C&R excitement :reeling:

This was quite the year for me....
many "first of the yak" species check off the list...
several new personal bests...
lots of fun trips and good times...
after carefull deliberation...
this one has to be the most notable...
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t...P4260092-3.jpg


not the biggest fish of the year,
but at the time it was a new personal best butt...
and....

























how often have I had my picture on the front
page of Western Outdoor News...uh...lets see...uh...never...
(Thanks Paul)
this was quite a treat...
http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t...9/PC310921.jpg

This was a good day for me and the boys from work.

http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwegall.../500/group.JPG

Hands down my favorite fish, in my favorite spot, out with some of my friends on a nice calm day!! Put up an absolute blast of a fight and tasted just great!!!

My most memorable catch was on August 24. It started out with me and my wingman Sherm launching in the dark and me jumping into my yak and onto my gaff :reddy::doh:.

The day turned out ok though. Caught my PB flattie on a big green back. That was the day I gaffed 2 butts.

http://www.bloodydecks.com/forums/at...a-p8230103.jpg
http://www.bloodydecks.com/forums/at...a-p8230104.jpg

This one for a couple of reasons.
My first ever Pike, caught on the last cast of the day, first day ever running white water, but also it was caught about five hours after I almost drowned in the river. Glad to be fishing another day.
http://forum.kayak4fish.com/modules/...0042.sized.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d1...r/P2190079.jpg


Nice weather, Epic bite, Double Hookups, Toad Yellow

At first glance, I thought "why the helmet"? After reading the post, I understand! Thanks for NOT drowning and NICE pike! :cheers1:

Wow Jim, I haven't heared that one... Sure glad it all ended OK.

Sweet fish all!!!

Now, for my favorite fish in 08...

It's got to be THAT day...

LA JOLLA FISH PORN!

Directions to view for all of you with small monitors:

• scroll right,
• then left,
• than right...
• you get an idea :D

http://www.bigwatersedge.com/images/...yellowtail.jpg

LOL, look at the King, got his tail already bagged, on ice...

:D

It was close, the most scared I have ever been in the water, but the camera never stopped rolling so it will be in the movie. The basic story is that we ran a rough spot of rapids, I got dumped then stuck in a hole, had to be pulled out by another kayaker. Thank God he was there and had the skills to side surf in the hole while I grabbed the side of his boat.

That shot of yours is SICK Adi. What a day. I didn't fish LJ near enough this past year, spent more time on the bay or out of town.

THE NAIL IN THE COFFIN.
 

I thought about this question for a couple of days and was torn, quite a few memorable fish to consider. Even though this wasn't my largest White Seabass or a 36 lb Yellowtail caught on 18 lb flouro (a close second)...this would have to be THE ONE.

I was neck and neck with my closest competitor for the WCW title, with two Yellowtail of 36 lb's and 34 lb's for the month, but the pressure on my shoulders popped like a balloon when I sunk the gaff in this girl. I finally opened that beer I kept in my dry bag all month to soak up that feeling, victory! :luxhello::party::luxhello:
http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwegall...0/100_0944.jpg
The only problem with catching White Seabass over fifty pounds...tough to avoid the double-chin in the pictures.

and dose chooz are da chit mang!!!!!!:you_rock:

I had a pleasure of personally seeing that fish. Well, the tail of it. It was impressive enough. You sealed that win in style Josh. :reeling:

Beautiful night, last day of last year WCW. Numero duo sucked, he wasn't even in town fishing. :)

What a season, lots if tension. :)

I am wondering where did that season WCW #1 spirit go.

:arne1:

I don't know much about season #1, but I personally think that this year's
format doesn't exactly create any sense of pressure or urgency.

I'm not knocking the tournament or anyone, I just think that without
a monthly submission, it's kind of like "well, I've got all year to get that fish".

...now back to the favorites of 2008...

I loved this version. It allowed for a much larger group of BWE members with other priorities to participate, while still giving odds to those who put the time in to find that certain fish, as is shown by the victor who not only won by points, but probably doubled the on the water time of even second place as well.

I didn't get to fish too much this year, but I have to say my favorite fish of 2008 had to be the 78 pound mud marlin i got under the coronado bridge. No pictures as it was a solo mission but had a buddy in a boat get a weight for me. But definitely a fun night and a memorable one. Kept getting up in the pilings and I'd have to paddle away in free spool and throw it in gear and pull to get enough leverage to get him out. Once he was in open water I got him up and laid him on the deck and he had a wing hanging over about a foot into the water on each side.the trident has a perfect deck to bring up big batray like this onto their stomachs and have them face you. the flat surface of the rod pod keeps them safe and calm, and I can get my hook out of them without getting stuck. Further more, sliding the beasts onto the deck when your 6 inches from the surface isn't very stressful on them and you can slide them right back in just as easy.

Early this year (2008) I caught my favorite fish off the Thetis Bank about 15 miles offshore. Not the biggest of fish but the most challenging for me. At least four seals feed here and they knew the drill! It was wide open yellows,but bringing them whole to the kayak was a different story. Eventually my brother would feed the seals while I fished a half mile away,thats how I got this one on deck!! Thanks Bro.....




http://img520.imageshack.us/img520/8...sf08019wx9.jpg

http://img520.imageshack.us/img520/6...sf08020ox8.jpg

My favorite was this YT caught while fishing with Nathan and Jim (my wingman) off LJ. Adi came by on his boat and floated me some candy bait. Next thing you know. Bendo!!!! It was an awesome day on the water that day with warm conditions and grease calm water. This was the trip before Jim gaffed himself in the ass.