Hit it at dawn and didn't get any fish in tight on plastic or bounce balling in the first hour or so. Just got bit once and missed the fish. There was a little wind, but not so much as to make it uncomfortable. Surf was still smallish but 1 foot bigger than last time I went out, 1-2 feet.

I bounced out to the naples area for nothing and picked up my light stick and tossed a 4" big hammer at the kelp. I overshot by 5 feet and hit the canopy. I pulled the lure free and it skittered over the kelp and into open water. As soon as it started to sink I saw my line jump so I swung...Zzzzzzz and nabbed the first of many nice calicos. I switched to heavier gear (i.e. no more 8 lb.) in case a big one wanted to play. They were up high in the water column and very aggressive. I was ripping the plastic over the fronds, fast winding/twitching, and dropping my rod tip. Fast and furious retrieves after a splashy, skipping entry was the ticket. Smallest one I got was about 15 inches. Biggest was close to but not quite 3 pounds.

I even paddled onto the kelp and jigged up a couple of fish 3 feet from my tip. I launched a 2 pound bass out of the kelp and into the air on the hookset after I quickly dropped my plastic onto the piece of kelp he brushed as he was swimming around just under the surface. That was fun.