First Post-La Jolla report

[echo42]

I've been lurking on this forum for a while.....

Although I have been fishing since I was a kid with my dad, I'm new to the kayak experience. I bought a PA14 last year and spent the first summer in the lakes and bays. This has been my first year fishing La Jolla and it's been a blast.

I wanted to express some gratitude to a few fellow kayakers that helped me the other day (Friday 9/7) at La Jolla. As I was pulling onto the sand my truck sunk in and I got stuck. I thought I had enough forward momentum but alas, that was not the case.

Within seconds a a fellow kayaker named Mark (my name as well)came to help me out. He helped me dig and pour water on the sand to compact it. He jumped on my tailgate for weight and hung on as a tried to get out. We threw everything in the book at this problem and made some substantial success. I could tell that Mark was ready to launch, yet he delayed his just to help me out.

Then came Rob Fish. Rob explained that he was watching us on the webcam and got in his car to come over and help. He towed me out within a minute and gave me a tow strap to boot. I'm sure Rob had things planned for his day, yet he got in his truck to help out.

Thanks to both Rob and Mark. Now that I have a tow strap, I hope I'll be able to pay it forward. I'm in the grey Tundra with a white PA14.

As far as the fishing- it was fair to average....a few bonita, calico, and the barracuda was tearing up all the bait that I caught.

Mark

[Semper Fi-shing]

Nice to hear yakkers willing to stick together and lend a hand. I was in the same predicament over a month ago and a fellow taker in a grey tundra and a few other yakkers already ready to launch also helped me out. I bought a tow strap the next day in case I need to lend a hand.

I was at la jolla this past saturday also and conditions are ready starting to liven up. Bait everywhere, water temp an optimal 73-75 degrees,. Had a few hard, short bites and one clicker screamer that felt like a yellow but tried to set the hook on a circle hook. Farmers mistake.

Picked up a few more spots that seemed prime yellowtail spots before I went to my failproof rockfish spot.

Didnt get any yellows this time but next week might be different. Ended up with my personal best rockfish.....20".....2.1 lbs. I thought by the girth that it had to be at least 4 lbs. The eyes might tell a fisherman's tale, but the scale reveals the truth

[bubbacee7]

Yakers are good folk. Good story. Good lookin out guys.

[jorluivil]

cool story!!


I always stop just short of the entrance and take a quick look at how high or low the tide is first and once I know where the soft sand starts and ends I either hit the gas or just cruise right in.

Kudos to Mark and Rob for helping out!!

[stevie951]

Originally Posted by bubbacee7

Yakers are good folk. Good story. Good lookin out guys.

Indeed, i'm a little too over confident in my civic sometimes, as much as I air down.. I have gotten tugged out of the soft sand there too myself a way yonder back, just like when I yard sale, or flip launching, I had a skiff guy bring me my stuff floating in the surf one day.. what goes around, comes around.. Good Karma on them especially due to the fact I had no tow ropes when I was in the sand so I was literally up the creek with out a paddle..

EDIT-- Not to mention, being up SH*t creek with out a paddle, I was out a few months back, and still using the Crack of Dawn heavy lug of a non carbon fiber paddle that I got from a rental shop 2 years back.. So I was wading in 2-3 foot surf for 20 mins while when I finally decide to jump in and go for it.. FIRST STROKE, my f'n 2 piece paddle literally snapped In half ... Surf was not nice that day and when that happened my life literally flashed before my eyes... Took a couple seconds for the fight or flight to kick in and i Hopped out, and started walking backward tugging on the yak as a 3 footer sets in my face at o'dark thirty.. That was an awesome morning ..

As I was doing the walk of shame, two gentleman where set up in a tandem a bit after myself, and the driver had ran back to his car to drop off and lock up.. The gentleman on the beach as i asked, mentioned that in fact, they had a spare paddle and it was in the car,, SOOOO I ran my ass up vallecitos, tracked this guy down like a stalker, and asked if i could borrow his paddle, LOL STRAIGHT UP..

He ended up saying yeah, I fished with them for the day (for nada) BUT it was not a wasted trip back to Riverside at 5:30 am sopping wet on i think a friday morning... I Got to actually fish! Which after having the worst morning of your life (2nd to the morning you learned you got her pregnant and you're having a child.. Afffttter you already committed to marriage) it ended up not being so bad .. So yeah, kayakers are dope, a dying yet exponentially growing breed :P



thanks for the report

[lamb]

very cool