Easter Yellow

[tunaseeker]

Who needs ham.... When you have yellow!
Fly line Mac...
Thanks to CBadmike for the OTW pic!
Cheers!

[Dannowar]

that things a beast!!

[Bert Vega]

Hell yeah it's a brute!!!

[blitzburgh]

That looks like true love right there

[Cbad Mike]

That was a very nice fish.... Congratulations!!!

[gunghosd]

BOOM!!! there it is...super nice one! congrats

[Smthtnnr]

Now that's how you celebrate Easter! Congrats

[troutking]

I didn't realize it was that big! I was in the PA 12 about 100 yards away from you when you pulled it in. Awesome catch!

[makobob]

That is a tail waiting to be told, how about the whole tail? Congratulations, nice beast.

[tunaseeker]

Ok makobob on here ya go...
Fishing Report:
Easter Sunday
Location: La Jolla
Time: Launched at 0630

Well I have not been fishing in a long time and I got a free day on Easter. I figured I would be out and back by the time my kids even wake up. So I headed out to La Jolla looking for some sea bass as it was overcast and early. The swell was low about 2-3' but it was building throughout the day. The launch ramp is still closed at La Jolla so you have to carry your kayak from the bathrooms down the stairs and put it on the sand, load it and drag it to the water and it was low tide! Ouch! Got out easily on the kayak. Looked for bait for quite some time but found some mini macs along the kelp line. Tried to hang some squid on an iron at 30' for awhile while making bait as I think I marked a few white sea bass, big worms on the fish finder. That didn't pan out so I hooked up 6 or 7 mini macs and decided to fly line one and take it around the edge of the kelp. Cruising out a pod of dolphins joined me and I shot some video of it but my iPhone reset and I lost all of my data!! Oh well just have to go out again So I turn the corner and start crusing down the kelp line taking in the sights..... when the reel starts to move a little and then a little more and all of a sudden its RIPPING line! Oh crap! Let it rip for 6 seconds, put it in gear, it loads up and my kayak does a U-turn! I'm on!! This fish took off like a bat out of hell! I start to chase him in the kayak peddling and reeling at the same time (Love the Hobie kayak). I start to get up and down on the fish, full bendo. This sucker is not moving! I can see it on the fish finder as I fight it. It would go from 80' to 60' and then dive back down. This fish kicked my ass for 30 min. I reminded myself to respect the fight and let him tire out. As it was at deep color I grabbed my gaff and with the fishing pole in my right hand tried to gaff with the left but my arm was so tired that I could not even gaff it! Funny now but I let out a few choice words then. The fish wrapped around my hobie fins below the kayak and I though for sure it would break off (now I hate the hobie kayak! , it got some energy back and took of to 60' again! Shit! so we battle awhile longer... I get the fish back to color and put my rod in my lap grab the gaff with my right hand, fish on the left side of the kayak stick it in the dorsal area, not the best gaff but it slides in the yak and a big WHOOOOOO HOOOOOOO comes out! Hell ya! Exhausted at this point, I cant believe how big the head is and how round it is. I put the pole in the holder keep the hook in and put the stringer though. This is a big fish. I rip the gills out, blood shoots all over and let him bleed out a little then grab the tail and dip him in face first to bleed out. I get a fellow yaker (CBadmike) to snap a few pictures and strap him down in the back of the yak. Didn't see any boats hookup. Drag around a few more macs and nada. Decide to head in. Get to the beach and its pumping... 4 kayaks sitting waiting for the swells to pass. One guy goes for it and he was on top of a 4' wave and made it! It was crazy. Next guy has a mean yard sale and lost his GoPro! Next guy almost gets swallowed by a wave but makes it. I decide to wait it out for 10 min. Looks like the big ones have passed so I start to follow a small wave hoping it will break in front of me and I can cruse in. Well it did break in front of me but a rouge wave came behind me, sent me sideways and WOMP! Smacked my head on the ocean floor, got hit by the bait tank and kayak on the way up and tangled in paddle leash. Holy hell that sucked! What a headache! My kayak was upside down and poles in the sand! All tethered though, I didn't loose anything but my pride. Turn the kayak over and see that my hobie bait tank has 2 big holes in it from the pole holders being pulled off. sometimes its dead flat like a lake and sometimes mother nature reminds you who is in charge.... I still had a great day and would do it again in a second!! I sent my Dad and Brother a text with the attached on the water photo before my phone battery fully died then reset.....

Go get em, there out there!!!

[RookieYakker]

Awesome fish and awesome story...until the yard sale!