efishent
10-12-2010, 09:08 PM
After a post-wsb break I’ve jumped on a Island Packers boat and spent 3 days with friends camping at Santa Cruz Island. It was beautiful weekend with hiking, snorkeling and kayaking on near-flat glass. Landing at Scorpion ranch in a MPA but always a nice preview of the kelp and sand life. Even from kayak the polarized visibility was at 15-20 ft and we observed fat calicos, 3-5 lb opal eyes, 4-5 ft wide rays digging themselves in the sand and variety of smaller blue perch and baitfish exploding everywhere on the surface. The spearfiserman got calicos and say a bigger model halibut, but I has on my mind is a hike to non-MPA beach –smugglers cove that I recall having some serious surf perch from a visit 3 years ago.
Formerly endangered island foxes were everywhere, endangering our camping resources, many loud ravens also felt at home in the campground.
Early morning on Saturday on the way to fishing grounds- a strenuous 7.5 mile roundtrip on the sunny old road. IN the distance behind the ‘gap’ is a part of Anacapa island, true to its Chumash name –“mirage”
AT destination the tide was high with walled up surf and rather warm water abundant with broken up seaweed pieces. Instead of my only LC I tied a Jackal type that looked very similar but seemed to run a little deeper and was harder to maintain at particular depth. It sure had some sharp hooks as before I even warmed up I had 3 fish hooked.
The tide was draining in a hurry revealing the sandy shallows which surely looked like an approachable habitat for halis, but by that time my friends and I decided to go back to make it in time for hot chili dinner and cold beers- I gotta spend good times with non-fishing friends. So, will try this place on low tide next time. Well, I switched to CAMO crack and was getting all sizes of perch on every cast just before we took off. Some of those island types can grow to full size and eat our coastal ones for breakfast.
Last look at a very tame smugglers cove. There is no water and no camping allowed but sure is a nice easy access by boat.
If you haven’t been to Channel Island National park – it’s worth it, there are other open –to –fishing beach areas that I need to get out and inspect- I know there is a great potential. Hope everyone’s weekend was great too.
Pictures are not in order- I can only attach them after re-sizing but have no idea how to insert them in a text to illustrate the story.
Formerly endangered island foxes were everywhere, endangering our camping resources, many loud ravens also felt at home in the campground.
Early morning on Saturday on the way to fishing grounds- a strenuous 7.5 mile roundtrip on the sunny old road. IN the distance behind the ‘gap’ is a part of Anacapa island, true to its Chumash name –“mirage”
AT destination the tide was high with walled up surf and rather warm water abundant with broken up seaweed pieces. Instead of my only LC I tied a Jackal type that looked very similar but seemed to run a little deeper and was harder to maintain at particular depth. It sure had some sharp hooks as before I even warmed up I had 3 fish hooked.
The tide was draining in a hurry revealing the sandy shallows which surely looked like an approachable habitat for halis, but by that time my friends and I decided to go back to make it in time for hot chili dinner and cold beers- I gotta spend good times with non-fishing friends. So, will try this place on low tide next time. Well, I switched to CAMO crack and was getting all sizes of perch on every cast just before we took off. Some of those island types can grow to full size and eat our coastal ones for breakfast.
Last look at a very tame smugglers cove. There is no water and no camping allowed but sure is a nice easy access by boat.
If you haven’t been to Channel Island National park – it’s worth it, there are other open –to –fishing beach areas that I need to get out and inspect- I know there is a great potential. Hope everyone’s weekend was great too.
Pictures are not in order- I can only attach them after re-sizing but have no idea how to insert them in a text to illustrate the story.