Santa Cruz Weekend Blowout - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

Iceman · 09-30-2014, 06:57 PM

Small Craft advisories and gale force winds are not the kinds of things you want to be hearing the day before you are set to go up to Ventura Harbor to hop on an Island Packers boat headed for Scorpion Anchorage, Santa Cruz Island for a long weekend. We had a bunch of day tripping kids on the ride over and some were green around the gills with the swells the big cat went through. Once at the island our kayaks were daisy chained from the stern to the beach. All the gear was unloaded we made the short 1/2 mile trek to camp and unpacked our gear and set up the tents. Conditions looked decent on the beach and I was in a hurry to get on the water as I was pretty sure we would get blown off the water sooner than later. We did.

After eating everything from smoked salmon and Gouda on crackers to brats and chowder one by one we hit the hay. In the middle of the night something woke me up as it was trying to get in the tent, the next day I found a hole chewed in the corner and my tortillas had been "foxed"

Wind blew all night and we woke up to an already angry sea. We all opted to make the 3.5 mile hike to Smugglers Cove to fish and swim and hang out for the day. We were not really prepared to surf fish for perch, but we made do.

Final morning we had conditions that only got better as the day went on. Thi and I went around Pedro Point and found fishier looking waters, but no fish. I headed in early to break camp at 11, in case somebody had our site reserved. Ron and I went back out on the water and went through a couple cool caves, the second was so tight that you had to push off on the walls as there was not enough room to paddle. Lacking in fish........with perch as the highlight, still super relaxing and fun adventure really close to home. Thanks Ron, Ken, Grego, Thi, and Aaron for hanging out.

alanhighhand · 09-30-2014, 07:56 PM

Nice picture Andy thanks for sharing.

kayakfisherman · 09-30-2014, 09:29 PM

Wow Andy. Perfect pics, perfect song. The island is still gorgeous.
Your photography revealed a true vacation from the puppet
strings of life...

wiredantz · 10-01-2014, 07:07 AM

bummer about the trip but you made due with what you had.

That Is a good crew Andy, good friend just to hang out no matter how the fishing is.

blitzburgh · 10-01-2014, 08:14 AM

Looks like a great trip

FISH11 · 10-01-2014, 09:33 AM

Looks like a great place. Too bad part of the weekend was altered by the wind and white caps. Great pictures and video.

Zed · 10-01-2014, 02:28 PM

Best surfperch evar!

bwana · 10-01-2014, 10:19 PM

Pretty cool island. Too bad about the windy conditions. I never pictured catching barred surf perch at the islands.

Not every guy can tell their wife about being woken up in the middle of the night by a fox chewin' on their stuff. If mine caught wind of that I would have another seal silhouette painted on the bottom of my kayak.

09-30-2014, 06:57 PM	#1
Iceman Administrator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: 1-2 miles off the point Posts: 6,943	Santa Cruz Weekend Blowout Small Craft advisories and gale force winds are not the kinds of things you want to be hearing the day before you are set to go up to Ventura Harbor to hop on an Island Packers boat headed for Scorpion Anchorage, Santa Cruz Island for a long weekend. We had a bunch of day tripping kids on the ride over and some were green around the gills with the swells the big cat went through. Once at the island our kayaks were daisy chained from the stern to the beach. All the gear was unloaded we made the short 1/2 mile trek to camp and unpacked our gear and set up the tents. Conditions looked decent on the beach and I was in a hurry to get on the water as I was pretty sure we would get blown off the water sooner than later. We did. After eating everything from smoked salmon and Gouda on crackers to brats and chowder one by one we hit the hay. In the middle of the night something woke me up as it was trying to get in the tent, the next day I found a hole chewed in the corner and my tortillas had been "foxed" Wind blew all night and we woke up to an already angry sea. We all opted to make the 3.5 mile hike to Smugglers Cove to fish and swim and hang out for the day. We were not really prepared to surf fish for perch, but we made do. Final morning we had conditions that only got better as the day went on. Thi and I went around Pedro Point and found fishier looking waters, but no fish. I headed in early to break camp at 11, in case somebody had our site reserved. Ron and I went back out on the water and went through a couple cool caves, the second was so tight that you had to push off on the walls as there was not enough room to paddle. Lacking in fish........with perch as the highlight, still super relaxing and fun adventure really close to home. Thanks Ron, Ken, Grego, Thi, and Aaron for hanging out. __________________

10-01-2014, 07:07 AM	#4
wiredantz Currently @ MLO Territory Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Under the Shadow Posts: 2,290	bummer about the trip but you made due with what you had. That Is a good crew Andy, good friend just to hang out no matter how the fishing is. __________________ Team: Disbanded You only have one chance in this life...make the right decision(s)...so you don't regret it

10-01-2014, 08:14 AM	#5
blitzburgh Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Menifee Posts: 2,509	Looks like a great trip __________________ ”The beauty of the Second Amendment is that it will not be needed until they try to take it.” ~Thomas Jefferson.........maybe

10-01-2014, 09:33 AM	#6
FISH11 Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Pine Valley when not fishing La Jolla Posts: 2,629	Looks like a great place. Too bad part of the weekend was altered by the wind and white caps. Great pictures and video. __________________ MARK ......... 2016 MALIBU X FACTOR, 2020 SOLO SKIFF (Fishing Kayak on Steroids )

10-01-2014, 02:28 PM	#7
Zed BANNED Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: W of 5 Posts: 1,265	Best surfperch evar! __________________ Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day. Give a fish a man and he'll eat for a week.

09-30-2014, 07:56 PM	#2
alanhighhand Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Posts: 100	Nice picture Andy thanks for sharing.

09-30-2014, 09:29 PM	#3
kayakfisherman Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 715	Wow Andy. Perfect pics, perfect song. The island is still gorgeous. Your photography revealed a true vacation from the puppet strings of life...

10-01-2014, 10:19 PM	#8
bwana Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: El Toro, CA Posts: 244	Pretty cool island. Too bad about the windy conditions. I never pictured catching barred surf perch at the islands. Not every guy can tell their wife about being woken up in the middle of the night by a fox chewin' on their stuff. If mine caught wind of that I would have another seal silhouette painted on the bottom of my kayak.