Trippin on the Lost Coast 9/5

A green light to fish my ass off from my wife this weekend opened up endless possibilities. I think I maximized the opportunity in my own way. Saturday I stayed local and fished the Sacramento River at Rio Vista with my pops. Good time, no bites but hours of QT.

I then packed up the Subaru and was on the road north for Shelter Cove by 9:30 pm. Lots of wildlife to keep me company on the late night drive through redwood country, including a black bear about 2 miles south of Laytonville, and a handful of fox on the cove road.

At sunrise I said hello to a few other kayakers getting set up and hit the inshore stretch heading south. I rigged up with a chrome bait cap and frozen anchovy or herring, sent down to the bottom on the DR, then cranked up 2-6 feet. Seemed like most of the PB’s were mooching this time, and saw a few nice ones get landed about a mile south of the launch in 60 FOW. After a few hours, I reeled up and headed northwest to find some rocky structure and the bottom fish that call the reefs home. Once bait and structure were underneath me, I dropped the iron down and the fun ensued. I had a blast filling out a nice limit of big Blacks and a few nice Verms. The drift was fast, but when I was able to get the fish bled and bagged quickly, I could get back on top of the cloud. Every hookup happened on the first drop, and the grade of fish was awesome. Hands are trashed from ripping gills and getting spiked, but so worth it.

At one point, I decided to try for ling and threw on a swim bait. I almost immediately hooked up to what felt like a big one, but I stupidly thumbed the spool to keep it out of the rocks, which resulted in a leader break. That was the only takedown on the swim bait, everything else ate a pimped out Hopkins jig with a red and black skirt and paint job.

Eventually the fleet started to mass right were I had drifted and I got to see a few more hookups. Looked like a mooching set up with a large bobber? Anyways, seeing this and having a good stronger of rock cod, I got back on the salmon troll. I played around with the fleet for a bit before heading back south towards the point with a plan to hit the green water inside before calling it a day. I hooked and released two good sized cohos on the way, and saw a yakker in a red revo smack a big Nook right by the moorings in thick bait. Trolled the zone for about an hour, but got no bites.

A burger at the campsite filled the empty belly, then it was time to hit the road for home. It was a long but gorgeous trip for a single day. I felt drowsy a few times, but was able to stop and stretch and refill the coffee cup to shake away the fog. Home and all cleaned up by 11:00.

I didn’t really stop to take any fish photos, I was busy trying to stay on the school when rock fishing, and the cohos got a fast release boat side. A few scenic shots included to make up for the lack of fishy photos.

Yeah buddy.   

That's a great trip report. I keep trying to talk myself into a rapid in/out trip to The Cove like that. This report is inspiring; I just may do it now.

Man, gets me nostalgic just thinking about the day missions like this. Way to get it done! Sounds like a blast.

that's what it's all about

Sounds like a dream weekend, Quality time with Pops and Fishing in the Cove. who could ask for more.

Every hookup happened on the first drop, and the grade of fish was awesome. Hands are trashed from ripping gills and getting spiked, but so worth it.

Fast action! Funstuff

Sleep is optional...