God has blessed monterey bay

[Grandroyal]

4 trips last seven days. Would have been more but seas didn’t think so. Got limits all four trips. Amazing bite here. Tight lines

 

[canamrider07]

Nice catch. In college I took an advanced SCUBA diving class and trained with some dives in Monterey Bay. It was during the winter. The water was freezing cold, choppy, zero visibility, and had very strong currents. On one dive we had to drop down the anchor line and perform a square that ended up back at the anchor line using a compass on my wrist. I couldn’t see but a few inches and had to fight the current but somehow managed to find the anchor line. It was hell just trying to make it back into the boat. After that I could dive anywhere. And we were supposed to camp for the weekend but one of our classmates said his family had a summer home we could stay out. We ended up going to 17 mile drive at a huge mansion with all 8 of us having our own bedroom.

 

[Bigolwiggler]

Hey Grandroyal ... good to see your success ! It has been a few years since I trolled for salmon ( I assume that you are trolling and not mooching ) . I have focused more on Cod, Halibut and Crab for the last number of years .
I have a few fish-tech questions. Again , assuming that you are trolling....
1. How far are you setting back from the release with your lure ? Pretty sure that you are using a dodger 4-6 ft before your lure ?
2. What is your lure of choice ? Mine was always an RSK ( rotary salmon killer ) but I like the Apex too.
3. Although this changes day to day and week by week ..... how deep are you finding them .
4. Are you chasing / circling bait balls and birds ? ( stuff that I tried always to do . )
5. When will you plan trip up to Humboldt / Trinidad CA. ?
I am awaiting the May 1st salmon / cod opener up here....unfortunately I won't be able to go out right then . Why does family always seem to plan get-togethers on the opening weekend of deer season and ocean fishing ? Don't they understand ???!!! ; )

Go out and get 'em .... before DFW shuts down salmon season for "whale entanglement" concerns !!

BOW

 

[Bigolwiggler]

Also good to see that they are natural fish and not hatchery fish . It means that we have a thriving native fishery . Not that we should shut down salmon hatcheries !

BOW

 

[Grandroyal]

cod

As far as set back I run a Trinidad tackle anchovy helmet in chrome or clear. I set that back from 11” flasher or dodger whatever 5-6’ then as far as clipping to downrigger release on flat smooth days I run 10-15’ on rough choppy days (most) I run no less than 25’
2 lure choice first mentioned above after that gold and silver hammered 50/50 spoon then hootchie ( hootchie must be 18” from dodger to create the action) then watermelon apex with chrome bottom not uv
3 right now fish have been from 120’ and up later season will see them 200’ or deeper
4 bait whales birds are all key to locate fish. I also have a circle of buddies and we usually have one or two if not more out everyday and we share info
5 sounds good I will like to come let me know when albacore are 15-20 miles or less me and a buddy will tow a couple boats there. We usually hit noyo ft Bragg 1-2 times are year when it pops off
6 I have gotten a lot of native fish. The hatchery misses alot of fin clips but still what they do helps alot those are the fish that die to sea lions and other predators and the wild ones make it. Good luck next week and tight lines.

 

[Grandroyal]

Nice catch. In college I took an advanced SCUBA diving class and trained with some dives in Monterey Bay. It was during the winter. The water was freezing cold, choppy, zero visibility, and had very strong currents. On one dive we had to drop down the anchor line and perform a square that ended up back at the anchor line using a compass on my wrist. I couldn’t see but a few inches and had to fight the current but somehow managed to find the anchor line. It was hell just trying to make it back into the boat. After that I could dive anywhere. And we were supposed to camp for the weekend but one of our classmates said his family had a summer home we could stay out. We ended up going to 17 mile drive at a huge mansion with all 8 of us having our own bedroom.

Currents rip I can’t imagine getting in the water it’s 51 and the currents are ripping right now. My dive class would turn into a rescue mission.

 

[Bigolwiggler]

As far as set back I run a Trinidad tackle anchovy helmet in chrome or clear. I set that back from 11” flasher or dodger whatever 5-6’ then as far as clipping to downrigger release on flat smooth days I run 10-15’ on rough choppy days (most) I run no less than 25’
2 lure choice first mentioned above after that gold and silver hammered 50/50 spoon then hootchie ( hootchie must be 18” from dodger to create the action) then watermelon apex with chrome bottom not uv
3 right now fish have been from 120’ and up later season will see them 200’ or deeper
4 bait whales birds are all key to locate fish. I also have a circle of buddies and we usually have one or two if not more out everyday and we share info
5 sounds good I will like to come let me know when albacore are 15-20 miles or less me and a buddy will tow a couple boats there. We usually hit noyo ft Bragg 1-2 times are year when it pops off
6 I have gotten a lot of native fish. The hatchery misses alot of fin clips but still what they do helps alot those are the fish that die to sea lions and other predators and the wild ones make it. Good luck next week and tight lines.

Thanks for the good intel ! I will keep my ear to the ground for Tuna in close and let you know.

 

[Grandroyal]

Thanks for the good intel ! I will keep my ear to the ground for Tuna in close and let you know.

I forgot to mention the spin on the anchovy.. huge key to success or failure. Are you familiar with setting up a drill bit spin on a kripple head?

 

[Bigolwiggler]

I forgot to mention the spin on the anchovy.. huge key to success or failure. Are you familiar with setting up a drill bit spin on a kripple head?

You cans set the spin on the chovy by curving the bait with the helmet rig . With the RSK , the head has a spin device built into it . You just clamp in the anchovy and the RSK provides the spin . ; )

 

[Grandroyal]

You cans set the spin on the chovy by curving the bait with the helmet rig . With the RSK , the head has a spin device built into it . You just clamp in the anchovy and the RSK provides the spin . ; )

Correct I just wanted to make sure you where setting the spring to help get more fish on the deck