Santa Cruz Sat Morning 5/19/07

Kind of tardy report.

Had to do an early on/early off b/c I had a bunch of to-do's to cross off the list.  First stop was Santa Cruz Boat Rental to pick up some squid and pre-tied halibut rigs.  Bayside reported a decent halibut bite, so that was my target.  Cod would be a backup.  I parked at the meters at cowell's, which don't start running until 10AM.

Launched out of santa cruz at early light about 0550 or so.  It was FAC, barely a breeze, and very comfortable air temp.  I was stoked.  Was more interested in getting a good paddle so I planned on heading up past Nat Bridges and turn about at the Long Aquarium.  [Question: anybody know how long that is?]

Got jocked up, stretched out, and launched.  As I shoved off, I miss timed one of the knee high breakers and took it over the bow.  It got me pretty wet. Ended up sitting in a puddle the whole time b/c I didn't undo the scupper plugs.

Stopped to pothole some of the kelp around Steamer Lane.  Nothing doing.  I had a 5" berkeley swimbait on my short rod (port side) and my halibut rig with a sliding sinker rig (starboard).  didn't bother with the halis in shallow, though I probably shudda.

I made the paddle to natural bridges.  Current was ripping north, putting me on a fast drift.  The wind was totally random, though, which kind of had me worried b/c I was planning on going still farther north yet I had to be back before 1000 to avoid a parking ticket. 

Out front of NB, I ran into these young chaps.  They were scoping for halis also.  I potholed here and there in front of NB for a few gophers on the swimbait.

It was pretty slow pickins.  I switched my short rod a 4 oz dorado pattern megabait and tip it with some squid, and moved into deeper water.  I paddled north to the Long Aquarium where I found a pretty decent hump and proceeded to pick off some more gophers (all released) and a decent brown (bagged him).  By that time, it was coming close to 0840.  Since I was pretty well out from shore, conditions were a bit dicey.  The swell had come up, a few of which capped on me, kind of freaking me out.  Figured I'd need the balance of my time to make it back.

Baysidemarine was reporting WSB were breezing through the area so I figured I'd just troll my way back to the wharf.  Tied on a white hoochie straight to my spectra and started pumping the mirage drive south, topline trolling the rig behind me about 60 yds.  didn't expect much, but you can't catch anything if your not in the water.

At about 0910, I'm just south of NB when I take a call from my wife asking if I'd caught anything yet.  Since I stopped peddling/paddling for the call, I figured I'd better check my rig, lots of salad out there.  It's coming in kind of heavy - great, I'm thinking, "kelped".  But then my line starts changing direction!  FISH ON!!!  I see a silver flash, WSB OH yeah!!!  Couple runs by the boat reveals its a SALMON!!!  Holy stuff, now I'm really stoked. 

It goes crazy every time it gets near the boat.  At first, I tried to bring it along the port side and tried to tail him but too slimey.  then, like a dumbass, I tried to lip him like a bass.  ouch, my thumb took a beating on those teeth.  Finally, I just bounced it into my lap.  Inspected the gums, taped him out against on deck ruler at ~23 inches, then konked him on the head and onto the stringer.

Saw two yaksters fishing outside the Lane when I took the left turn into the wharf.  It was just about 0950 when I beached it at cowells.  What a tough exciting paddle - I was worn out!  rinsed gear at the showers and was back home by 1110, ready for a serious salmon dinner!

Good on ya YAK!!! Way to bag 'em! 

Z

Great report! 

didn't expect much, but you can't catch anything if your not in the water.

So true and really paid off for you.  It would be easy to call it a day with only an hour or so to get back. 

It doesn't sound like you used a whole lot of weight on the set you used to land the salmon...  It must have been pretty shallow.

Nice job! Sounds like it may be time to give trooching for salmon another try in the MB.

Martin......I hate you

awsome dude.great fish

that was me and my buddy james by the lighthouse that you paddled by at 945 am.luckly you didnt land at the warf ,there was huge sea lions that were harrasing us big time!!

oh by the way we caught nothing but baby ling and i had one good take down out by the mile bouy,the swell was no good.so we went in.went to the motorcycle shop and james bought a new bike.

what is a white hoochie?

what is a white hoochie?

here you go....

what is a white hoochie?

here you go....

 

cool

i already have a couple of those

martin, great report! 

"Great Success!" [in Borat's voice]
Wow, good job yakuza! Is that the first NCKA salmon from MoBay? Very cool bro.

I always try to leave my rig in the water as I move spots…just in case. But it never seems to work out for me. At least I have some hope now! Thanks for the inspiration.

And I believe this is the type of hoochie that yakuza was referring to: http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/templates/pod/standard-pod-wrapped.jsp?_DARGS=/cabelas/en/common/catalog/pod-link.jsp_A&_DAV=MainCatcat20166-cat400023-cat20417&rid=&indexId=cat20417&navAction=push&masterpathid=&navCount=1&parentType=index&parentId=cat20417&id=0012212

Great lures. And you will catch way more fish with these than you will with Mooch's hoochies…only thing you'll catch with 'those' is a coldsore LOL!

I use them for a lot of different species, mainly salmon and halibut, but they work great as trailers on megabaits too! There are many different MFGers of "hoochies." Come to think of it…Abking lives and dies by the hoochie for salmon in The Cove.

Thanks for the great report yakuza!
PK

Goodtimes durring a morning paddle.The swell and wind looked non-exsistant and that morning shot is a good one.
I think i'm gonna start taking your approach as to not setting my goals high (don't plan to hook anything) and it seems that when your expectations are low....it can only get better!, yeah?

Keep postin your pics and ports! it gets me through.... 

Nice job Martin!!

That is a SWEET looking kayak too!
 
Stuart