January to March

Been working slowly but surely to get back into diving shape since a quadriceps tendon tear in October 2016.

My first dive of the year got me a chunky Ling at the very end of the day right when my knee felt like it couldnt handle any more diving up and down…

Second dive of the year was a total bust with rough seas and horrible viz.

Third dive of the year I tried for Striped Bass in the Surf but the recent rains had caused the rivers to pour into the ocean and the water was like mud and couldn’t even see my gun. : (

Fourth dive of the year I paddled my trusty Kraken 13.5 out to my favorite reef and ended up taking a beautiful bright blue almost 31 inch Ling.

This Ling apparently was very popular because the footage of me shooting and filleting it has been seen a LOT, run by the Daily Mail and actually sold to a “Viral” video company called Jukin Media:

 

Fifth dive of the year was a few days before my 41st Birthday and despite a promising forecast my dive buddy and I were blown off the water before we were able to take any fish. : (

My sixth dive of the year I tried the surf line again for Stripers…even though the viz was a lot better I still wasn’t able to find any fish…

On Saturday Match 18th the weather gods decided to play nice, and I went out with my good buddy Steve, and some visiting Canadian Freedivers to an exposed and remote area…

The steep hike and long swim were worth it and we brought home a mix of solid Black Rockfish (my biggest was 19 inches and Steve’s was a whopping 22), decent Lingcod, and I was lucky enough on the last drop of the day to find my Personal Best Vermilion Rockfish…a monster 23.5 inch 8.76 pound beauty!!

Here is a video of the best footage of this year so far…very grateful for the fish I have been able to take, and for my trusty Kraken 13.5 that has kept me safe and sound getting to and from the fish.

Thanks for looking!

Sincerely,

Jim