Natural Bridges

No sharks, no lost kayaks, just a fishing report.
SlowMo and I hit the water at 6:30am this morning (Friday) and had lines in the water by 7:00 straight out from Natural Bridges. Conditions were nice with just a bit of swell, enough to let us know we on the ocean- nice really. Glassy at first then a pretty chilly wind came up, around 8:30 we decided to pack it in as nothing was happening and we were getting a bit cold, PBs in the area were not showing any signs of fish either. Then the wind died and we had fish on the lines- funny, didn't seem cold anymore. By 9:00 we had three kelp bass on board for dinner and released 4 others. We hung around for another couple hours but the bite was off.
Just a great day to be a dad out with the son.
We have a fishfinder coming in the mail and will be heading back out to the same area on Monday or Tuesday to see what we  can do with a view thru the water.
Rocketman

thanks for the report, did you launch from Natural Bridges?  If so, where on the beach?

Right on. nice effort and dinner to boot. Keep it up with the young-un It does pay off! Randall

We launched from the foot of Almar Street; a bit of a cove with a set of stairs, from there it is a short paddle out and your off  Natural Bridges and one could keep heading up the coast. It is really nice because as the wind comes up you can coast back with it. The stairs at Almar are a bit hard because they have a "U" turn were you have the lift the boat up over your head to make the turn, you have to have a partner to launch there. All and all it is a pretty nice setup with parking just a 100 feet away and no meters to feed! Lucky for me Walker (SlowMo) has really grown the last couple of years and I'm now the one pulling up the rear.
If anyone wants to give this spot a try and wants help doing the stairs let us know.
If you have wheels you could also launch from Natural Bridges, but it looks like more work to me as the beach is fairly deep plus it is more exposed to surf than Almar Street is.
Steve

thanks for the details on the launch area, it helps us non-SC-locals if we were to make a day of it down there.
Family and fishin is what it is ALL ABOUT!

Nice report. I've done well in that area in the past, sometimes its on & sometimes not. I've not launched from the Almar st stairs before as I've always been solo.
Looks like you are in my neck of the woods, lets get together for some fishing. I'm out of the water for a while except for maybe the 19th or the 25th.
Sean

thanks for the details on the launch area, it helps us non-SC-locals if we were to make a day of it down there.
Family and fishin is what it is ALL ABOUT!

Word!

I'm gonna try that launch for my early saturday paddles, instead of cowell's.  A 45 minute paddle northbound from NB will put you in some much fresher areas than between NB and cowells.  I think its time for a NB hookup!!!

That's Mitchell's cove. Tallpaul and I launched there back in May http://www.norcalkayakanglers.com/index.php?topic=8476.msg74572

jmairey has reported on this launch as well.

A good pic:
http://www.californiacoastline.org/cgi-bin/image.cgi?image=6578&mode=big&lastmode=sequential&flags=0&year=2002

Regards,
Scott

damn, I keep trying to avoid mitchells because of the u turn stairs!  I think with my 16 foot yak, I would probably be better off roping it down the flat side facing the water.  Otherwise it may look like a slap stick routine with me knocking folks left and right as I spin around.

e2g, I first did the stairs with my wife and a pair of 12' Necky Spikes -easy. That experience caused me to think SlowMo and I could get my Tarpon160i and his Tarpon 140 down- a bit more trouble, but really ok.

Piscean, We must be neighbors, we are near the intersection of Empire Grade and Felton Empire. Let's do get together and maybe try farther north of Natural Bridges, the 25th might be good. I teach school so my mid week luxury fishing is about to end next week.

Right on FisHunter!

Again, anyone solos wanting to try that spot we are happy to help get you onto and off the beach. SlowMo needs the work to bulk up for the Lacrosse season.
Steve

That's Mitchell's cove.

DRAT!  It sounded familiar but I was hoping it would be even further north than MC.

Is there a Mitchell's Cove-type area further north, like by the Aquarium?

I'm looking at fishing tomorrow AM, would love to launch from Mitchell's, but not solo...it's an easy carry for two, but a beeatch for one guy...Anyone?    Bueler?

If that fails, I'll probably fish the lighthouse area from the harbor.

about 0700 launch, perhaps 0630.

Would it be easier if you launch Natural Bridge SB? You have the parking lot next to the beach. With a kayak wheel, it seems not hard to pull your kayak for ~100 yard to the water. Shore breaks are too big there?

No Sharks Attackes!!!! What, are you guys not trying?  We need blood on the water!!!  WE NEED THE PRESS...ANY NEWS IS GOOD NEWS......OK I hope I will be lake fishing when that happens, again.  Yes, I would walk Bonds everytime he is up....CHICKEN!!!!

But, my mato in life...Thoses who can not Play...Teach...those who can not teach...fish.

Ken kickfish

I've checked from the walkway many times and the beach at NB is normally in the adventure launch catagory, most of our coastal coves have one protected end, but they surf at the west end because it's bigger there, and there is an inconvenient rock at the east end. But we have had pretty low swells lately, and for a couple more days, so maybe this would be a good chance to try.  I seem to recall that some rangers think launching there is not allowed, I asked one onetime and he said it's o.k.
  One member of this board hauled his P15 up the stairs at Mitchells  alone on his head then went back and did mine the same way.  I think he's in the 99 th percentile for strength though.
 I'd like to see someone try roping one up the bluff to see if it can be done.  I've thought about a clothesline trolley sort of affair, but I could probably paddle from the harbor in the time it would take me to get it untangled. Reminds me of an oldie but goodie about the sailor who tried to use some counterwieghts to help him get to the top of his mast.
  Check out 4 Mile Beach (4 miles NW of SC for you non-locals - just a dirt pulloff of the highway with a lot of surfer's cars there) - a lot more protected launch (at the east end), about the same length portage as Elk, nowhere near as steep - someone's probably done it and is keeping it a secret.