The season opens on April 1st and I want to go then and possibly again during next week. I have another friend going with me but seeing if anyone else wants to go too.
Most people work on weekdays so I know it'll be hard for most of you but the more the merrier.

All I ask is that you pitch in for gas and we'll keep an eye out for each other when we are in the water.

The low tide is at ~2pm on April 1st so we won't have to wake up at the crack of dawn to head out there. I've only gone once so if anybody else is more experienced, it would be great. If not, I can teach you what I know, it's fairly basic unless you want to dive far.

Anyhow, you'll need (you can rent all these too at local diving shops or shops up in Sonoma/Mendocino county) a wetsuit, booties, pry bar, measuring gauge, weight belt, snorkel and a mask. Also, you'll need to get a CA fishing license as well as the Abalone punch card. Both are about $50 total. I'm not a good swimmer so I don't plan on diving at all, pretty much just shore picking since it's still early in the season. The legal minimum size is 7 inches and per trip is 3 abalone so we should be in and out of the water within an hour at most.

Anyone? I plan on leaving at about noon or late morning.

 

it only takes an hour for you to catch the daily limit?

 

sounds like fun. where to get the license and punch card?

 

not april fools, is it?

 

it usually takes me ~15-45 minutes while diving...They aren't hard to get, but i've never picked off the shore so i dont know. it's just the fact that you'd have to fight the waves, dive, catch a breath of air....


i've been going since i was 16. It's fun, but be warned, do NOT gulp the sea water. It will make you throw up instantly.

 

where do you go diving?

 

No, it's not a joke. I was going to say that actually but forgot so yes, I will be going.

Yes, it doesn't take long to catch the daily limit. Your first time will be more difficult since you don't know what you are looking/feeling for.

You can get the fishing license and abalone punch card at Sports Authority/Big 5 or any other sporting goods store and some fishing stores.

Diving is more difficult than shore picking and with diving, you are bound to get larger abalone b/c you are going deeper. However, 7" is good with me for now. With shore picking basically you are just looking under rocks when it is low tide and looking for them clinging to the bottom of the rocks.

As for where, there are tons of locations off the coast in Sonoma/Mendocino county. I'll have to find out which locations are good but I'm thinking around Grestle Cove but I'm open to suggestions.

And yes, as Azn121184 says, the sea water tastes pretty nasty especially with all of that kelp and seaweed but you can't avoid it sometimes. Just think it's healthy for you, haha.

 

how much does the license cost for the abalone lol just wondering.

 

I think $17.50 for the abalone license and I think the year long fishing license is under $35.

 

I am interested but which shoreline you will go?

 

Most likely the closest one to SF that is easy to access and also is known for good availibility of abs. I'd think an hour or maybe two hours tops north of SF. Maybe Salt Point State Park? Do you have any suggestions?

 

anyone went to this?

 

I ended up going with a friend. We got there a little late (low tide was at 2:30 and we arrived right at 2:30) and went to Fort Ross. I spent about an hour and a half in the water and I didn't dive but was only able to find one legal abalone. I found a bunch of 6.5" ones but had to put them back. Looked like other people were having better luck about 100 yards from me but by that time the tide was rising so I called it a day. It is a dangerous sport so unless you are a good swimmer (I'm not), I would not advise going into water any deeper than your chest since the waves can push you off of a rock that you are standing on and into deeper water. Anyhow, today is a good day to go since the low tide is probably at about 5pm.