Northern Baja Jan 16-18

Happy New Year to me!!!  Got a note from Trout saying come on down and jump aboard the Black Pearl for a 2 day mothership trip to Northern Baja.  Well, I got some time off due, and an excess of frequent flyer miles, so after checking GAF, decided that I'm going to go on this trip.

There are a couple spots open if anyone wants to get away for a long weekend and escape the cold Northwest winter.

-Allen

I'd love to but I have to be in Hawaii that week.   

 

If I had the cash I'd be there in a heartbeat.    Take some good picks as always.

Planning a similar Baja trip mid- March.  Details & pics upon return would be awesome!

Since you got that shiny new vid cam we'll be looking for the full video re-cap..

Z

Planning a similar Baja trip mid- March.  Details & pics upon return would be awesome!

Welcome DSD.  Are you going on a kayak mothership trip?  Which boat?

-Allen

Planning a similar Baja trip mid- March.  Details & pics upon return would be awesome!

Welcome DSD.  Are you going on a kayak mothership trip?  Which boat?

-Allen

Yes, a mothership trip is what I'm looking at.  Trying to keep costs minimal, the gf is staying home, so camping or bare-bones accommodations is what I'm looking for.  The East Cape kayak fishing co. looks good, but all trips booked 'till next summer.  Also eyed Ursa Major, Islander(no trips this yr?), & Fiesta(too ritzy).  I'm trying to find a short trip mid-March, or maybe slightly longer one for summer.  This will be my first taxied yak trip, so any recommendations would def be welcome.       

Yes, a mothership trip is what I'm looking at.  Trying to keep costs minimal, the gf is staying home, so camping or bare-bones accommodations is what I'm looking for.  The East Cape kayak fishing co. looks good, but all trips booked 'till next summer.

Are you sure about that?  I saw Jim posting just last week on NCKA about some of Sean White's trips.  If you can get on one of Sean's trips, you would be scoring big time.  Sean hosts a great show.

Also eyed Ursa Major, Islander(no trips this yr?), & Fiesta(too ritzy).  I'm trying to find a short trip mid-March, or maybe slightly longer one for summer.  This will be my first taxied yak trip, so any recommendations would def be welcome.       

The NCKA guys have been doing an Islander trip the last couple years.  Nothing but good to say about it.  I'd like to jump on that boat one of these days.

I'll post a full report about my Black Pearl trip in a little bit.  Short summary.  Good times with my bruddah Adam "Trout" Traubman.  Made some new friends.  Caught some fish including my first calico bass and my first ocean whitefish.  Got rocked  by something big when we did one last stop and fished off the big boat in 300' of water.  I think it was a shark.  A few minutes later Trout hooked up something big and only the head of a fish came up.  However, winter time is not the best time to target more glamorous species such as yellowtail of white sea bass.  We caught mostly rockfish and lingcod, which I can do up in WA or in NorCal.

-Allen


Edited for horrible grammar.  The boat arrived back at the dock at 1AM last night and I got in my car and drove straight home (8 hours).  I need a nap.

OK.  Here's the report.

On Thursday I made the call to just drive down instead of flying.  It just felt right to do this so I could have my own kayak and bring all the gear I wanted.  Left San Jose at about 10AM, hit traffic in LA, and arrive right around 7PM.  It was a long drive.  Everyone else more or less had their gear on board so I quickly loaded all my stuff, probably way more that I needed.  We shoved off around 8 and after a quick stop at the bait barges to load up on fresh live sardines, we were on our way.  We motored all night and woke up just as we were pulling up on the spot for the day.

Here's a pic of the Black Pearl.



We had a big kelp bed to work and after a quick breakfast we were out fishing.  In no time at all I had my first hookup.  Turned out to be a ~30 inch ling.  We spread out a bit but eventually settled on working a bull kelp bed in about 75 feet of water.  The bull kelp they have down there is different than we have in NorCal or the NW.  It has "horns" to it.  Quite snaggy too.  Trout hooked up on a monster sheepshead as well as a ling about the same size as mine, with a big belly.  This pic makes my ling look smaller, but honestly, it was the same length and had a bit more width to it, but a smaller belly.



It was a slow pick, but everyone caught a variety of fish including lings, sheepshead, calicos, reds, browns, and other various rockfish.  I didn't take too many pics the first day as I was in relax mode taking it all in.

We motored up the line at the end of the day and anchored close to where we'd be fishing the next day.  Woke up on day 2 and motored a short distance to some offshore rocks.



You can't tell too much from the pics but there was a big swell going.  With a slight offshore wind, it was a bit bumpy to start out with, but eventually settled down  Here's Dave in front of the rocks with a nice wave breaking through them.  We didn't get too close for obvious reasons.



It was a bit slow at the rocks with Trout pulling in a nice red.  This guy can fish!



We decided to move inshore and try another spot.  While waiting for lunch we dropped a few lines off the big boat and in no time we were pulling in some nice reds and a couple lings.  Ate quickly then got back in the water.  Had a steady pick of fish including more reds, calicos, and lings.  I caught my first calico during this session.  Not the biggest, but it was my first!  Also got my first ocean whitefish.



With a little more than an hour of daylight left, we decided to move way offshore to a deepwater rockpile and fish from the big boat to fill the coolers.  We were treated to fast action on boccacio, whitefish, and starry rockfish.  And the sky really lit up for a beautiful ending to the trip.



Did I mention we loaded up on the fish?



We didn't get into any yellowtail of WSB, and the action wasn't as hot and heavy as I was expecting, but I couldn't have asked for a better crew to fish with.  We had an ultra limited load with only 7 kayak anglers on board.  That was really nice as we weren't crowded and stepping all over each other on the boat.  Good times had by all.

Not sure I'd recommend this trip for you guys from the NW as you can get similar fishing up there.  But when spring approaches and the Black Pearl heads back up to target the Channel Islands, I'd love to jump aboard for a shot at the WSB, yellowtail, and calicos.  It's great boat to mothership from and the captain works really hard for you.

-Allen

PP, great photos and story about the trip. Reminds me of my early fishing days in the 70's fishing Catalina. I would really like to get back down there someday! Glad you had a great time. It is a heck of a drive, but would be worth it to have all your own stuff!

Dave

great pics man, Looks like a blast. That's a nice looking mothership. One day i hope to make a trip like that. Got the makings for a awesome fish fry...

Allen- Yea, unless I'm missing something the only trips I saw on EC site were for 2009.  I really want to get down there this year, will def. keep islander in mind, & I'll try to see if your' buds on the  BP have upcoming dates for spring & summer.  Great report & pics, especially that sunset.
-Jesse

DSD ... it IS 2009.  I'm pretty sure there are still spots open on some of the trips offered by East Cape KF.

Any one else possibly interested in a BP or Islander trip this summer?  If we can get a handful of people, that's good for a running start and I can try to fill the rest from NCKA.

-Allen

Wow!  What a trip, thanks for sharing it...I need the fix.  The pictures are really great to look at, keeps me motivated and daydreaming.  That pic of the Sunset was awesome.
-Scott

Nice pics there Pole². Looks like a great time had by all the the scenery looks awesome. I hope a bunch of us can make one of Sean's trips this year. I'm gonna do my best.. maybe the October trip.

Z