Sunday on the bay

Monterey Bay that is. I cant think of a better place to hang out and fish from a small craft when it's nice. It's a great diversion from other fishing I do and I'm really glad it's there. As the sun rose, and the marine layer almost completly erroded away, I thought we might be in for a snotty, more than likely windy SOB that would have us back at the barn by 10am. Strangely, as the fog burned off, the wind layed down to about 6kts and there was just a hint of swell and the drifts were perfect. Not to fast, not to slow. I guess all the bitching I was doing about the weather on the ride out worked! Ha

 I would have loved to have roped into a big White Sea Bass on fly and post some grand hero shots, but again, it didn't happen. But, it will happen and I'm a lot more cast's closer after yesterday. With all the bait, the Olives, Blues and Blacks were on top on a sunny day and that doesn't happen all the time. Some keeper size Lings were in relativly shallow water and they can be a lot of fun to mess with on light tackle and flies. But, there is NOT a more bold fish than a hungry school of Olive Rockfish in these parts.

They crushed Dan Blantons old School J hook Whistlers. I have a bunch I've had for year and few and  a few still have some hair on them. I've sure caught a ton of fish on those flies.

Lots of life on this day everywhere you looked. Seems like when it's flat, and you dont have to pay so close attention to toy or a mate falling in the drink you can really take in the scenery. We have a beautiful coast!  The highlight of the day, and maybe the year for me was when I was just finishing up a cast to where I could see my fly on a school of Macs. I noticed what at first looked like a large ball of bait following it in. A dark mass, maybe Jack Smelt or something. As it got closer I thought it might be a Dolphin and  then it showed itself. It was a 7-9ft Thresher shark tracking my fly! About that time my partner saw it who was fishing the bow and it went right around the in front of the bow and came back down the starboard side and was gone for second. It came into view quickly and swung under neath the transom area and made a huge boil about 6 feet behind the outboard and was out of there. THAT was exciting for sure. I'm 90% on this fish being a Thresher as I ve seen smaller pups bust bait out here in the past. Usually in the Fall, and usually on Macs.The only other option was it was a juvinal White. It's head seemed too wide to be a White though. I was so focued on the front of the fish that I didn't notice the dead give away tail at all and couldn't get a clear side view of the animal. Ive seen tons of Blues and it definitly wasn't a Blue Shark.

Anyway, not exactly steller fishing but one of the best days Ive had in a while on the salt.! Heres some sites.

First Light

Olive Rockfish

Black Rickfish

Greenling

Sea Otters