Moss landing HKP 4/29

I’ve been beating myself up all week that I didn’t check the forms, or go off my initial instinct to fish last Sunday. Especially after reading KFP rpt 
It’s gusting pretty hard all day in Monterey bay, probably most CA. The swells seems minor, keeping my fingers crossed the winds will settle over night. Either way loading up my gear up tonight with high hopes things will look nice at first light. Grew up surfing moss, and understand it’s no kiddy pool. Looking for more perspective from experienced individuals, and company. 

Good luck! The forecast looks pretty nice tomorrow morning, at least for someone who grew up surfing moss landing.

Although most of my "experience" at Moss involves skunking, I have launched out the Jaws enough to offer a little advice.  I agree the forecast looks doable, as NolanDuke and I were debating a "sick" day tomorrow to give it a go.  Sadly, I won't be able to join you, but good luck.

Assuming you want to launch around first light, you might be fighting an incoming tide, but the swing is not that bad.  Depending if you have a motor, pedals, or paddle, it might affect your assessment of how difficult that would be.  The wind looks reasonable too, but I wouldn't really want to be fishing at Mulligans much past 11 since it looks like the wind could come up anytime after noon.  I wouldn't want to have to go through the washing machine while also dealing with whitecaps.  I did that last weekend.

Thanks for insight from last weekend gentleman, and good fortune wishes. Fortunately my old coworker from Kayak Connection will be tagging along for the trip until he has to get back for his shift at work.
Feel like the wind has resided for the evening on the northern side of the bay. Will post an update regardless of the outcome. Learning experience for others to read.
Tight lines, good vibes.

Good luck and be safe out there 

Update:

Caught some exercise and a beautiful morning on the water... no salmon though lol. I’d say it wasn’t a failure, as I learned a bit from the experience.
Arrived at 6:15 to my surprise I wasn’t the wasn’t the only kayaker. Met another NCKA member with a grey revo and motor. He didn’t arrive back by the time I left moss, so I hope he slayed and caught some. Radio chatter was very active with sone double up and early limits. Blue dancer hoochies were the successful bait over the radio, and I’m positive sone people were catching but keeping quiet.
Winds were light and off shore 2-4knots, swell was very present and short intervals as forecasted. 5-6’ windswell. Very manageable IMO.
Worked straight bait, a pink hooded crippled anchovy along the edge of the canyon where it was 400-600’. Had it down around 70-80’ fished SW of the harbor on my way to mulligans. Never made it the full distance trolling. I feared Moss Landings temperamental weather would flare up quick. Very tempting as I witnessed bird action, and spray from whales in the distance with no boats on it... Fleet was significantly far out else where catching.
Always another time to fish, but have to fish some days conservatively. Glad I did the wind turned on shore by 10am. By the time I left at 10:30am many boats had returned, and white caps started showing.

My take away. Get on the harbor water before first light, a bit late today. Could’ve been a hour earlier, only fished for 2hrs before going into work. Also I won’t invest time and energy trolling without any prevailing signs of fish on the sonar or animal activity. Initially I felt “I can’t catch without line in the water”. However my feelings changed after seeing seagulls diving and whales surfacing. I believe I could of gotten the job done if I had paddled to the suspicious animal activity. Maybe I’m just optimistic though  Can’t wait to get back out and try again.

 

Great report. Thank you.

Deciding when to troll and when to keep moving is so hard. I'm currently leaning towards searching more than fishing, but I've caught fish in unexpected times and places while zombie trolling.

Thanks for the report!  Hopefully next time you hook up big. 

Deciding when to troll and when to keep moving is so hard.

So true. Thanks for the report.

In case anybody is interested, I was in Santa Cruz this morning, but did not have much time, so just stayed in close and fished for RF. The boaters said that salmon fishing was pretty good, but not wide open. The thing that surprised me was that the weather/wind was great, even as late as 1:30pm...

I love it. Me. Zombie. Must find fish. Must eat flesh. I mean fish. 

Its such a blessing that sc county is usually much more protected, and often can fish it much later into the day than other zones. Thanks for reporting on the northern side of Monterey bay, NWM. Besides getting out for a bit, did ya bring anything home from the grocery store?
I was considering bottom fishing in Capi tomorrow… but like I said… I can’t wait to get out and try again… like immediately… tomorrow.

I can’t wait to get out and try again… like immediately… tomorrow.

Salmon fishing is the pinnacle of the Madness for many of us.  Thanks for the report - good luck out there.   

I love it. Me. Zombie. Must find fish. Must eat flesh. I mean fish. 

Its such a blessing that sc county is usually much more protected, and often can fish it much later into the day than other zones. Thanks for reporting on the northern side of Monterey bay, NWM. Besides getting out for a bit, did ya bring anything home from the grocery store?
I was considering bottom fishing in Capi tomorrow… but like I said… I can’t wait to get out and try again… like immediately… tomorrow.

I only caught 3 RF in almost 5 hours (and 8.42 miles). There was a brief bite at about 7:30am, but it was totally dead otherwise.

The water is cold (I measured 53 to 55 degrees in various locations) and until it warms a little, I would not expect hot action. If you do try Capitola, post a report. I'll go out again either Sunday or Monday...

Thanks for the report!  Hopefully next time you hook up big. 

+1

I love it. Me. Zombie. Must find fish. Must eat flesh. I mean fish. 

Its such a blessing that sc county is usually much more protected, and often can fish it much later into the day than other zones. Thanks for reporting on the northern side of Monterey bay, NWM. Besides getting out for a bit, did ya bring anything home from the grocery store?
I was considering bottom fishing in Capi tomorrow… but like I said… I can’t wait to get out and try again… like immediately… tomorrow.

I only caught 3 RF in almost 5 hours (and 8.42 miles). There was a brief bite at about 7:30am, but it was totally dead otherwise.

The water is cold (I measured 53 to 55 degrees in various locations) and until it warms a little, I would not expect hot action. If you do try Capitola, post a report. I'll go out again either Sunday or Monday...

Hmmm, is the rockfish bite slow in the mid-50s water temp? I had no idea...  I always assumed that since you can catch rockfish hundreds of feet deep (where I imagined the water would be really cold) that they'd be equally feisty year round. I had great luck all last year but I only started getting my yak in the water a lot at the beginning of summer into mid-Fall, and I hardly ever paid attention to water temp - I guess water would have been warmer during most of that period.