PBs in PV. Monster Calicos

[ProfessorLongArms]

Given the warm water conditions, I finally decided to commit to trying the pedal down the peninsula from King's harbor to PV.

Nice to see a good number of folks on the water.
Probably 6-10 kayaks just from being there around 6am.

All in, it was about 10-12 miles round trip.

Saw some nice bait balls on the way out and was able to get the sabiki on them to make some 3-4" greenbacks.
Big thanks to Chris Blevins for pointing out the live scope setting on the fish finder.
It's made all the difference when I have a dropper loop or a sabiki in hand, especially when I'm trying to get to mid-bottom column.

Got over to Flat rock and was chatting with some divers, when I saw what I'm 90% certain was rat yellows chasing bait in the kelp.
Put out a flyline and worked down to the point.
Bait everywhere on the kelpline.
Mostly little anchovies from the looks of it. Calicos blowing up everywhere. The kelp is in great shape right now.

Caught my first calico on the fly line about halfway down the peninsula. Was really cool. I only had about 15 feet out on a fresh pass, and they were blowing up bait on the surface. Came completely out of the water to grab my mac.

Easily big enough to be my PB. Got closer to the point in about 70 feet of water, and spotted a big mark in deep water. Put a reverse dropper loop on it, and immediately thought I was on a rock. Line doubled over, but gave *just* enough.... First run felt like a damn yellowtail. Wrapped the kelp, but I was able to pedal over and get vertical over the strand and she came right up.


Thanks to Kevin Nakada and Chris Blevins for so clearly explaining the approach of watching the meter with a dropper loop at the ready on live bait rather than trolling/dead-sticking.
That was my first real experience spotting a mark, dropping, and immediately getting nailed. Proving the model on such an effective technique was really awesome.

TBH, I would have put this lady back since she was clearly full of eggs, and quite the old-timer, but she was gut hooked and bleeding from her gills pretty steadily.

I noticed on the water that she had a tail sticking out of her throat. When cleaning, I had to see what was in there.
Her stomach was *taut* when I cut it open, and I found this whole perch in there half-digested.
The tail was undigested, which meant he was too big to fully fit her stomach, so she was basically just hanging out with half a meal in her belly. Hands-down one of the worst smells I've encountered fishing (which says a lot ) Crazy to see she'd been digesting this fish for a while, and still was able to half swallow my 4" mac in a single go.
Weighed in at 6lb 7oz

Started the troll home to beat the wind with a little greenback colored Yo-zuri sinking bait and hooked a nice sized barracuda on the way in. C&R.

Shoutout to all of the yahoos on the tiny launch dock trying to get their paddleboards and kayaks in the water at noon. I don't think I'll fish there on the weekend again, as that was an alarmingly tight space to try to get all my gear out among 20-30 unmasked beach-goers.