Salad City in The OC

[BackBayMan]

After the big surf restocked the salad bar in The OC this past week, surf fishing has been next to impossible for long rodders. Even with relatively flat surf this weekend, the kelp monsters have made it hard to keep lines in the water even with yakked baits. That's the bad news. The good news is they're out there. Guys have caught threshers off the piers and we had a nice 7 gill and soupie on yakked baits from the sand along with evidence of fish to 16+ feet off our shores. Guys have been getting some decent fish with the trout gear from the skinny too but they are having to work hard to find open patches of water holding fish.

With a sinus infection still kicking my ass, I decided I couldn't stand not getting out for two weeks so a buddy and I decided to hit the Back Bay during the day to at least get some lines wet. We tried a different spot because it has drive up access and the tide conditions made it fishable during the day. We were hoping to make some grinner bait, but it didn't happen. Steady bite of small stuff, sting rays, keychain leos, etc. I did have the clicker on my baitcaster scream out, but it turned out to be a large smelt. In hindsight, I probably should have measured it or something because it might have been a world record smelt. It was pretty big, but still, who wants a line record for smelt

I also got word of an encounter in close to shore. By encounter I mean somebody who knows what they're talking about kicked something big in the head, and by close I mean first trough 20' from shore close. So I'm hoping the kelp monsters and surf cooperate so I can get some hand cast chunks in the water soon.

Hope everybody has a great Memorial Day, I got to go fire up the Q and ice down some beers

[Latimeria]

I'd take a WR Smelt....  LOL

I hope the kelp cleans up and Happy Memorial Day Chip.

[Pinoyfisher]

Its been salad city down here too. I've hit the surf a bunch, but had nothing to report.

[vdisney]

We hit the one beach that is ALWAYS kelp free with the light rods this morning, had to work our way around the kelp!!!  Heading up north tomorrow afternoon with the long rods, hopefully it's cleaner 

[Dark_Knight_9C1]

I hit the usual spot Monday and there was a lot of salad but somehow it was manageable. Good news was the shovel nose guitar fish are back. And if your working your way up the food chain it's a good sign.