Looks like I've got a few hours in the morning so I'm going to look for lings and rockfish -- launching from Linda Mar in Pacifica probably by 7 and then off the water before noon. Company is welcome. I'll have my radio on 69.

Cheers,
Brad

Ended up hooking up with Snakecharmer who arrived as I was ready to launch. He joined me on the water shortly thereafter. Launch was easy peasy with a super drained out tide. I trolled a rapala type minnow out to the point in case a striper was around but no love. Conditions outside were pretty mixed up at  first with three different swells in the water and a stiffer than expected breeze, but the incoming tide cleaned things up a good bit and the wind backed off. Bite was slow and sporadic. I think I landed six fish and kept 3 (black, b&y, and a beautiful china RF). Couldn't buy a ling bite. Snakecharmer had a couple on the stringer when I had to pack up and leave - so hopefully he got a few more. Landing was uneventful, just the way I like them.

Cheers,
Brad

thanks for the report.  any boats out trolling for salmon?

Thanks for the report Brad.

saw a couple boats come and go on the far outside -- privates or small 6 packs -- so I'd say they didn't have much luck. Saw a few whales and marked some bait balls as well, but I don't think the chrome is on there at the moment.

Cheers,
Brad

I fished with Brad.  Nice whales.  After he paddled in, I saw a dolphin, and a big shark. 

The shark was following my kayak.  I only knew it was there when I heard it make a turn.  I looked back, and saw the dorsal fin and thought "Dolphin".   Then I saw the vertical tail, and thought "That's a weird looking Dolphin".  Then I came to my senses and said "Shark!".  The tail was 5 feet behind the dorsal fin, so I am guess 10 footer.  I pulled my fish onto the boat, but otherwise, I wasn't really scared.  I was hoping he would come back so I could get another look, and maybe get enough info to ID it to species.

Brought back a black and a china rockfish, and 7 small pacific chub mackerel.  Released 5 undersized blacks, 2 undersized browns, and an underling.

HOLY SHIT!!  the place is known to be a lil'sharky, but to have one follow you is quite puckering.
Reports of seen GWS have come from the area south of Lindamar along devils slide. It even looks scary when you drive it.

Not many can claim such a thing, oh and thanks for the report by the way. Now go celebrate life!

woo hoo -- sounds like things got a little more interesting after I left 

Good fishing with you - glad you made it back safely.

Cheers,
Brad

Snakecharmer,

What's an undersized rockfish to you? 

Good keeping your cool with the shark around.  Probably more dangerous with feeding whales around, but you never know.

I pulled my fish onto the boat, but otherwise, I wasn't really scared.  I was hoping he would come back so I could get another look, and maybe get enough info to ID it to species.

did the landlord stop following you because you pulled in your fish or you paddled away?

Thanks for the report.

HOLY SHIT!!  the place is known to be a lil'sharky, but to have one follow you is quite puckering.
Reports of seen GWS have come from the area south of Lindamar along devils slide. It even looks scary when you drive it.

Not many can claim such a thing, oh and thanks for the report by the way. Now go celebrate life!

Adam remember that wsb though. The huge smile from ear to ear amazing.

Snakecharmer,

What's an undersized rockfish to you? 

Good keeping your cool with the shark around.  Probably more dangerous with feeding whales around, but you never know.

One of the blacks was 3", so I think we all agree that is undersized!  I think a rockfish under 12" is undersized, but that is just based on personal opinion, and how slow they grow.  There probably is a good scientific basis for a slot limit that would protect the young, and the old.  I was just going by instinct.  The Black I kept was 14" and the China was 12". 

I pulled my fish onto the boat, but otherwise, I wasn't really scared.  I was hoping he would come back so I could get another look, and maybe get enough info to ID it to species.

did the landlord stop following you because you pulled in your fish or you paddled away?

I can't guess to the shark's motivations.  Here is what I do know.  I was pedaling along and I heard a small swishing sound behind me.  I turned and looked and saw the shark fins. At that time the dorsal fin was about 20 feet behind me, but headed off to the right at about 30 to 45 degrees from my course.  I pulled in the fish (but not the bait tube (chum anyone?)).  By the time I looked back for the shark, it was gone.  My guess is that the sound I heard was the shark deciding to stop following me.  This was between shelter cove and the big Pedro Rock.

But to be clear, I don't know that it was a GWS.  I just know the general size from the distance between tail and dorsal fin, which I estimate at 5 ft, though it could have been 4 ft.  That tells me 8 to 10 foot total length. 

Afterwards, I was chatting with a surfer  (on his was out to play in the foam) and he said that it was really common to see sharks in the cove, and recommended going to the top of the hill above the cove to watch for them.

One of the blacks was 3", so I think we all agree that is undersized!  I think a rockfish under 12" is undersized, but that is just based on personal opinion, and how slow they grow.  There probably is a good scientific basis for a slot limit that would protect the young, and the old.  I was just going by instinct.  The Black I kept was 14" and the China was 12".

Yeah not much meat on a 3" Rock fish.  Was just wondering what you considered undersized.  I usually only take rock fish for DOTY but will occasionally shoot them if others want them otherwise I just grab Lings and Cabs.