midgettosser1
06-13-2012, 11:26 PM
After driving by the armada sitting off the coast on several occasions over the past week, I finally decided to get my *** outta bed early and do something about it.
6/11
Realizing I lost my gaff and had no means of procuring one before monday morning (and not wanting to go after the big dogs gaff-less), I opted first to try surf fishing, as intel had shown some interesting results. Hit the spot at 6am to a really low tide and lots of salad. Eventually Bones showed up (lighting fires generally tends to keep you from getting to the beach at gray light), and we fished together for a bit longer for nothing. Called it quits around 8:30 or so. Just wasn't meant to be this day.
6/12
After picking up a new gaff after work on Monday it was time to get the yak wet after a long hiatus.
Got down to the beach around 6am and onto the grounds around 6:30am. Actually started setting up my gear just short of the grounds. Tossed out some frozen squid on my first rod while setting up my second rod. Within seconds I had a small rockfish on. Kind of a waste of bait, but skunk off none the less. Rebaited and dropped it back down for a nice calico. And then another.
Once everything was set I paddled out and situated myself amongst the PBers and yakkers. Drifted around til about 9am or so and decided to call it quits since I had a work meeting at 11. But before I packed everything up I decided to drop some more squid down just outside the grounds and managed a short ling. Didn't get what I was after, but at least I had a super dry launch and landing given the conditions (which were supposed to be 1-2ft waves).
35698
6/13
Had more time today to target what I was after, and I was prepared to stay on the water until I got one... or until I had to get back to work for a 3pm meeting.
This time I made sure I was up early and at the beach before gray light. Started bringing my gear down to the sand in the dark so I could be paddling before it got light out. Naturally I left my gaff at home, but at least I had my lip gripper in the car, so it would have to do.
Made it to the grounds while it was still gray and attempted to jig up some squid. Only managed one, but didn't really try too hard to get more. Put him on the dropper loop and rigged a fresh frozen on a white jig. On my second or third drift (about 30 min into fishing) I feel a tap tap tap on the live squid. After somehow resisting the urge to set the hook (fished 4/0 circles) the fish takes off, peeling line and dragging me with him. While holding on to the rod with my right hand, I clear my jig rod with my left, all while getting a nice sleigh ride. After 5 minutes or so I get the fish up and manage to drag him across my lap with the lip gripper. First legal white seabass from the yak. Measured it at 46" when I got home. No 50lb tanker, but still my biggest legal from yak and surf combined.
35699
6/11
Realizing I lost my gaff and had no means of procuring one before monday morning (and not wanting to go after the big dogs gaff-less), I opted first to try surf fishing, as intel had shown some interesting results. Hit the spot at 6am to a really low tide and lots of salad. Eventually Bones showed up (lighting fires generally tends to keep you from getting to the beach at gray light), and we fished together for a bit longer for nothing. Called it quits around 8:30 or so. Just wasn't meant to be this day.
6/12
After picking up a new gaff after work on Monday it was time to get the yak wet after a long hiatus.
Got down to the beach around 6am and onto the grounds around 6:30am. Actually started setting up my gear just short of the grounds. Tossed out some frozen squid on my first rod while setting up my second rod. Within seconds I had a small rockfish on. Kind of a waste of bait, but skunk off none the less. Rebaited and dropped it back down for a nice calico. And then another.
Once everything was set I paddled out and situated myself amongst the PBers and yakkers. Drifted around til about 9am or so and decided to call it quits since I had a work meeting at 11. But before I packed everything up I decided to drop some more squid down just outside the grounds and managed a short ling. Didn't get what I was after, but at least I had a super dry launch and landing given the conditions (which were supposed to be 1-2ft waves).
35698
6/13
Had more time today to target what I was after, and I was prepared to stay on the water until I got one... or until I had to get back to work for a 3pm meeting.
This time I made sure I was up early and at the beach before gray light. Started bringing my gear down to the sand in the dark so I could be paddling before it got light out. Naturally I left my gaff at home, but at least I had my lip gripper in the car, so it would have to do.
Made it to the grounds while it was still gray and attempted to jig up some squid. Only managed one, but didn't really try too hard to get more. Put him on the dropper loop and rigged a fresh frozen on a white jig. On my second or third drift (about 30 min into fishing) I feel a tap tap tap on the live squid. After somehow resisting the urge to set the hook (fished 4/0 circles) the fish takes off, peeling line and dragging me with him. While holding on to the rod with my right hand, I clear my jig rod with my left, all while getting a nice sleigh ride. After 5 minutes or so I get the fish up and manage to drag him across my lap with the lip gripper. First legal white seabass from the yak. Measured it at 46" when I got home. No 50lb tanker, but still my biggest legal from yak and surf combined.
35699