Finally!, chrome HMB...

10/15/2019  Half Moon Bay;

Arrived early and briefly met "Ray" in the parking lot while he was loading up his yellow Hobie kayak in record time.  We both launched at about 6:45am and started fishing.  Slow initial start... about 5 kayakers on the water... maybe 8-10 boaters... Water was calm and the fog hid the sun allowing me to forego the sunscreen for once...

Ray soon caught his first, and then a second.  Both reportedly 30" or better.  I saw em on his stringer and they did look decent.  I headed to the green can, 30 fow, watermelon apex, and hooked up good.  15 minute fight, multiple jumps, spun me in my kayak, and soon realized that my net (although big), was not big enough.  Luckily the fish was hooked deep in his bottom lip.....

I flagged down fellow kayaker "James" over since James had a HUGE net.  Told him my net was too small for the fish I was fighting and James jumped into action...  James saved the day and scooped up the salmon on the second try.  Thanks James (wish he was on NCKA... he's not... not yet...)  I would not have landed this fish with the "large" net I was using.  (tried twice and it was a joke)...

Anyways... it got cold as the day went on.  Wind picked up and I called it at about 11:30am or so.
Ran into "pigcoke" OTW as well.  Pigcoke unfortunately lost 2 nice fish right at the boat.... 

32"  15lbs  watermelon apex

I can't wait for crab season to open!!!.....

--Aaron

ALRIGHT AARON!!!
Persistence Pays Off My Friend

That’s a beauty!! I caught a big halibut one time and didn’t have my gaff, when I put my “big” net under him it was like a bad joke! Nothing I could do but keep pissing him off until he finally broke free.

If I ever get my lazy ass up to HMB I’ll make sure to bring the real “big” net!

nice to meet you on the water. I kept telling you you need a bigger cooler!

Rui!!!  You are so correct!!!  And those were 2 nice fish you caught today!!! WTG!!!

Congrats!!

Congrats! Not a single bite for me today, I tried both watermelon apex and FBR

Nice fish Aaron, congratulations ! Thanks for sharing.

I need to get a Shark shield , next year for salmon.

When does crab season start?

Ron

Ron... should be 11/2...  Sebast... your trip sounded like my last 8 or so 

Nice to me you all today.  The bite was hot for 30 mins.  Hook up two and lost it after 20 mins fight.  It could have been my PB.  Here is a glance of the fish jumped in a distance.
Kurt

Great pic...sorry for your loss...

Oh man that was a monster!!!  Wish you had of caught it! 

Way to go Aaron!  Goooood Stuff!

Congrats, Code3.   

Cool screen-grab, pigcoke. 

You guys are lucky to have this fishery down there.  Get on this! 

Congrats! Way to keep the season alive. My last three trips to hmb have been for nada. Might try again this Sunday. Seems like apex is getting a lot of hits. I usually start with krippled anchovies then move to apex if no bites, but maybe I’ll start with apex this time around