Islanders Conquer the Cortes! Photo report - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

PAL · 10-27-2008, 10:43 AM

Finally! A spell of good weather allowed the recent Islander 3.5-day mothership to make history as the first to kayak fish the Cortes Bank.

The Bank is an incredible place, a set of kelp beds and rocks 100 miles out in the middle of nowhere. You'd never have known it on Friday, when the seas were calm, the sun warm, and the bonito and yellowtail and bonito (it was 'bone zone' - those things were thick!) came to play. I'll let the photos tell the rest of the story.

Day 1

Day 2 - Not quite as nice out there

Playing in the swells rolling across the infamous Bishop Rock big-wave break

Twenty minutes later

Day 3 - San Clemente Island

The payoff!

Zed · 10-27-2008, 10:59 AM

Capital F!

Wait, wait, wait. The NoCal boyz [and PAL] got the good weather? I bet that was an incredible trip! Thanks.

Z

bellcon · 10-27-2008, 11:13 AM

Awesome simply awesome
great pic report

signed the jealous guys from the early October 2.5 day trip

cant wait till we get another try at that rock!

the Islander rocks!

bajadog · 10-27-2008, 11:14 AM

Looks epic...

steveooo · 10-27-2008, 11:15 AM

Holy crap. I gotta get on one of those trips.

lamb · 10-27-2008, 11:46 AM

AWESOME!!!!!

Great pics Paul!

PAL · 10-27-2008, 12:11 PM

Well, we got one day of good weather. Sat was windy, cold, foggy and practically dead at the bank.

We found a good zone of 'tails, but it was hard to get through the bones. Most YT came on bait, a few on metal. Would have been nice to get a second shot at it before the weather turned. There were only about 3 more each day Sat and Sun. Still, the location was awesome and the fishing - while it lasted - was excellent.

Dennis · 10-27-2008, 12:24 PM

Too cool.. Looked like fun..

Afran · 10-27-2008, 12:30 PM

Great report and pics!!!

Dan · 10-27-2008, 12:39 PM

Score!

bellcon · 10-27-2008, 12:47 PM

i am not gonna look at this post again

but that
"Playing in the swells rolling across the infamous Bishop Rock big-wave break" picture
is an epic, perfect, desk top, poster, once in a life time, wish it was me type picture
Great job with the camera there Pal

now i swear i will not look again

PAL · 10-27-2008, 01:32 PM

Quote:

"Playing in the swells rolling across the infamous Bishop Rock big-wave break" picture
is an epic, perfect, desk top, poster, once in a life time, wish it was me type picture

That's Mark Pierpont in the shot - before it got really big!

Those combers were popping up on the reef then subsiding into nothing, so we decided to move right onto the shelf.

We're waiting, and waiting, and waiting... but the ocean is as flat as 10 ft swells can be.

Finally some larger rollers appear on the horizon. The first two look ok, and Mark takes off for the shoulder. I start to grab my camera as the first one lifts me and there it is - a freaking wall of water bearing down and getting steeper and steeper.

Paddling furiously, I feel like I'm going nowhere. The giant lifts me up and the lip seems to curl. Boom! It washes clear over my head and next thing I know I'm free-falling down the back side. And there's another 25 ft monster on the way!

I paddle through two more peaking waves, and finally the set is done. Made it! Mark and I let loose a couple of primal shouts. They hear us over on the Islander, a 1/4 mile away. We were the lunchtime entertainment.

So what can I say? We were in a BAD place. The only escape was right over the reef, one set of submerged boilers after the other. Where I was, in the center of it all, there was no margin for error. I only just made it through. The upside - no surf launch will ever look big again. And at least if we'd crashed, there was no boneyard to wash into - but man, I'm relieved to have escaped the experience. It wouldn't have been good...

southboundhound · 10-27-2008, 06:52 PM

EPIC!

that shot climbing the face is awesome, great report. Glad you all made it...

ezcompany · 10-27-2008, 11:15 PM

what an awesome report, thanks for the pictures!!!

Handymansd · 10-28-2008, 06:51 AM

I am sorry to have missed this trip! One word sum up... EPIC!!

THEDanHernandez · 10-29-2008, 09:32 AM

awesome trip

cabojohn · 10-31-2008, 10:55 AM

That picture or Pierpont paddling up that giant wall is AWESOME!

I can't belive nobody took advantage of them Cortez sets and paddled in on them?
ZED would do it!

25' pfffftttt

I'd have to change my shorts.

10-27-2008, 10:43 AM	#1
PAL Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 754	Islanders Conquer the Cortes! Photo report Finally! A spell of good weather allowed the recent Islander 3.5-day mothership to make history as the first to kayak fish the Cortes Bank. The Bank is an incredible place, a set of kelp beds and rocks 100 miles out in the middle of nowhere. You'd never have known it on Friday, when the seas were calm, the sun warm, and the bonito and yellowtail and bonito (it was 'bone zone' - those things were thick!) came to play. I'll let the photos tell the rest of the story. Day 1 Day 2 - Not quite as nice out there Playing in the swells rolling across the infamous Bishop Rock big-wave break Twenty minutes later Day 3 - San Clemente Island The payoff!

10-27-2008, 11:14 AM	#4
bajadog I eats what I kills Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: San Diego Posts: 393	Looks epic... __________________ Please release bill-fish.

10-27-2008, 11:46 AM	#6
lamb Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 2,563	AWESOME!!!!! Great pics Paul! __________________ [------------------------ <)))< ....b-a-a-a-a

10-27-2008, 12:24 PM	#8
Dennis Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: South of La Jolla... Posts: 1,193	Too cool.. Looked like fun.. __________________ Hmmmm.....

10-27-2008, 12:30 PM	#9
Afran fishy Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: San Diego Posts: 219	Great report and pics!!! __________________ warbaits.com Instagram @warbaits

10-27-2008, 10:59 AM	#2
Zed BANNED Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: W of 5 Posts: 1,265	Capital F! Wait, wait, wait. The NoCal boyz [and PAL] got the good weather? I bet that was an incredible trip! Thanks. Z

10-27-2008, 11:13 AM	#3
bellcon Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: San Pedro Posts: 999	Awesome simply awesome great pic report signed the jealous guys from the early October 2.5 day trip cant wait till we get another try at that rock! the Islander rocks!

10-27-2008, 11:15 AM	#5
steveooo Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 1,921	Holy crap. I gotta get on one of those trips.

10-27-2008, 12:11 PM	#7
PAL Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 754	Well, we got one day of good weather. Sat was windy, cold, foggy and practically dead at the bank. We found a good zone of 'tails, but it was hard to get through the bones. Most YT came on bait, a few on metal. Would have been nice to get a second shot at it before the weather turned. There were only about 3 more each day Sat and Sun. Still, the location was awesome and the fishing - while it lasted - was excellent.

10-27-2008, 12:39 PM	#10
Dan Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 1,053	Score!

10-27-2008, 12:47 PM	#11
bellcon Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: San Pedro Posts: 999	i am not gonna look at this post again but that "Playing in the swells rolling across the infamous Bishop Rock big-wave break" picture is an epic, perfect, desk top, poster, once in a life time, wish it was me type picture Great job with the camera there Pal now i swear i will not look again

10-27-2008, 06:52 PM	#13
southboundhound Junior Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: LBC Posts: 10	EPIC! that shot climbing the face is awesome, great report. Glad you all made it... __________________ Kev

10-27-2008, 11:15 PM	#14
ezcompany Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 30	what an awesome report, thanks for the pictures!!!

10-28-2008, 06:51 AM	#15
Handymansd Ancient Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: On The Water Posts: 935	I am sorry to have missed this trip! One word sum up... EPIC!! __________________ All men are equal before fish. -Herbert Hoover

10-29-2008, 09:32 AM	#16
THEDanHernandez Junior Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 10	awesome trip __________________ I am THE Dan Hernandez candycatchers.com

10-31-2008, 10:55 AM	#17
cabojohn PROBATION Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 656	That picture or Pierpont paddling up that giant wall is AWESOME! I can't belive nobody took advantage of them Cortez sets and paddled in on them? ZED would do it! 25' pfffftttt I'd have to change my shorts.