On December 11 I was lucky enough to jump onboard the Kahuna from Moss Landing for the last of their special “long-range” rockfish trips to the southern portion of Big Sur of 2021. Kahuna Sportfishing is based out of Moss Landing and the 50-foot Delta Kahuna is fast and efficient. Owner Carol Jones reminds us the Kahuna is the only charter fishing running out of Moss since 1992. Their central location on Monterey Bay allows them to head either north or south depending on the bite, and they specialize is salmon mooching and albacore trips when conditions allow. This is an outfit not afraid to take some chances and has a fierce group of loyal customers. A few anglers go out on a near weekly basis on the Kahuna. This is not to say there is any sort of possessiveness or snooty regulars on the boat in my experience. Every trip I’ve had on the Kahuna featured a friendly and fun crowd along with efficient deckhanding and a seasoned skipper.

We had 20 anglers aboard for this three-hour plus run to southern Big Sur. At the helm was Brian Cutting who was a fill-in for the weekend, but previously sat behind that wheel for many years. Cutting knows the boat, the spots and most importantly the fish for this entire area. The scenery during the ride alone is worth the price of a ticket as this is one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world. The Santa Lucia Mountains loom precipitously from the shoreline, with peaks seeming to reach straight up from the ocean. Most notable is Cone Peak, that boasts the steepest coastal elevation increase in the lower 48 states, ascending nearly a mile (5,155 feet/1.6km) above sea level, only 3 miles (4.8 km) from the ocean. For a fisherman, the most valuable aspect of Big Sur is the outstanding rocky structure and lack of fishing pressure in the area. It feels like going back in time, with the sheer number and quality of fish available in the area. Traveling up the California coast, one would have to reach the Lost Coast area below Shelter Point to enjoy similar remote fishing rewards.

This long range trip was “artificials only, no bait” so everyone was prepared with their finest array of swimbaits, squid lures and irons. For those who pursue rockfish, the red ones seem to be most favored. In my opinion, big reds are the best eating of all the rockfish and often the best fighters. They pull very hard with abrupt head shakes. A grumpy verm can provide you quite a tussle, especially while using light gear. To be sporting, I was using A 6’6” Daiwa casting rod “medium” rated to 20 pounds along with my vintage round Okuma Millionaire spooled with 20# braid. A gold 1.5 ounce Idemoto KingMaster lure completed my presentation. The combo dropped slow and retrieved slower, and with the drag set light each fish was that much more exciting.

We started in 60 feet of water, just outside of the bull kelp beds near Limekiln Sate Park, about 70 miles from our starting point of Moss Landing. Almost immediately, big vermilion and canaries were coming over the rail along with an occasional lingcod. Cutting scouted with a few drifts on the inside, reminding us that “we are only allowed five vermilion per bag, so save some room for the deeper reefs we’ll be hitting.” The deep reefs were just as entertaining, with bigger fish coming from 250-300 feet of water. Final score for the day was limits of rockfish, sub-limits of vermilion, a good mix of coppers along with a few bocaccio and nine lings weighing up to perhaps eight pounds each. A fine haul for a fun day!

After leaving the harbor before sunrise, we enjoyed a smooth ride back to Moss arriving just after dark around 5:30. A twelve-hour trip for rockfish! To my knowledge, no other charter company offers this sort of long-duration ranging experience. Bring plenty of food and water for the day and plenty of clothing layers in case things get cold and wet. Thanks to Carol Jones and Kahuna Sportfishing for another unique NorCal fishing experience.