What are your biggest concerns while fishing offshore?

[BenCantrell]

For me boats weren't too bad in San Diego / La Jolla, but the one time I launched from San Pedro I got caught in heavy fog on the route between Long Beach and Catalina. Several times I had to quickly paddle out of the way of an approaching boat where I couldn't see the operator.

Wind conditions that weren't in the forecast are my biggest fear.

Florida has me more concerned about sharks. I like the idea of the Stealth Fusion 480, but it would put my thighs even closer to the water than my Trident.

[PapaDave]

For me, weather. Despite forecasts of decent wind/waves, it can be very different in real life.

Last Sunday a guest and I hit Dana Point, forecast indicated it would be cloudy with a light wind. I wish, the wind was blowing fairly decent and it was raining. We went out anyway, got about a mile down the coastline, was actually catching some bass for a change, when I looked out to the west and saw a wall of whitecaps heading towards us. We turned tail and hauled butt towards the harbor, that little Bixby cranked all the way up. About halfway back the wall hit, wind waves were about four feet and several crashed over the front and side. We were in a PA17 and were getting tossed around like a cork. Was a bit on the concerned side, but we made it to the harbor and drifted around there for a while.

I've seen GW's many times out there, they seem to come around to check me out. They don't bother me, I guess 17 feet of plastic isn't part of their preferred diet. I keep an eye open for boats all the time, and whales, had one come up unseen about fifty feet to the right and blow, jumped about two feet out of the seat.