Memorial Day Cruzin' 5.28.07

Checked the swell report and it looked decent so I geared up last night.  Was only going to bring a handful of things so it'd be less to clean upon return.  Just three swimbaits, a Bomber Long A, a rapala magnum CD10, and the white hoochie.  I swapped out the trebles on the cranks with #6 siwash hooks and crimped the barbs.  Pinned the barbs down on everything so I wouldn't have to fuss while out on the water.

headed over the hill at 0510.  Launched out of cowells at 0605 into drizzly, dreary conditions.  Definitely not the same FAC from last week.  Lots of homeless on the beach at that hour, too.

Started out dragging the Bomber on flatline all the way to NB without a bite.  Continued on toward the aquarium, still nobody home on the crank.  About 0720, took a break from trolling and potholed around with a 5" FT on a flourescent green leadhead.  Picked up some chinas and black & yellows, but no gophers or blues (surprisingly).  Brought up a quick half limit about 1/2 mile north of Aquarium, but had no desire to clean cookie cutters so all were released without bloat.

Kind of sloppy out, lots of wind and sizeable swell that was all confused, coming from all over the place.  Got REALLY cold at about 0800, decided to kick up the trolling motor (i.e. mirage drive) again.  Switched out the Bomber in favor of the Magnum.  Trolled all the way in.  Got picked up three times but nothing stuck.  With the bigger swell, getting a shallow bite would've been a miracle.  I did have some leadballs with a sinker release set up but didn't want to hassle, what with all the salad out.  Didn't want to venture out too far off shore, the swell and fog cautioning against it.

There were some guys catching tubes at the Lane.  Made me really nervous about landing, but I made it in without incident.  Rinsed off at the showers and back home by 1100.

My kit for the day, including the white hoochie by grandpa (legal straight out of the baggie!)  I'm about to get to the barb on that leadhead through papa bill's custom poured brown w/ red flake.  I was barbless ok?!   

Drizzly and cold start.

A cookie cutter out of the kelp north of the Aquarium, on plastic.

This dude was paddleboarding, pretty hardcore. Every now and then, I heard him gag as he swallowed water from the swell hitting him in the face.  Was a little apprehensive about sharks, until I saw him.  dude would be first in line, for sure.

Surf looked decent at the Lane when I was coming in.  kind of had my sketchin' about the landing.

Do not antagonize the sea mammals!

Some tri-geeks gettin' their stroke on.  Some of them really need to work on their drafting!

Like it says on my Fidelity account summaries, Past performance is no indication of future success.

Though I caught a salmon last week, and salmon were spotted on the surface (See Fuzzy Tom's post), I didn't think I was going to pick up another one this week.  Will happily admit that last week's fish was just a nice fluke (and by fluke, I'm not referring to the atlantic flounder, for anyone who would nitpick my fish ID'ing.)

Just posting to share the experience with you members.  Thanks for the props re: last week and hope to see you guys out on the water.

Great post Yakuza. You'll get them next time. Put some squid candy on those swimmers.
See if it changes the bite. Nice boat.     

nice try Yakuza!  I know what you mean about the food chain thing.  Its somehow comforting to see a boarder, but with the fresh lean tri meat in the water, you gotta feel safer yet