Watch where you are wading….

Stonedfish

Known Grizzler-hater of triploids, humpies & ND
Forum Supporter

Cabezon

Sculpin Enterprises
Forum Supporter
Northern elephant seals are a significant conservation success story. Because of their large size and substantial blubber, northern elephant seals were hunted extensively to extract oil. Charles Scammon, a whaler who first discovered (and tried to decimate) the birthing lagoons used by gray whales in Mexico, described recovering 210 gallons of oil from an 18 foot long elephant seal. Pre-harvesting populations of elephant seals may have been as large as several hundred thousand individuals. By the late 1800's, the sole population of northern elephant seals was reduced to perhaps 50-100 individuals that bred on Guadalupe Island, along Baja California (see here). Northern elephant seals were protected from hunting by the Mexican government in 1922 and by the U.S. government shortly thereafter. Since becoming protected, their overall population size has recovered remarkably. There are perhaps 200,000 individuals today. But because this rebound has happened so quickly and from such as small starting population (a genetic bottleneck), there is not much genetic diversity in the species.
Females come ashore to sandy beaches in late fall/winter to give birth. Dominant males (3000-5000lbs, 13-16 feet long ) fight vicious bloody battles to control a beach and its females (his 30-100 individual harem). These "beach-master" males will inseminate the females (880-2000lbs) within their territory. [Southern elephant seal bulls are even larger, 14-18ft long and up to 8000lb. I saw them hauled out on a gravel beach during a research trip to the Antarctic Peninsula in 1992 - just huge animals]. Some pups are crushed in these fights between bulls or when bulls are trying to mate with females. The pups are nursed intensively for a month. By the end of the nursing period, the females are emaciated and the pups have increased their weight by 3-7 fold to become "nearly globular". After cessation of lactation, the females head out to sea having lost 1/3rd of their body mass. The pups remain on the beaches for several more week as they continue to grow off stored fat and to learn how to adjust to the marine environment (see here). Individuals of both sexes also come on shore to molt for a month in summer.
As the overall population has grown, the number of beaches that the species uses has also grown, primarily in Central and Northern California (like Point Reyes, Ano Nuevo, and San Simeon) and some of the Channel Islands (like San Nicholas Island). As the California beaches have filled up, females have been coming ashore farther north to give birth, such as at Whidbey Island and Race Rocks on Vancouver Island.
Because of tagging studies (and here) we know learned quite a bit about the behavior of Northern elephant seals when at sea. After leaving the beaches, the females head into the open Pacific where they hunt along the boundary between cold nutrient-rich waters from the subpolar gyre mix with the waters of the warmer subtropical gyre; this area, the North Pacific Transition Zone, is a magnet for a variety of other top ocean predators, such as tuna, pelagic sharks, albatross, and other predators. The males head to the continental shelf off coast of Alaska and out onto the Aleutian Islands. Females spend 80% or more of their time diving for their primary prey, squid. Dives may be as long as two-hours and reach depths of 1500-5000ft. Males include more benthic prey from the shelf, including hake, sharks, and skates.
Steve
 

SteelHeadDave

Broskioner
Forum Supporter
A few years ago I was wading a fall coho beach in the wee hours of the morning in total darkness. I was the only person out there and I just started fishing when I heard something moving and splashing in front of me. The splashing quickly got louder and I heard the unmistakable roars of an elephant seal. This was very close, maybe 25 feet from where I was wading and I had casted right on top of it at least a few times. I backed up to dry land in a hurry and let the spot rest until enough sunlight was available to see the water before continuing to fish. Woke me up to say the least 🤣
 

Wanative

Spawned out Chum
Forum Supporter
Are the ones at fort Casey in the fall Elephant seals or California sea lions?
 

clarkman

average member
Forum Supporter
You folks should probably stay far far away from the area.... probably an entirely different state (or 2)....I'll do my best to keep tabs on the water in question and let you folks know when it's safe to return.

It's for your own safety.
 

clarkman

average member
Forum Supporter
no elephant seals here....but then I only fish the sound maaaybe once a year. a few years ago I was fishing for coho near my folks place and had some sort of seal do a smash and grab well within casting distance of me. Scared the crap out of me!
 

jasmillo

}=)))*>
Forum Supporter
A few years ago I was wading a fall coho beach in the wee hours of the morning in total darkness. I was the only person out there and I just started fishing when I heard something moving and splashing in front of me. The splashing quickly got louder and I heard the unmistakable roars of an elephant seal. This was very close, maybe 25 feet from where I was wading and I had casted right on top of it at least a few times. I backed up to dry land in a hurry and let the spot rest until enough sunlight was available to see the water before continuing to fish. Woke me up to say the least 🤣

It’s alway interesting wading into the sound before sunrise that time of year. Especially if you are first to the beach. I’ve had a couple of occasions where seals blew up on shakers at my rod tip in the dark. That was butt puckering enough. I tend to do a lot of calf to knee high wading pre dawn :).
 

SilverFly

Life of the Party
Forum Supporter
Had one eat a black skipjack off the line down in baja, Luke was impressed.
Sorry Don, but pinneped hook-ups don't count if they grab a fish already on your line. No points for bait either.

Nope, if you want to get on the board, I'd suggest a large squid pattern. As for gear, a 13wt will stop a fur seal, but you'll need to step up to a 50wt with roller guides and gimbal fighting butt for elephants.

;)
 
Top