Late Bug Report / SD Bay 10/26

[BT]

Had some computer problems this week so I wasn’t able to post earlier...but I will post a nice looong report. Check the end of my post if you just want the short report

Launched Sunday night at SI to what seemed would be a nice calm warm night. Met up with my friends Chuck and Tim. This was Chucks first time hooping so we were hoping for same results that I had over the past few weekends of everyone getting at least a few bugs. Tim and I have been out a bunch of times before and we have been teasing Chuck for about three years because we picked up all the hooping equipment for him, but this was his first time hooping. He is the only person I know with brand new nets that have rust on them! The first time I fished off a kayak was with Chuck and Tim....and that was the last time Chuck fished from his kayak...so obviously we have been giving him crap ever since..as we should.

So we are on the water and I realize I forgot the rope for my one eclipse. Back to the launch I go and after running across the parking lot in my waders I start to paddle again. They are already across the bay when I am launching and notice the cruise liner chugging away in the channel. SO I put it in over drive and get across the channel, arms already burning.

Trolling on the way out I pick up a tiny cuda....first one ever for me and he goes back. I catch up with Tim and he has already found a few fresh mackerel for back up back up bait. We get to the spot and drop our nets. Current is ripping and wind is blowing pretty hard. I also notice the water has dropped a few degrees since the last time I was out, but was still optimistic Chuck would at least get a couple of bugs. I had one eclipse net and four flat nets, two of which had the new Promar suspended bait cages. So we drop the nets about 20 mins before sunset in 30ish ft of water. Wait 20 minutes after sunset and pull our nets...NOTHING!!!!!!! We drop them back down again, and I believe Tim had a short or two and I had a sculpin stuck in one of my nets.

I was dumbfounded since the last two times I was at this spot we had 2-3 bugs in our net on almost every pull.

After about the second or so pull the tide went slack and once the tide started to go out I was hopeful that our luck would change. Well, MY luck changed! I pull a solid keeper up in my first net after the tide change and I paddle over to Chuck and ask him if he wants to see what a lobster looks like in a bait tank. We started to see a few more shorts and more life in general in our nets.

Chuck thought the first few stingrays were neat...then after pulling up a dozen or so he was over them. Tim was pulling up a decent amount of shorts, but no keepers. I think Chuck must have said “I have seen smaller lobsters in the tank at Red Lobster” about 10 times after he pulled up his shorts and was disappointed they didn’t make the cut.

Tim was frustrated, Chuck was having fun.

So after a few pulls I pull about another bug that looks promising and makes it by a ¼ inch at best. I paddle over to Chuck and ask him if anyone told him how to keep TWO BUGS FRESH in a bait tank. He got my sarcastic ass remark real quick and almost tipped me over trying to look into my bait tank.

It was getting cold, the wind was blowing good and Tim decided to take it in around 11 because he had to work in the morning. I told Chuck that we could stay out if he wanted to try and get him a keeper. We pulled our nets up a couple more times and started to paddle in since I noticed fog coming over the point. We both had good lights on our yaks with GPS equipment but didn’t want to take the chance crossing the channel in the dark fog so we headed in.>

Chuck never got his keeper, but had a good time with all the bycatch and is ready to do it again


Me –
2 keepers (both in flat nets with bait cages on smaller ring.
Eclipse nets and the new suspended cages didn’t matter tonight.
1 short
1 sculpin
Bunch of rays and octopus
One CAO Gold smoked early. If I can just figure out how to bring the home brew on the bay with out stirring up the sediment I may have to claim the bay as a second residence.

Tim and Chuck probably had a dozen shorts between them. Chuck could have started a sting ray farm.

In the bait bucket


On the yak...the larger bug had alot of life in him and wanted off the yak as soon as I put him down. Good shot to reference the size next to the hatch on my X-Factor.


At the launch


I am a little nervous about going to the same spot again as I have caught 4 the first time, 3 the second, and now 2! I see a pattern that I dont want to conclude! We shall see.

BT