My daughter and her husband gave my wife and I a gift certificate for a night's lodging as a Christmas gift. We booked a room in Rohnert Park and got two days of surf fishing and a nice visit with family there as well. The weather on Monday/Tuesday 12/ 28 & 29 was absolutely beautiful on the Sonoma coast (no exaggeration; there were people out sunbathing) But the surf was VERY big and dangerous. I stuck to fishing the south facing Doran Beach because all of the other spots I have fished in the past were blown out. Managed to catch one (1) red tail surf perch on Monday and one more on Tuesday and I was just fine with that- all things considered.
I am compelled to add a few words about safety in closing. There ain't a fish in the world that is worth dying for. In addition to using caution when fishing the ocean shore (NEVER turn your back on the ocean) there is a simple, practical and relatively inexpensive way to safeguard your life when (not IF) you get caught by a "sneaker" wave: wear a self-inflating life vest - like the one in the picture. They are about $100.00, very light-weight and unobtrusive. When the vest is immersed in water the actuator for the co2 cartridge dissolves and the vest inflates. Needless to say, you are a lot more likely to be rescued if you are bobbing in the surf than if you are dragged under.
I am compelled to add a few words about safety in closing. There ain't a fish in the world that is worth dying for. In addition to using caution when fishing the ocean shore (NEVER turn your back on the ocean) there is a simple, practical and relatively inexpensive way to safeguard your life when (not IF) you get caught by a "sneaker" wave: wear a self-inflating life vest - like the one in the picture. They are about $100.00, very light-weight and unobtrusive. When the vest is immersed in water the actuator for the co2 cartridge dissolves and the vest inflates. Needless to say, you are a lot more likely to be rescued if you are bobbing in the surf than if you are dragged under.
