User-Friendly Lingcod

[Hunter (The 80's Man)]

I wish I could say this is a deliberate training video made to show what NOT to do. But, it’s not. Instead, it shows me caught off-guard and totally unprepared. But, goes to show when God is planning on giving you a gift there’s not much you can do to mess it up, and in the end you get it anyway.

Planning for the Cambria tournament began weeks prior with me pouring through the regs, trying to familiarize myself with the local rockfish, which isn’t an easy task for a color-blind guy. I made-up a cheat-sheet taped it to my kayak with legal sizes, limits, and some details that would help on the water… All in vain. No telling how long it lasted on the freeway, I just know it wasn’t there when we reached the campground.

Camping with Team Sewer was a blast. Although I think apologies are necessary for the family with the little girl camping next to us. I’m sure she heard things she won’t understand until high school (most-likely college).. And to the Dungeons and Dragons guys that shoo away the drunk girls, you go with your cloaks and bad selves! Thou thinkest unreal that grown men were stilleth playing that game!

Morning came with a hundred kayaks on the beach at gray light and I was pumped (but, without my cheat sheet). I paddled out and it didn’t take long for the frustration to set in. Started catching a few fish here and there, but having never seen most of the species before, was having trouble identifying them. I decided just to release the fish, in fear of keeping something protected (there was nothing of real size anyway). From then on, I was going to make the most of the day and just have fun, forget about the competition and just fish/enjoy the beautiful coast.

I hooked-up with the rest of guys to find out they were getting hit pretty good on a different bait. So, I chose to make the change. While setting my rods up, I drifted into a small patch of kelp where my rudder got stuck. Perfect! Then, I really gave up. So, in my frustration I decided just to drop my lines there. That’s when I found my user-friendly lingcod... I’m so thankful that stupid fish was so hungry for the greenling on my line. I caught him, and all the other fish I weighed-in in a matter of 20 minutes in the same spot with my rudder stuck in the kelp. That gave me a 2^nd place finish. Thank You, Lord.

Rob

p.s. On behalf of Team Sewer, I also wanted to take this opportunity to publicly apologize to the bathroom attendants at Denny’s, the Shell Station, and Wendy’s.

[Cadillyak]

Nice vid. Nice fish. So if I'm watching this correctly, a larger ling attacked your hooked ling??

[danjor]

Originally Posted by Cadillyak

Nice vid. Nice fish. So if I'm watching this correctly, a larger ling attacked your hooked ling??

I have had this happen before on a cattle boat out of morro bay, small rock fish hit my lure which got ate by a long which got attacked by a monster ling. Craziest stuff ever seeing a long attack a long like that! Great video and nice catch!

[Aaron&Julie]

Good title for the video/post. That ling was awful kind to you to keep coming back for that greenling like he did, and let you gaff him, not once, but twice, though the 2nd time he was already on your deck.

Congrats, that was a neat way to get 2nd place in that contest, and a terrific story/video showing how it was accomplished.

[DanaPT]

that's an awesome sight to have on video.

[dorado123]

Wow awesome video ! I've never seen fish like that...they mostly swimming deep after missed the net or gaff

[jruiz]

Great meeting you Rob. I was wondering when this video would surface. Was that your bait net you were trying to land that trophy fish with?

[steveooo]

Super bad ass video. How cool was that!
Congrats on the 2nd place finish, and on a trophy ling

[philr21]

Awesome! What was the deal with the rod and reel that went overboard? Did you get it back or was it donated to Davey Jones?

[Amish Ed]

That fish was destined to die for sure. Great job getting 2nd place too.

[alanw]

That was a great desperation lunge with the gaff to keep him from slipping overboard, good luck was with you for sure.

[ericko]

Way to go buddy, must say it was one of the better fishing weekends i had this summer...hope your work schedule changes so you can get on the water with us again.. 2nd place awesome.

[roby]

You have some of the best videos Rob. It was great getting to know you on the camping trip to Cambria.

Congrats again on landing that beast. The head on that thing was unreal.

[Aaron&Julie]

Originally Posted by philr21

Awesome! What was the deal with the rod and reel that went overboard? Did you get it back or was it donated to Davey Jones?

Yeah, I didn't see that the first two times I watched the video. It looked like you were using a gold Catala, or the likes for the greenling/lingcod. The rod went to the deck after the dual gaff job, eventually working it's way to the side of your 'yak, then overboard. Did you get it back? That was a sweet outfit, and a very lucky one to that point of the game.

Even in the photo shots someone took of you at the end of the video, 2 rods are upright in your rod holders, but I didn't see the rod with the gold reel that caught the ling. For your sake, I do hope it was lying on the deck, hidden during the photo shoot. If the hook was in the ling and the line still attached I'm sure you just pulled it back up out of the water, I just can't see it anywhere in the photo.

Aaron

[chefchatten]

Awesome!

[blitzburgh]

That's awesome! That greedy bastard got what was comin'