Linda Mar 7-18 - Report

Going to launch from boat docks and give a look around for salmon - I've got to be off the water before 11 so a short day. This is as much a shakeout cruise to make sure downrigger and gear is ready as it is a hard attempt at finding a keeper. My electronics were goofy the last time I was out as well, so hopefully I have that fixed. I'll be on 69 if anyone's out.

Cheers,
Brad

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REPORT: Got on the water at first light. Launch was a little more sporty than expected, but manageable. Inside the cove the water was fine, but once past little Pedro the exposed ocean was nasty. Rollers from the NW with a little side chop from the south had the ocean pretty confused. Strong current running north. We worked out to 80+ and then south to Big Pedro. Almost no bait to be found. It would be generous to say that we saw a bird dive five times all morning. We called it at 9 and made an uneventful landing among the surfers. Next time.

I’ll be launching in the area  likely at first light. Red Revo 13, ch.69. See you OTW.

Yao

Cool - yum yum yellow revo, neon yellow drysuit.

Cheers,
Brad

Geetum brah!

Good luck Brad!

Could be the day - sounds like there are some trout in the area. A Coastside report from today:

Fished two rods 7:00 to 2:00 for two 23” salmon and a shaker. One fish on a chartreuse FBR with chovy and two on a Raider Apex.

Fish came about 35’ down in 80’ of water just N of Pedro. Covered 50’ to 90’ of water from pier to 1-1/2 miles S of Pedro.

Not many boats, probably due to S wind. Saw one net all day. By noon, most everyone had cleared out.

Cool - yum yum yellow revo, neon yellow drysuit.

Cheers,
Brad

I think I saw you out there today when you were on your way back in! My lady and I were each in blue revos. Bunk day for us. By the time we got on the water the  wind/swell/current combo was outside of our "this is still fun" zone. We probably stayed out an 90 minutes and then went home. Long run for a short, uneventful jump. Oh well.

Nice to meet you anyway and put a face to a [user]name

Cool - yum yum yellow revo, neon yellow drysuit.

Cheers,
Brad

I think I saw you out there today when you were on your way back in! My lady and I were each in blue revos. Bunk day for us. By the time we got on the water the  wind/swell/current combo was outside of our "this is still fun" zone. We probably stayed out an 90 minutes and then went home. Long run for a short, uneventful jump. Oh well.

Nice to meet you anyway and put a face to a [user]name

That was me - glad you and your wife are safe and hopefully had a nice pedal around the cove. It wasn't too bad inside, but outside was snotty.

Cheers,
Brad

When we saw you you said you were heading in! Sound like you changed your mind and came home with some dinner ? good going!

Wrong way Yao - the beach is behind you

REPORT:  It was just before 5am and still dark when I met Chopper setting up with his headlamp on at the parking lot of the small boat docks.  I parked beside him, we exchanged greetings and got to setting up right away.  As we both finished setting up we headed down for the beach.  The report was 5ft waves at 8 sec, and plus a high tide made the launch appear "sporty" as some would say.   As I approached the ocean I saw that the rollers breaking at the shore were coming in frequently and there were already about a half dozen surfers already surfing before the sun was up.  I told Chopper,  "this looks bad man" but he assures me it'll be alright as long as we waited for the lulls and timed the launch.  We headed into the water holding our kayaks in knee deep water that continued to break every 5 or 6 seconds rising to above waist level while it washed in and out of the surf. We waited there for several minutes and when it appeared we had a window I hopped on the saddle and took off!  As we paddled out I did not make it very far before I got a face full of white wash.  All of a sudden this so called lull was full on breakers coming down right in front of the kayak.  Over the course of a couple of minutes the yak took a dozen or so blows that forced me back which made it nearly impossible to get out passed the surf.  But the Hobie Revo did the job absorbing blow after blow and pushing forward as I paddled with all my might.  I looked to my left and Chopper's spitting out mouth's full of salt water while a hootin' and a hollerin like a maniac; he was right at home having fun.  Fortunatly we both made it passed the surf without the lost anything.  In the back of my mind I was thinking about how getting out there was the "easy" part and getting back in was going to be the hard part. 

For the first couple of hours we trolled out to about 90 feet of water and I fished KA between 20 and 40 feet in less than ideal cross chop caused by the south wind. The first couple of hours went by and we did not get even a single bite.  We marked bait but not much.  We saw birds but not many.  We saw boats but very few.  It was around 0900 when we decided to call it head back in. As we trolled back my rod tip began to bounce but not tug strong enough release from the down rigger clip so I went ahead and set the hook.  I assumed it to be a small salmon but it turned out to a big croaker.  I decided to switch and try for lingcod to avoid the skunk on the way in and  managed to catch a decent copper rock fish which I took home and another croaker but no lingcod and no salmon. 

As we approached the beach there were probably at least a hundred surfers on the beach now and it was clearly surfing conditions.  I locked down as much of my gear as I could and then sat, watched and waited with Chopper.  After awhile we found a decent chance to just go for it.  I followed beside Chopper trying to give him enough room as I tried to paddle in.  But a strong wave broke right behind me forcing me and my kayak to turn right fast and hard and now I was facing Chopper instead of being parallel with him! I flashed back to earlier when he gave me some helpful advice which was to lean into the break and brace should I end up in the position I was in.  I did that and the wave passed losing its energy and I was able to then turn into a complete 360 and ride the next wave back into the beach where we both successfully landed.

All that to say we skunked on salmon and no yard sale.  Well, I did lose my radio which was clipped to my life vest while I the kayak was going in a circle but I am glad that was it. 

Holy moly…. Hope the radio was not the super duper pricey kind!  Thanks for the report 👍.

Mr. Scat, that surf launch and landing lesson was good for many years!  “This looks very bad”   Maniacal Chopper peripheral vision...”in his element”  couldn’t of had a better surf launch buddy.  Your landing was a phenomenon.  In the heat of the break, there is no shame in jumping off your yak, grabbing the stern, and scissor kicking your kayak in.  I’ve gotten giddy about this truth.  Been backslammed by 4 ft faces and laughed at the goodness of the way a wave washes over when you are the ballast...holding on to the exact rear of your kayak...no guarantees, but in a pinch, leap off,  save your gear and avoid foamy flippy ingestion...not sure this makes sense but I enjoyed your launch and landing write up.

Brad and Yao, you are are beasts!

Well done! LM is one of the harder places for both surf and swell. But looks like you guys used all your wits and skills to outsmart the ocean. Sorry about your radio..

I’m attaching a kayaker’s dream condition at LM