efishent
11-17-2012, 07:34 AM
Intro: The night before I paddled out to the top of surfer’s point and realized that we had unusual water clarity; and with not much to ride I enjoyed viewing life 10-15 ft underwater. Mostly bare bottom, seaweed, occasional shovelnose, a small school of bait, but as I moved into the kelp, through and open window I saw as school of 8-10 Lb fat stripers hanging right under me in 4-5 ft of water. Wow, where’s my rod???
I had it next day but no chance to go out until 2h before dark so I made a run north and hit 3 spot very quickly. The conditions were amazing: glass clear and flat, low tide that allows you to walk in far reaching distant kelp patches that may have not been accessible all year due to surf. Almost no bait fish and about 63F water on the evening before rain (gotta love how quiet it gets). Did I mention no salad anywhere?
Sorry, no pic but here’s spot by spot:
1) After few casts I got hooked and brought a small Hali and in few more got a Giant smelt that earned it’s name and was bigger than the hali and a drag burner
2) With so many spots now accessible I tried a different one nearby and in few cast got my PB BSP, only to be topped by 2 bigger models in the next 20 minutes. I had the tape but no camera and didn’t even bother to measure – they were all>15” heavy and drag peelers. I was on the grassy boulders deep in the Big Blue (that’s where they hide on no-surf days) so wanted to just let them go quickly, but the last one was almost a fillet material. The fly-fisherman came in and I bet he had a blast with piggies.
3) Walked on sandy bottom to a normally inaccessible reef: it looked so fishy but I only managed a couple of medium sized perch
4) Final 15 minutes spent at surfer’s point, and walked right into the spot but no luck on stripers, just hooked a young cormorant and as I unhooked the bird he pulled one way while the second hook on LC got into my hand. For once I was glad that my LC has missing hooks and not as sharp as new. With minor scars to both we called it even and I headed for land while cormorant went back into diving.
I’ll be getting new LCs and camera; hopefully will to get out there next year. Take advantage of current conditions and have fun.
I had it next day but no chance to go out until 2h before dark so I made a run north and hit 3 spot very quickly. The conditions were amazing: glass clear and flat, low tide that allows you to walk in far reaching distant kelp patches that may have not been accessible all year due to surf. Almost no bait fish and about 63F water on the evening before rain (gotta love how quiet it gets). Did I mention no salad anywhere?
Sorry, no pic but here’s spot by spot:
1) After few casts I got hooked and brought a small Hali and in few more got a Giant smelt that earned it’s name and was bigger than the hali and a drag burner
2) With so many spots now accessible I tried a different one nearby and in few cast got my PB BSP, only to be topped by 2 bigger models in the next 20 minutes. I had the tape but no camera and didn’t even bother to measure – they were all>15” heavy and drag peelers. I was on the grassy boulders deep in the Big Blue (that’s where they hide on no-surf days) so wanted to just let them go quickly, but the last one was almost a fillet material. The fly-fisherman came in and I bet he had a blast with piggies.
3) Walked on sandy bottom to a normally inaccessible reef: it looked so fishy but I only managed a couple of medium sized perch
4) Final 15 minutes spent at surfer’s point, and walked right into the spot but no luck on stripers, just hooked a young cormorant and as I unhooked the bird he pulled one way while the second hook on LC got into my hand. For once I was glad that my LC has missing hooks and not as sharp as new. With minor scars to both we called it even and I headed for land while cormorant went back into diving.
I’ll be getting new LCs and camera; hopefully will to get out there next year. Take advantage of current conditions and have fun.