tip o' the week

[madscientist]

Since its come up in another thread, I thought I'd offer my little tips for how to fish with a crowd or even poach a spot without looking like it. It's all about figuring the drift. Once you see the guy/crowd who's spot you wish to fish, or who is on your spot, simply paddle 100yds updrift of them and begin fishing. This way you do not intrude upon anothers space, but in a couple of minutes you will have drifted over the exact spots they were on.

The same goes when someone hooks up. Unless I'm playing photobeyatch, I immediately paddle AWAY from the lucky angler, preferably up drift. On crowded days, it often looks like little kids playing soccer, all racing to the ball, but the better move is to again head up drift a couple hundred yards of where you see the bendo. This way you are well clear in case you hook up and won't have to make a panicked move or emergency reel in if the angler's fish tows him at you. In my experience, YT are not like dorado or other fish that hang with the hooked one, though I don't think they are particularly spooked either.

As I learned from among others, the best fishing is often well away from the pack. If the herd is hooking up in 95ft, then you probably have as good a shot in 95ft 300 yards away as you would in the middle of the crowd. And often there are fish to be caught in completely different spots or in a larger radius. I remember last year during the WFO WSB bite the herd actually drifted a good quarter mile or more while catching fish, so even though it looked like we were on a "spot" we were actually just drifting as a group and the fish were all over the place. The only way you develop fishing instincts it to start going with your own gut, knowing that even the best guys zig when they should have zagged as often as not.

Finally, just because someone is sitting on a spot or frantically paddling out to deeper water doesn't mean they know what they are doing or are headed to a hot number. They might be chatting on the phone, eating a sandwich, lighting the grill, or desperately trying to find some privacy so they can take the explosive crap that has made their morning a living hell (right shortfin?). Personally, if I knew what I was doing, I wouldn't be putting in more than 40hrs OTW per fish this year.

[DESTROYER]

Brad- That was possibly the best post I have ever read! Great Tip Botha!

TL-Matt

[nmbrinkman]

You mean I'm wasting my time looking for your long, beautiful goldie locks.

[Iceman]

(right shortfin?).

I know nobody by that namelol

This tactic was what got my fish on Sunday We were getting blown north pretty good. I paddled south to set up where this skiff was originally bit. Think about it, this is what they will likely do, boat the fish and set up to drift the same spot again.

In the summer when it is crowded I''ll work away from the pack but on the same depth contour that the sporties and others are anchored up on. It is alot easier to find your own in the summer fer sure.

[lamb]

I’d like to add a lil’ tip of a common sense for fishing the Pier for bait in the dark. I have recently seen not everyone is on board with this.

There is a reason these other 3 of 4 yaks are spread in a circle around the light, on the outside… Sure thing - right under the light is the biggest likelihood of finding bait in the dark. People are trying to leave that area clear so everyone can cast right in that area.

Pulling up your kayak right under the light where other people are trying to cast is not the most courteous thing to do.

[madscientist]

Originally Posted by nmbrinkman

You mean I'm wasting my time looking for your long, beautiful goldie locks.

Not if you're bringing some TP.

Seriously, one morning my morning coffee set off a second round of internal distress once I had gotten out off the point and I was painfully paddling out to sea trying to get away from everyone, but this one guy kept shadowing me. I tried doubling back, changing course, but I couldn't shake him. Once it became a matter of "when" not "if", I just had to hope he was up wind, for his sake. lol

Good point about the pier, Adi. One more comment about that. As we go into summer, the best places to make bait are often not under the lights, but wherever the sardines and macs are splashing around. Tip the sabiki with squid (I buy the frozen calamari rings at Trader Joe's and take one or two rings per trip...a single bag has lasted me 3 months and counting) and you can get macs all over the area around the pier without having to crowd under the lights. I can't tell you the number of days last summer that I saw 20-30 people under the lights barely catching bait while Tyler, Patrick, and I were get full sabikis every drop a little bit off. Even now, there are often groups of macs anywhere from 15-35ft in the pier area, particularly once there is gray light.

[chefstefano]

what great Infromation...something that I know and practice a lot while fishing Big Sur and something I diffidently will remember once I am able to start fishing down off the coast here

[tylerdurden]

Excellent writeup. I remember all summer people would paddle to the pier, and right over shoals of dines and macs puddling only to find no bait among the lights and pilings. As for getting bait in the dark, if you get there early enough you don't have to share the light , and you can report the first fish on board while some people are still on the beach .

[bigderel]

Great tips. MadSci, I've never met you personally, but whenever I see anyone one out on the water that I recognize from numerous fishing posts, I obviously take note as to what they are doing & where. Don't follow, take mental notes instead. I'm pretty nondescript myself, but I've even been shadowed (? beats me, why ?) and it's pretty annoying when they aren't tactful. That's all it takes really, just a little common sense, and everyone's happy pretty much. The info you posted about sliding in well upcurrent, etc. is really good.

It's kind of like surfing. I used to surf with a guy who was one of those guys who would draw a crowd because he could make two foot windchop look spectacular. He'd just laugh, paddle down the beach/ reef one peak or two, allow the crowd to follow, then head back. He learned that it was bound to happen to him (the shadowing) and he learned to deal with it...posting this kind of info helps you regulars at (insert whatever spot here) alleviate some pressure and deal with it too. Hopefully at least...

[gary sullivan]

Originally Posted by Iceman

I know nobody by that namelol

This tactic was what got my fish on Sunday We were getting blown north pretty good. I paddled south to set up where this skiff was originally bit. Think about it, this is what they will likely do, boat the fish and set up to drift the same spot again.

This tactic was what got my fish on Sunday. I just followed the nice aroma of Andy's celebratory cigar back to where we saw the skiff fisherman catch the first yellow of the morning.

[kenishere]

Great post, this should always be at the top of the page. sticky