Capitola 8/18/07 No WSB for me.

Launched at 6:30, landed at 1:30.  FAC all day, no swells for the most part. ( But , after reading Etienne's report, I do recall some larger swells near O'Neill's about 11 am than just about everywhere else, including the beach)  Easily got some macs and various sizes of smelt and headed out to Mile Reef, just a couple of boats out there. I followed the diving birds around until that got old.  There is bait all over out there.   Rigged up the bait on first  some big hooks in a line, then on a halibut sliding sinker rig.  Drifted at all depths, including removing wieghts and letting the mac go where it wanted, even trolled it slowly for a while.  I used squid, then gobs of squid, too.
  Moved over out from O'Neill's where there packs of boats apparently following WSB around- they were standing up high and looking for the fish, I couldn't see their rigs.  They'd scoot off a quarter of a mile then return 10 mins later to my area. 
   After a while I went in closer and tried drifting for halibut, then still later I trolled.  Only got a couple of rockies (released) for my effort. Another yakker out there had a good take down, but his line broke before he saw anything. 
   I didn't see anyone catch anything, but one of the rental skiff anglers said, as he walked off the wharf, that several WSB were caught today, and that the guys standing up were watching for their fins and were able to see the fish in the water.

What teases.  Good try Tom.

Check out this one:

http://www.baysidemarinesc.com/fishday.html

Well, you sure gave it a good effort, and certainly the condition on the bay are just spectacular right now. IMO a good place to spend the day.
Thanks for the report.

Tom, I didn't see you but I was out there too, I was probably too shallow. I got one smelt grabbed and relased, probably
an underling but who knows.

one 64lb WSB would pretty much make your season if not the half-decade, so it's worth the effort.

J