Late Post: Shelter Cove

This particular trip has been a long time coming. Ever since I read my first report by Eric, I’ve been dying to get up to Shelter Cove! Finally everything lined up this past week. I reserved a room at the Tides Inn and made the 5hr+ drive up to the cove in hopes of getting into some nice fish. When I talked to Eric I had expressed my goal of crossing off a new species, hopefully a halibut. Eric was happy to oblige my request and we soon had a plan set.

Once there, I unloaded some of my junk and was able to take in the beauty of the area. The northern coast really is breathtaking and the view from room captured all of it. I checked in with Eric, “The Innkeeper” (aka the halibut slayer) and got a quick tour of the place. The hospitality that Eric and his wife showed was far above standard and was pretty much the theme of this trip. I settled into my room while being guarded by one of the locals, Peanut,  and Eric went out in search of an ab or two. That night I went to bed early praying the wind would die and hoping the next day would yield some big fish.

LoletaEric and I had set a 6:30 meet up time at the launch, so I woke up a bit early to get some coffee in me and a little breakfast. Unfortunately, I was hearing sounds that didn’t quite match the waves. The wind was howling! I was worried my trip might not work out as I made the short drive to the launch to wait for Eric. But once he showed up, he assured me that we’d get on the water, it might just be later than what we had planned. It was at this time that Eric kind of surprised me. To clarify things, this was my first guided fishing trip. What surprised me was the detail that Eric went into about the layout of the cove, the safety considerations, and of course about the fishing. From what I’ve been told from friends and family that have done guided trips, was that the guides put them on fish. That’s it! So personally I felt like Eric went above and beyond the typical. Pretty cool I thought! And throughout the day he kept to that theme of making sure I had the best Cove experience as possible.

We ended up waiting to launch around 10:30 or so. The wind was still gusting occasionally, but at least had some calm periods. We started by trolling the cove with bait, hoping for a halibut, maybe even a thresher. Neither came, but I did land a legal lingcod and got the skunk off. The “Innkeeper” joined us just before we started heading towards the outside. Once out, we made our way to the grounds where Eric said I’d have a shot at a variety of species. Along the way I couldn’t help but drop my slug from Branson baits and landed another couple lings. When we made it to the “spot” I dropped my bait down for a slow troll. Soon I had a couple taps and then a hard pull! Fish on! Didn’t feel like a monster but it fought differently than what I’m used to. Got it to the surface and it’s a Rock Sole!! A 20 incher, by no means the size of the “Innkeeper’s” halibuts, but a new species for me and exactly what I wanted to accomplish with this trip. And it was all thanks to Eric! We kept fishing as the water continued to get bumpier. It was pretty rough out there, with the occasional roller breaking. Eric kept an eye on me though and constantly evaluated my status. I ended up catching two nice lings over 30” that I kept for the freezer. We headed in shortly after my second decent ling to fish with the “Innkeeper” who stuck to the inside and was rewarded with two big halibut. I didn’t get my halibut, but it wasn’t for a lack of trying! We ended the day around 5pm and cleaned our fish before my trip back home to Lodi.

Have to say thanks to both Eric’s for all their help and hospitality. For anyone on the fence about making a trip to Shelter Cove, get in contact with these two, and they’ll set you up!










 

Great report, Matt.  I had an awesome time - thanks for doing the trip. 

Tough crowd!...

Great write up Matt!!

The Cove is a special place for sure, and you were with the best guys possible to show you its beauty and magic.

Stoked for you!!

 

Sincerely,

Jim

I never get tired of hearing "first time" cove reports.

Nicely done!

That sounds like an awesome trip!  One of these day, it will be my turn .....

I never get tired of hearing "first time" cove reports.

Nicely done!

+1...I'm sure I have my first cove report on here somewhere...such a magical place!!   

Glad you were able to make it up there finally...and had the best guide in town!  Thanks for the report racer!

Been going to the cove for almost 30 years now. Seeing new cove reports indeed never gets old.

Yep.  One of my top 3 places to fish up here!  If you were on the rock sole the Hali's aren't far away.   Those rock sole are much better eating too btw!  Great report. 

I rate it up there with Bali or Hawaii as far as magic.  I find myself just staring at the splendor more than fishing.  And now I'm obsessed with finding property there.

Nice write up!  And The Eric's are about the finest people you could hope to know.

I rate it up there with Bali or Hawaii as far as magic.

There's a stretch of beach just north of SC between buck and shipman creeks that my kids call Humboldt County, Hawaii.  It's a lot like that.

I rate it up there with Bali or Hawaii as far as magic.

There's a stretch of beach just north of SC between buck and shipman creeks that my kids call Humboldt County, Hawaii.  It's a lot like that.

I always named that stretch as the pretty spot.
With the little creeks with the mosey rocks and ferns and wild flowers.
Your children are spot on.
That is a very spiecial place for me too.

-4est

Awesome spot, plus you get to bump elbows with Abs himself

Awesome report!!! Grats on huge rock sole!!

Great report and thanks for the pics!  Love the cove....