Santa Cruz 9/3...

Hit the water around 7am and it was FLAT...  Pair of whales breaching and feeding just North of the Harbor.  Bait fish were thick and I spent 30 minutes or so filling the bait bag. 

Started trolling for halibut and the rock fish/bait fish would not leave my anchovies alone.     Futile to say the least.  Probably should have trolled some squid.  Anyways... fished the live bait and caught a few rockfish.  Eventually started using the swimbait which started producing some small lings and rock fish. 

Wind picked up around 11am or so and I trolled back to the harbor w/ swim bait.  Glad I did... caught a few more rock fish and a double ling hookup (one on the teaser and one on the larger swim bait).  No other kayakers out fishing and just a handful of boats.  Going to try salmon again next week most likely.  Just needed some sun for once (argh Pacifica!  ) and some calm water.

--Aaron

Thanks for the report. Looks like a great day on the water...

wow, nice! beautiful fish, thanks for the report.

Double Ling Sounds Fun!
Thanks for the report!

looks like a good day on the water. thanks for the report. can't wait to get the kayak rigged and get back on the water

Thanks Aaron for the report. 

Nice catch!  I took the father-in-law out on Sat, launched from the wharf, and it was really flat too.  The fog was really thick, so we kept close until it cleared and went straight out from seal rock and hit some nice rock fish.  Did you head towards Capitola?

Hit the water around 7am and it was FLAT...  Pair of whales breaching and feeding just North of the Harbor.  Bait fish were thick and I spent 30 minutes or so filling the bait bag. 

Started trolling for halibut and the rock fish/bait fish would not leave my anchovies alone.     Futile to say the least.  Probably should have trolled some squid.  Anyways... fished the live bait and caught a few rockfish.  Eventually started using the swimbait which started producing some small lings and rock fish. 

Wind picked up around 11am or so and I trolled back to the harbor w/ swim bait.  Glad I did... caught a few more rock fish and a double ling hookup (one on the teaser and one on the larger swim bait).  No other kayakers out fishing and just a handful of boats.  Going to try salmon again next week most likely.  Just needed some sun for once (argh Pacifica!  ) and some calm water.


That is a fatty brown. Thanks for the report
--Aaron

Oceandweller: Nah, just headed out, around, and about. Since it was a solo trip I didn’t venture too far.

Nice report thank you I made it out Saturday and Tuesday.   Saturdays Plan A was to drift live bait off Mitchell's, but spent to much time making bait.  I did have lots of action using Jacksmelt and Mackerel, one short hali, four small lings & one very nice brown.  I like to use two poles so its catch and release with cod.  Tuesdays plan was forget he bait stops and crank up the E-motor and peddle strait to Mitchell's with brined herring and squid.  On the water @ 6:15 and fishing by 7:00.  First drop trolling Bam! a 26" halibut  I having visions of a limit!  But no more love.  Had  4 or 5 small lings and a nice Black that I was thinking about keeping but fishing with two poles it swam free.  There is a red tide from lighthouse Pt. down to Capitola out to about 45' of water that I did't see on the way out, looks bad .  One of these days, soon I hope to get up to Davenport for halibut.

thats a pretty light looking spinning rod.  really nice haul bro

Nice report thank you I made it out Saturday and Tuesday.   Saturdays Plan A was to drift live bait off Mitchell's, but spent to much time making bait.  I did have lots of action using Jacksmelt and Mackerel, one short hali, four small lings & one very nice brown.  I like to use two poles so its catch and release with cod.  Tuesdays plan was forget he bait stops and crank up the E-motor and peddle strait to Mitchell's with brined herring and squid.  On the water @ 6:15 and fishing by 7:00.  First drop trolling Bam! a 26" halibut  I having visions of a limit!  But no more love.  Had  4 or 5 small lings and a nice Black that I was thinking about keeping but fishing with two poles it swam free.  There is a red tide from lighthouse Pt. down to Capitola out to about 45' of water that I did't see on the way out, looks bad .  One of these days, soon I hope to get up to Davenport for halibut.

May not be legal if one intentionally catch and release rockfish with more than 1 rod. I think you meant you have rockfish by catch and just let go.

Nice report thank you I made it out Saturday and Tuesday.   Saturdays Plan A was to drift live bait off Mitchell's, but spent to much time making bait.  I did have lots of action using Jacksmelt and Mackerel, one short hali, four small lings & one very nice brown.  I like to use two poles so its catch and release with cod.  Tuesdays plan was forget he bait stops and crank up the E-motor and peddle strait to Mitchell's with brined herring and squid.  On the water @ 6:15 and fishing by 7:00.  First drop trolling Bam! a 26" halibut  I having visions of a limit!  But no more love.  Had  4 or 5 small lings and a nice Black that I was thinking about keeping but fishing with two poles it swam free.  There is a red tide from lighthouse Pt. down to Capitola out to about 45' of water that I did't see on the way out, looks bad .  One of these days, soon I hope to get up to Davenport for halibut.

May not be legal if one intentionally catch and release rockfish with more than 1 rod. I think you meant you have rockfish by catch and just let go.

for it to be legal.

Nice report thank you I made it out Saturday and Tuesday.   Saturdays Plan A was to drift live bait off Mitchell's, but spent to much time making bait.  I did have lots of action using Jacksmelt and Mackerel, one short hali, four small lings & one very nice brown.  I like to use two poles so its catch and release with cod.  Tuesdays plan was forget he bait stops and crank up the E-motor and peddle strait to Mitchell's with brined herring and squid.  On the water @ 6:15 and fishing by 7:00.  First drop trolling Bam! a 26" halibut  I having visions of a limit!  But no more love.  Had  4 or 5 small lings and a nice Black that I was thinking about keeping but fishing with two poles it swam free.  There is a red tide from lighthouse Pt. down to Capitola out to about 45' of water that I did't see on the way out, looks bad .  One of these days, soon I hope to get up to Davenport for halibut.

May not be legal if one intentionally catch and release rockfish with more than 1 rod. I think you meant you have rockfish by catch and just let go.

I stand corrected I never intended to target rock fish.  The only fish my wife will eat is halibut.

Wind picked up around 11am or so and I trolled back to the harbor w/ swim bait.  Glad I did... caught a few more rock fish and a double ling hookup (one on the teaser and one on the larger swim bait).  No other kayakers out fishing and just a handful of boats.  Going to try salmon again next week most likely.  Just needed some sun for once (argh Pacifica!  ) and some calm water.

--Aaron

Thanks for the report Aaron. Sounds like a good day. I was out there the day before you without much success. How fast do you troll with your swimbait and how big was it?

John