alantani
05-05-2012, 07:41 AM
first trip of 2012 - may 3rd, 2012
so dad called earlier in the week. "when are we going fishing?" was the question. there was a break in the weather on thursday. it would be blowing hard monday through wednesday, then down to zero wind thursday and back up friday and saturday. looks like thursday was the only day. nevermind that that boat had been sitting for 6 months. oh, well. roger and i (um, mostly roger) cleaned the boat, did a full systems check and i found some gear oil leaking from around the lower unit of the port motor. hopefully one trip will not ruin it. we're going fishing.
half moon bay would be the most exposed, and if the salmon were scattered, we had a possible fall back to rockfish, but they would have been scattered by the storms as well. moss landing would be the most sheltered, with no fall back at all if the salmon had left the area. monterey would probably have decent seas, the commercial guys were working the area the day before, and we could always take a 20 mile run to point sur for rockfish if salmon fishing was a bust. so monterey it was.
the boat, downriggers, and rods all worked perfectly. even though it had been a year since i fished for salmon, everything was dialed in and worked just fine. we fished just north of point pinos and great sonar marks from 50 down to 200 feet. radio chatter was light. no one was catching anything.
http://alantani.com/gallery/6/1_04_05_12_12_57_48_61832486.jpeg
http://alantani.com/gallery/6/1_04_05_12_12_58_07_61852013.jpeg
after two hours of nothing, we decided to run to point sur. the water was beautiful. a few swells came rolling through and the wind was so light we couldn't even get a drift going. but at least we were fishing.
http://alantani.com/gallery/6/1_04_05_12_12_58_07_61852013.jpeg
banging the bottom straight up and down was not working, so i got a 2 ounce jig and started casting. a little extra work, but this was my reward.
http://alantani.com/gallery/6/1_04_05_12_12_58_58_6191868.jpeg
dad nailed a nice vermillion on a shrimp fly.
http://alantani.com/gallery/6/1_04_05_12_12_59_07_61921542.jpeg
and our driver/deckhand roger, was once again mr. lucky. this guy is always smiling. well, i would be to if i was always hooked up!
http://alantani.com/gallery/6/1_04_05_12_12_59_16_6193339.jpeg
http://alantani.com/gallery/6/1_04_05_12_12_59_27_61941182.jpeg
http://alantani.com/gallery/6/1_04_05_12_12_59_37_6195612.jpeg
we ended up with 3 lings and 26 assorted rockfish for the three of us after only 3 hours of fishing. we used jigs and shrimp flies tipped with cut up anchovies. rule number 70. always bring a box of squid. salmon fishing was a bust, but at least we sent dad home with some fish. the boat goes into the shop next week.
http://alantani.com/gallery/6/1_04_05_12_12_59_46_6196211.jpeg
so dad called earlier in the week. "when are we going fishing?" was the question. there was a break in the weather on thursday. it would be blowing hard monday through wednesday, then down to zero wind thursday and back up friday and saturday. looks like thursday was the only day. nevermind that that boat had been sitting for 6 months. oh, well. roger and i (um, mostly roger) cleaned the boat, did a full systems check and i found some gear oil leaking from around the lower unit of the port motor. hopefully one trip will not ruin it. we're going fishing.
half moon bay would be the most exposed, and if the salmon were scattered, we had a possible fall back to rockfish, but they would have been scattered by the storms as well. moss landing would be the most sheltered, with no fall back at all if the salmon had left the area. monterey would probably have decent seas, the commercial guys were working the area the day before, and we could always take a 20 mile run to point sur for rockfish if salmon fishing was a bust. so monterey it was.
the boat, downriggers, and rods all worked perfectly. even though it had been a year since i fished for salmon, everything was dialed in and worked just fine. we fished just north of point pinos and great sonar marks from 50 down to 200 feet. radio chatter was light. no one was catching anything.
http://alantani.com/gallery/6/1_04_05_12_12_57_48_61832486.jpeg
http://alantani.com/gallery/6/1_04_05_12_12_58_07_61852013.jpeg
after two hours of nothing, we decided to run to point sur. the water was beautiful. a few swells came rolling through and the wind was so light we couldn't even get a drift going. but at least we were fishing.
http://alantani.com/gallery/6/1_04_05_12_12_58_07_61852013.jpeg
banging the bottom straight up and down was not working, so i got a 2 ounce jig and started casting. a little extra work, but this was my reward.
http://alantani.com/gallery/6/1_04_05_12_12_58_58_6191868.jpeg
dad nailed a nice vermillion on a shrimp fly.
http://alantani.com/gallery/6/1_04_05_12_12_59_07_61921542.jpeg
and our driver/deckhand roger, was once again mr. lucky. this guy is always smiling. well, i would be to if i was always hooked up!
http://alantani.com/gallery/6/1_04_05_12_12_59_16_6193339.jpeg
http://alantani.com/gallery/6/1_04_05_12_12_59_27_61941182.jpeg
http://alantani.com/gallery/6/1_04_05_12_12_59_37_6195612.jpeg
we ended up with 3 lings and 26 assorted rockfish for the three of us after only 3 hours of fishing. we used jigs and shrimp flies tipped with cut up anchovies. rule number 70. always bring a box of squid. salmon fishing was a bust, but at least we sent dad home with some fish. the boat goes into the shop next week.
http://alantani.com/gallery/6/1_04_05_12_12_59_46_6196211.jpeg