Cambria 5/1 So So...

Cambria  opening day, plenty of boats.  Conditions, pretty rough.  No wind but around 8' windswell offshore, up & down, up & down short period swell.

Kelp is growing in but not in full thick patches like it is in June or later, therefore it was hard to line up with the edges of the reefs.  Strong current, line was going 45 degrees on the drop.

In 2 hours caught 8 fish, 3 various rockfish, 2 vermillions (1 tiny, 1 16") & the same olives (1 tiny, 1 16") & a fiesty 18" Lingcod.

Not bad for an opening day with no wind at all considering how windy it's been lately.  Pretty warm but just rough paddling.

Can't wait for those flat summer days w/ thick kelp beds teaming w/ fish!!!  Will post grill pics later.

Good Luck All!
PJ

PJ,

Should have gone with us to Harvey Street. Launch and landing was sweet, sunny and zero wind till 10:30.

I bagged 2 lings and my buddy got one too, between 24" and 28" inches, 3 reds (2 -18" plus a fat 22"), and tons of miscellanefish. Lots of sub-legal lings. Zero Blues(?).

Conditions are supposed to be even flatter tomorrow! I can't be there but my buddy Mike will, (grey Pro-Explorer).

good for you, glad you scored!  just couldn't find the right spot up there & swell was heavy.  it picked up in the end but wasn't epic at all.  i can't go tomorrow but may be able to hit it sat a.m.

What's up all,

I am new to ncka, I live in Grover Beach so technically not in norcal but my buddy told me about the site.

I Launched out of leffingwell landing  in cambria and paddled 1.75 miles north and had a great day, until the paddle back.  I too caught a a good sized red, Three large Cabezon( 16" 19" 20") respectively, three legal lings of course only keeping two, the biggest was 26"  and several shorties, along with several gophers and kelp bass.  Caught all my fish with a small bait 1.5 ounce head with a 4" white scampi tail in 35-50 feet of water.  I thought it was definitely a great day. I also saw some whales passing by about 2 to 3 hundred yards west, could hear them breaching and then saw them pop out.  The wind definitely picked up and was blowing in my face, creating washing machine conditions on the way back, pretty good work out for the first paddle of the rock cod season

that's definitely a good day, even by cambria standards. congrats & welcome to the north coast.

Thanks!

Hey guys, I was at Cambria last weekend scooping out possible launches besides Leffingwell. Looked at all the access areas south of town in the residential areas. Didn't see an inviting launch site. It was low tide with rocks everywhere. Where is the Harvey Street launch?

Would like to fish with the locals sometime.

Here it is. Unload and park on the other side of Sherwood to keep the launch accessible. In the past the best action was to the South but on the 1st it was really hitting straight out from the launch. Check the swell report first, it's a surf launch but pretty easy if you time the sets right. Hurry up, this area will soon close.

I'm working in Philly till the 14th but if anyone is interested pm me and we can hookup when I get back.

Hey Littoral,

Thanks for the info and map.  do you know the date the new regs are official and these spots actualy close?

rocky, foggy, windy, sharky, kelpy & sometimes a 6 knot current. fun.

Hey Pj,

Are you describing the harvey street launch?

a lot of places around here are like that, the rocks & everything else is/are more intimidating than anything else.  it's really no big deal though, the waves at harvey street just crumble, if you launch at the south end of the cove it's easy, you can punch right through any surf.

but it sounds like you did great @ leffingwell.  i didn't think it was that good, i now know i was wrong.

I launched out of leffingwell, But I caught all those fish, almost two miles north of the launch, basicly right in front of that big house right on the water. ( I thinks it's a house) right across the street from where all the RV's camp.  Pj do you per chance know the date when the new mpa actually goes into effect for cambria?

i believe it's july, but the areas that will be closed are 2-3 miles south of leffingwell & an  area around Piedras Blancas.  so we'll still have that area where you were.

Litroral and PJ
Thanks for the detailed info.  I'm sure I stopped and looked at Harvey Street. Checked out most of the public access areas.
Let's go do it when you return. I have a trip planned down your way and could do it the 19th.-20th. or 24th.-25th. if surf and wind allow.