10/20/13 - Foggy Calm Del Mar

[iethinker]

First light was very foggy so I strapped on the headlamp, powered-up the compass app and google maps. There was essentially no surf and just a slight off-shore breeze. The water was 67-degrees. I made my way out to the kelp over some tiny swells. He is a photo of my first spot (sorry camera is a bit foggy today...no pun intended):

Low Visibility Off Del Mar:


I waited for the Macs to show-up with no luck (yet). Given this, I started fishing some supermarket shrimp and was quickly into some Sheephead and some Brown Rockfish. (no photos)

Eventually the sky cleared and the wind turned on-shore if it moved at all. The water turned glassy. I repositioned to stay just outside the kelp above the large hole I was working. Then, I see them below. The Macs are back and I nabbed a few for cut bait and trolling.

Macs at last! (Two Smelt Too):


The cut mac yielded a nice 16.5" Sand Bass. I caught 17-incher versions the last two weeks but this one easily weighed more. He was a true football in the girth.

16.6" Sand Bass


After bottom fishing, I trolled a live Mac several miles back-n-forth from Del Mar to Solana anywhere from 60 to 105 feet of water. After endless peddling I gave up. I did mark something huge midway through the water column on the FF at one point but never got hit.

The ride back in was easier than the ride out with literally no waves. I hope I don't get spoiled with these surf conditions. I'm starting to miss the challenge of re-entry. (not really)

Conditions upon landing:


WARNING: Please know that these calm conditions are a rarity at this location. The surf is often much larger and the river intersecting the surf creates a more chaotic and wider surf zone. The current in the river can sometimes be impossible to paddle or peddle against as well. I have learned some hard lessons here. I don't want to mislead and hear someone got hurt because of it.

Nevertheless, it would be nice to see a few friends from bigwatersedge out there from time to time. The few fellow yakers I encounter have usually launched further north either from Solana or Cardiff.

Enjoy.