0/1 - 10/12

[jrodda]

Woke up at 0600, expecting fog. Look out the window and I woulda give it 300 yards. Nnnnnnope.

0620. 1000'? Could be worse over there.

0640. Quarter mile? Aight, let's do it.

Remembered I could use a gas top-up on the way over.

Half way there I realize I forgot frozen mackerel. Hmmmmmm...proceed...

Ramp payhub thing (raised price from $15 to $20 recently) takes my money, opens door, doesn't give ticket. Whacky ol' thing.

One "hey cool boat, did you bring a helmet?" I like that one.

Got to the zone and there was some bait popping around a line of scattered kelp. Started trolling for mackerel through it. No bites. Moved around through intermittent bait on the surface and wasn't hooking any. I had the sense that the smelt might be the chief presence in the area and my hopes for mackerel slowly dwindled.

As I was making a turn back, I spied a school of bait obviously being chased by predator. I dropped a bird rig back and trolled around. Left as quickly as it came.

When the fish finder finally found its spirit and showed me the depth, I started seeing this really consistently.



I was interpreting that as a load of mackerel, judging by the size marks. I dropped a 3 way LCFM rig down to the bottom and worked the water column. No strikes anywhere. Dropped a sabiki in, nothin'. Damn, just not having it today!

Gave that at least 30 minutes, then switched to this pretty little thing. Kinda looks like a baby croaker to me.



Moved tight to the beach for a little attempt at halibut. 30 minutes of nothin', moved on.

Almost went back inside the harbor, but decided to try one last spot for halibut. Get right about where I wanna be, drop the rig down, still settling on the bottom and I get a whacky tappy bite and it stops. Super weird? Then huge splash 20' from the boat. What just happened?? Thresher slapped and missed the jointed croaker!!! I'm thoroughly entertained that I got that bite on that lure, just the weirdest. Then 50 yards away I see an obvious swingle tail spazzing it up with a seagull following. That was either the same fish moving FAST for 150' or there were a couple around.

Did half a dozen loops around looking for it/them again but they were gone as quickly as they'd arrived.

Wind had picked up a wee bit and I was done about 1200. Very surprised I got skunked amidst the life, not even a baitfish. But the thresher was a nice and ridiculous tease to get out again soon.

[Latimeria]

That would have been so cool to hook that thresher on the lure, even if that lure would have been destroyed.  Good on you getting out in the boat.  I'm dying to do some local fishing again, but my shoulder is impeding my progress on my boat repairs.

I'm not sure that's all mackerel, but It's definitely fin bait.

I can't wait until you do find that 20+ pound flatty!

[Tim524]

Every outing has a certain vibe to it and some are better than others, that's what makes the journey so fun, you just never know what will happen or why it happens when it does. I have started a journal of my outings, along with plenty of pics, might be a learning tool or maybe just something to reflect back on when I'm much older.

Glad you got back out on the water 

[jrodda]

Every outing has a certain vibe to it and some are better than others, that's what makes the journey so fun, you just never know what will happen or why it happens when it does. I have started a journal of my outings, along with plenty of pics, might be a learning tool or maybe just something to reflect back on when I'm much older.

Glad you got back out on the water 

Honestly, writing this report in particular reminded me of a lot of little things that contribute to why I like boating.

With the transom getting some water intrusion and getting bent out a little, I've been thinking of disposing of this inflatable, and either getting another kaboat until I get a livingston skiff (hoping 12 month timeline now) or going boatless. I'm pretty tired of certain PITAs like storage units and uncomfortable seating and about a dozen things that bounce and break or corrode because of the impermanence of the inflatable.

I'm leaning back into ordering another, 14' 70lb Bris kaboat vs my Saturn 15' 100lber. A little easier to handle and maybe a touch more speed. I figure mine has less than 10 local trips before I drop it.