Seals
 

went with Zack this morning. we got launched about 5:30 and started making squid around 6:45 when the sun started to show.

this was the scene.
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...g/P1090783.jpg


drifted squid and irons for nothing so i decided to pin a 10" mackerel on a 8/0 circle with 5ft of 100lb leader. Carolina rigged it with 6oz and sent it to the bottom. once there i reeled up about 5ft and set the lever drag and clicker. some time goes by and im bouncing a squid jig on the bottom when i hear a short "rrreerrrr".... look back and the tip of my rod is moving then it starts to double over and some more drag is taken... "hmmm" so i pick it up and engage the reel and it pulls tight and i reel down on it. solid hook up with the circle and it starts running. at first i thought i was a halibut the way it picked it up but then i hear a splash... "sh*t its one of those seals.... no maybe a thresher" hear another splash and look up to see a seal go air born. lock the drag down to 20lbs and away we go. my first intent was to get it as close to the kayak as possible and cut the leader, and i was doin a pretty good job stayin on him and gaining line but just as i had my plan figured out he took a turn and cut off 3 yaks with lines down. so instead of dealing with that mess i cut the line about 60yrds out and watched him jump away with my leader and 40lb mono hangin off...

after that i paddle back over to Zack and we have a laugh and i can hear people around me saying things like "i didnt know they ate squid.." "i thought he had a fish..." stuff like that. oh. and apparently seals don't eat squid... wont touch it even if you throw it to them...

so i re rig and we decide to head in closer to shore to do some rockfish and bassin. we start our float and when we reach about 60ft of water i send a mackerel down to the bottom. after a few short bass i notice im moving the wrong direction... look back and my rod has a bend in it and then starts takin drag... set up on the fish and its on. tell Zack i'm hooked up on the mackerel and he starts to clear his deck to lend me a hand when we notice a seal come up... yup. hooked another one... this time i was much closer and he wasn't running away. at least yet. so i get withing 30 ft of him and he wraps up on a lobster trap and comes to the surface. i could see my red 8/0 circle in the corner of his mouth and he started barking or making whatever noise they make at me. Zack was on his way over and almost to him when he decided to make a run for it and drag the trap, bouy, burn drag and take my yak along for the ride. so we cut the line and ended it at that.

after that i decided it wasn't a good idea to use mackerel and id just stick with squid... i worked the kelp and Zack drifted between the bouys. i got a small sculpin, a few small calico's and several mackerel when Zack comes over and shows me his game clip loaded with fish... "what the hell man!?" so he tells me and we both do a drift and i get two keeper cali's. (14 and 13") then we head in.
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...g/P1090784.jpg

arrived back at the beach to the roughest surf ive ever seen in socal! :lol:

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...g/P1090785.jpg

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...g/P1090787.jpg

the haul...
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...g/P1090790.jpg

and the rides. (beach pics are awesome!)
http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...g/P1090789.jpg

http://i73.photobucket.com/albums/i2...g/P1090793.jpg

nice job on the bass. thanks for the report.

good job on the seal and calicos
next time bring some shrimp for
sheephead if you like

Nice haul, too bad you didn't find the right kind. Still looks like a great day to be on the water.
Usually seals leave the mackeral head behind and avoid being hooked, though I've hooked a couple. 2 in one day, that's a bitch, guess they're getting more stupid.
Did you get your squid on a sabiki?
Thanks,
Aaron

tell me about it. it was rediculous and within 30 mins of each drop. talk about a boner kill.

the squid were caught on a squid jig with a 4oz diamond jig on the bottom and a 4" yellow glowstick and the top. i actually caught more squid on the diamond jig than the pins on the rig... also caught a few mackerel on it too. so that was a bonus.

Hmmmm......What the hell are all these kayakers doing out there in the middle of winter?

Fishing is really slow in the cold water of December.

Gosh, hope these guys don't get too discouraged by the terrible fishing.




Glad you had a fun day out there. The big one is coming.....:D

there was close to 30 and every one of the ones i talked to mentioned a 55lber caught "not to long ago"... :rolleyes:

im just glad i live so close now. going from 3 hours to 30 mins away is amazing. im going to fish it all year just to get out.

Bummer on the dog problem but good job on the bass. Glad to see you made it in alive through that gnarly surf. :D

Always fun on the water! Thanks for the report!