Oskie’s 1st grade graduation happened to fall in line with the 2-day salmon opener. Apparently, it’s been closed for 2 years, and these couple days were the only 48 hours it’s open this season. My buddy Zach extended an invite. So, we hopped on the road and trailered the White Cap up to Santa Cruz. The night before, we did a quick run through my garage sale-bought down riggers, barbless hooks, and big nets. The thought of catching my first salmon and sharing that experience with Oscar was very exciting.
We woke at 3:15 am, headed to the fishing grounds and found out everyone and the moms literally showed up as well. Salmon fishing seems to be right of passage up that way and it was one big boat show. I was impressed at all the cool boats and more Arimas than I have ever seen with tons of cool homemade pilot houses.
We got right into the fish. By 9:30, Zach had already caught his boat’s 3-fish limit, while me and Oskie had some big fumbles. One of my garage sale-bought down-riggers cables snapped and we lost a 15-pound led. The other down rigger would just let cable out at random. We had a couple hooks up and lost fish while the bite was hot. The final stick in the spokes was when a reel came disconnected from the pole during a hook up. It was a big ole helping of humble pie, getting taken through the paces of a new style of fishing by the salmon and some faulty gear. The salmon laughing, “Welcome to north.”
Didn’t help that everywhere I looked all I could see was layers of boats with everyone hooked up! Hoots n haulers and bent rods in all directions. Zach was on his way home early and was nice enough to let us use his down riggers. After several attempts we finally got a fish on the board, then 3 more! We were so pumped! I was looking down at this new species of fish laying on the deck of my boat in disbelief. Oscar was super pumped. Lots of lessons learned that day. The main ones being making sure your gear is tight, good deals on used fishing gear maybe ain’t worth the later headache, and if Arima dies, its heaven is surely Santa Cruz.
Thank you @fieldethos@fieldethoswaterman for the write up feature in the new issue 2026 Volume 2 “California Gold Divers” written with a lot of respect to some of the legends in our industry honoring our industry as a whole.
| Photos by: Corban Campbell @yewview |
| Writing by : Andrew Court @agbcourt |
| Article Idea / Vision by: Peter Correale @petercorreale |
Some words by @jon_sears as well
Today we’re introducing White Cap, a new film by Corban Campbell and George Trimm.
We’ve known Corban for years, not through campaigns, but through how he lives.
From early inflatable setups to building a boat of his own, it captures the reality of life at sea, chasing fish and uncrowded waves, the risk, the problem solving, and the moments that don’t go as planned.
Watch the full film at the link in bio.
Our exclusive screening of Corban Campbell (@yewview ) and George Trimm’s (@georgetrimm ) new film “White Cap: A Story About a Boat” ends tomorrow, Sunday, April 12. Hit the link in our bio to watch now.
In “White Cap: A Story About a Boat,” photographer and nascent boater Corban Campbell (@yewview ) takes us on a hectic, sublime, and sometimes hilarious ride in search of fish, waves, and life lessons learned at sea—all which teeter on the brink of disaster. This new film by George Trimm (@georgetrimm ) is playing on our site now through April 12, exclusively for TSJ members. Hit the link in our bio to watch.
This Saturday Mar 14th we are premiering White Cap at knuckleheads bar in San Clemente. It’s a film about the conversation of my 19 foot boat and some of the places it took me. Here some imagery in and around the film.
George Trimm Directed the film as well as another film with Dane Guadauskus that will premiering. There’s a band gonna play too. Come out n hang.
Some photos of Dane, friends, and fam in the new Surfers Journal 35.1
If you have a spare two hours @tonyjohnandrews put together 15,000 words for ya.
@surfersjournal
