Aloha - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

Trout · 10-20-2008, 02:26 PM

So I finally got on the water yesterday after moving back from Hawaii a few weeks ago... 63 degrees in the water with the air temp in the low 50s... holy crap... wetsuit, booties, sweatshirt, beanie, the whole trip. Not used to that! I decided to fish for bass and halibut. My very first cast in the kelp beds produced a calico bass (released). After a few minutes, I switched to some structure that I have fished before and on my very first cast there I nailed something solid. I had super light tackle and 15# test and it was kicking my a$$. Finally I see that it's a huge bonito... close to 10 pounds, which is pretty good size for around here. Released that one, too. Dropped the scampi to the bottom and picked up a nice 4 pound sand bass (kept for fish tacos). The wind started to switch so I went into my live bait tank and pulled out a nice 6" mackerel (I jigged up a half-dozen first thing in the morning). I pinned him on and sent him down and started to bounce ball. I paddled maybe 20 strokes and my reel was humming. I set the hook and it whipped me around and started towing me

I was only on for 10 seconds before it spit the hook and I was left scratching my head. Huge halibut? Black sea bass? Hmmmmm... will never know! Then I pinned on another bait and paddled for a few minutes before my line goes ripping again. I set the hook and boom... I'm gone... this thing is towing me and whatever it is, I'm thinking it's the same specie as whatever nailed me before. I fight hard for about 20 minutes and then I hit a stand-still. It's not budging. I'm not budging. Nobody's budging. It was like that for 5 solid minutes of no line going in either direction. Finally I turn its head and I short-stroke it until I see this submarine coming up. I see the flash and realize that it's a huge Yellowtail... late in the season, but here to greet me back to ffice:smarttags" />lace>Californialace> with open arms. I got a clean gaff shot and hoisted over my legs. I gave it a nice, little bear-hug until it calmed down and then got the game clip on it. Whew! The fished taped well over 3 1/2 feet long and weighed 30-pounds

I had one bait left and dropped it down. Before long I was on again... after another tough haul, I finally see the big brown mass. I'm thinking I got the double with a yellowtail and a halibut. But when it turned sideways I saw the tail and realized it was the biggest shovelnose guitarfish I'd ever seen. I didn't even know they got that big. So that was it and I called it a day. I wanted to get the fish on ice ASAP for the hamachi sashimi. Oh yeah… check out the 15 squirts I found in the belly! I don't know whether to use them for bait or eat them!
ffice

ffice" />>>

>>

dorado50 · 10-20-2008, 02:36 PM

Congrats and welcome back. Thats a very solid yellow!!!

Those squid aren't but an hour old,interesting...........

dos ballenas · 10-20-2008, 02:42 PM

Nice

axelhoff · 10-20-2008, 03:22 PM

sick...............

Iceman · 10-20-2008, 03:51 PM

Welcome back! you and I are tied with one a piece for '08........so what I am saying is ..........My turn!

Handymansd · 10-20-2008, 03:53 PM

Welcome back and congrats on a great time OTW.

Matt · 10-20-2008, 06:49 PM

Nice job and welcome back!!!

steveooo · 10-20-2008, 09:44 PM

Sweet. Nice Jello and Fresh Dead Squirts to boot.

roosta · 10-21-2008, 07:22 AM

The Troutman back in action!
Good job man!

Trout · 10-21-2008, 08:13 AM

I was never out of action... just out of sight

Thanks guys... I'll see you somewhere along the lines. Really looking forward to Baja more than anything. Can't wait.

The Hawaii boys were pissed I released the bonito, but I caught it so early on in the session that it would've been festering for a long time. I need a fish bag!

ezcompany · 10-21-2008, 09:22 AM

amazing report,,,,, thanks for the inspiration

Zed · 10-21-2008, 09:47 AM

That's a free # of bait.
Good report!

Trout · 10-21-2008, 11:14 AM

I'm tellin' ya... it was so undigested I was seriously considering eating it. But then I started thinking about worms and what not, so I figured I'd save the calamari for the sports bar... and keep this for bait.

Hey, Andy... were you talking about yellowtail or babies???

wiseguy · 10-21-2008, 11:38 AM

Freaking Sweet Man! Way to get welcomed back! Nice job!

Lord Matthew34 · 10-22-2008, 08:44 PM

Right on dude nice yellow!

10-20-2008, 02:26 PM	#1
Trout Looks are everything Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Cardiff by the Sea, CA Posts: 64	Aloha So I finally got on the water yesterday after moving back from Hawaii a few weeks ago... 63 degrees in the water with the air temp in the low 50s... holy crap... wetsuit, booties, sweatshirt, beanie, the whole trip. Not used to that! I decided to fish for bass and halibut. My very first cast in the kelp beds produced a calico bass (released). After a few minutes, I switched to some structure that I have fished before and on my very first cast there I nailed something solid. I had super light tackle and 15# test and it was kicking my a$$. Finally I see that it's a huge bonito... close to 10 pounds, which is pretty good size for around here. Released that one, too. Dropped the scampi to the bottom and picked up a nice 4 pound sand bass (kept for fish tacos). The wind started to switch so I went into my live bait tank and pulled out a nice 6" mackerel (I jigged up a half-dozen first thing in the morning). I pinned him on and sent him down and started to bounce ball. I paddled maybe 20 strokes and my reel was humming. I set the hook and it whipped me around and started towing me I was only on for 10 seconds before it spit the hook and I was left scratching my head. Huge halibut? Black sea bass? Hmmmmm... will never know! Then I pinned on another bait and paddled for a few minutes before my line goes ripping again. I set the hook and boom... I'm gone... this thing is towing me and whatever it is, I'm thinking it's the same specie as whatever nailed me before. I fight hard for about 20 minutes and then I hit a stand-still. It's not budging. I'm not budging. Nobody's budging. It was like that for 5 solid minutes of no line going in either direction. Finally I turn its head and I short-stroke it until I see this submarine coming up. I see the flash and realize that it's a huge Yellowtail... late in the season, but here to greet me back to ffice:smarttags" />lace>Californialace> with open arms. I got a clean gaff shot and hoisted over my legs. I gave it a nice, little bear-hug until it calmed down and then got the game clip on it. Whew! The fished taped well over 3 1/2 feet long and weighed 30-pounds I had one bait left and dropped it down. Before long I was on again... after another tough haul, I finally see the big brown mass. I'm thinking I got the double with a yellowtail and a halibut. But when it turned sideways I saw the tail and realized it was the biggest shovelnose guitarfish I'd ever seen. I didn't even know they got that big. So that was it and I called it a day. I wanted to get the fish on ice ASAP for the hamachi sashimi. Oh yeah… check out the 15 squirts I found in the belly! I don't know whether to use them for bait or eat them! fficeffice" />>> >> >> __________________ Trout

10-20-2008, 02:42 PM	#3
dos ballenas Vampyroteuthis infernalis Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 585	shhhhhhhhhh Nice __________________ ____________________________________________ Last edited by dos ballenas; 10-20-2008 at 02:42 PM. Reason: spelling ;)

10-20-2008, 03:51 PM	#5
Iceman Administrator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: 1-2 miles off the point Posts: 6,948	Welcome back! you and I are tied with one a piece for '08........so what I am saying is ..........My turn! __________________

10-20-2008, 03:53 PM	#6
Handymansd Ancient Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: On The Water Posts: 935	Welcome back and congrats on a great time OTW. __________________ All men are equal before fish. -Herbert Hoover

10-20-2008, 06:49 PM	#7
Matt Support your local pangas Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Lj Posts: 976	Nice job and welcome back!!! __________________ Thanks Matt F.

10-20-2008, 02:36 PM	#2
dorado50 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: La Jolla Shores Posts: 1,626	Congrats and welcome back. Thats a very solid yellow!!! Those squid aren't but an hour old,interesting...........

10-20-2008, 03:22 PM	#4
axelhoff not now!! but right now!! Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: c town Posts: 2	sick...............

10-20-2008, 09:44 PM	#8
steveooo Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 1,922	Sweet. Nice Jello and Fresh Dead Squirts to boot.

10-21-2008, 07:22 AM	#9
roosta Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 68	The Troutman back in action! Good job man!

10-21-2008, 08:13 AM	#10
Trout Looks are everything Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Cardiff by the Sea, CA Posts: 64	I was never out of action... just out of sight Thanks guys... I'll see you somewhere along the lines. Really looking forward to Baja more than anything. Can't wait. The Hawaii boys were pissed I released the bonito, but I caught it so early on in the session that it would've been festering for a long time. I need a fish bag! __________________ Trout

10-21-2008, 09:22 AM	#11
ezcompany Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Posts: 30	amazing report,,,,, thanks for the inspiration

10-21-2008, 09:47 AM	#12
Zed BANNED Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: W of 5 Posts: 1,265	That's a free # of bait. Good report!

10-21-2008, 11:14 AM	#13
Trout Looks are everything Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Cardiff by the Sea, CA Posts: 64	I'm tellin' ya... it was so undigested I was seriously considering eating it. But then I started thinking about worms and what not, so I figured I'd save the calamari for the sports bar... and keep this for bait. Hey, Andy... were you talking about yellowtail or babies??? __________________ Trout

10-21-2008, 11:38 AM	#14
wiseguy Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Long Beach Posts: 427	Freaking Sweet Man! Way to get welcomed back! Nice job!

10-22-2008, 08:44 PM	#15
Lord Matthew34 Mad Yakker Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: La Mesa Posts: 38	Right on dude nice yellow!