Personal Best Verm...Now with pics

[kmstorm64]

Went out to a place that gives most Nor Cal Kayak Anglers the Willies...Bean Hollow.  Da' Bean as it is better known as sits at the southern end of San Mateo Coast, just north of Santa Cruz. Why does Da bean give kayak anglers the willies you ask?  Since moving to San Mateo in late 2007, at least three Kayakers have been hit by the landlord aka GWS in NCKA in that general area, two at BH, and one about mile south at Pigeon Point.  

 I went out with five other Nor Cal Kayak Anglers, I was hoping for strength in numbers. I have fished for a while, but haven't done any real surf launches, so that was a challenge.  With a swell of 3-5 feet, I am not going to lie I was nervous.  Darius, a fellow NCKA brother  coached me through the launch and I got out there in smooth order.  I had my Shimano TR100 with the Alan Tani Reel Handle on it, that reel is really a kayakers dream, decent affordable, reliable reel, that can take a beating, with a meaty handle for bigger fish. It was paired up with a Shimano Trevela rod in ML.  This set up gives you nice sensitivity, hardly ever miss a strike.

So I caught 2 blacks rockfish while trolling, an undersized gopher I threw back, then a short time later, I got a solid hit.  I thought it was a ling at first. It is pulling line, and I am trying to keep it from the rocks.   This went on for a few minutes, until I can see coming up, and Darius yells "Squidder, that is a huge Verm!"  I get her boat side, reach for my gaff and get that pretty thing up.  Measures out just over 22." My first Verm and my biggest rock fish to date.

I am not going to say fishing Da' Bean is going to be a regular thing, I was looking over my shoulder all the time.  I kept expecting to see a flash of a fin somewhere.  I never wanted to be out on the edge to far away from anyone.  But overall, the fishing was not bad.  I got 5 fish for the day and 2 donated Cabezons.  Darius score the cabbies, a pair of blacks,  a 28 inch ling that thought it was hitting a topwater bait like it was Large mouth bass.  He also scored a 37.5 inch ling that was a beast!  Soleman scored a nice ling, and a 22 inch Verm, and a few blacks, as well as an undersized halibut.  (Picture to be posted later,)

Landing went smooth as well, with no yard sales!

[alantani]

we need pics!!!!!   

[Steve-O]

Nice report! Glad to hear no white pointers showed their toothy grins. I read the reports on the yak forums. Scary biz fo sho! I will be yakking Alaska next month and am not worried about the sharks...only salmon sharks and spiny dogfish around where I'll be and not really that often do the salmon sharks patrol the inside waters......but the Orcas do!

Looking forward to the pics

[David Hall]

It didn't happen without pics!
I want to share your joy!
Post em up.

[Prof. Salt]

Nice fish!

[nelz]

Dang! If they taste half as good as they look ugly, y'all are in for a treat! 

[the rockfish ninja]

Dang! If they taste half as good as they look ugly, y'all are in for a treat! 

U hit the nail on the head, Pacific rockfish, Cabezon & lingcod are our tastiest fish out west coast USA but yes.....................they are a prickly & ugly lot. On top of that the spines have a low level toxin as protection from predators, stings a bit if pricked while handling them.

[Steve-O]

Nice! Fish tacos, yeah!!!

[MarkT]

Nice Red!

[David Hall]

Dang! If they taste half as good as they look ugly, y'all are in for a treat! 

U hit the nail on the head, Pacific rockfish, Cabezon & lingcod are our tastiest fish out west coast USA but yes.....................they are a prickly & ugly lot. On top of that the spines have a low level toxin as protection from predators, stings a bit if pricked while handling them.

Stuck while filleting them on my last trip home, tiny little poke but damn thing hurt like hell for 20 minutes.
Thanks for posting the pics, makes it more real.