Los Alamitos heart break 5/12/14

[AirborneYak]

TLDR: lost a monster

I had some free time today and headed out to LAB. I launched by the Gondola Getaway off of E. Ocean Blvd and got on the water around 0700. The wind had not picked up this morning and I was sure it was going to be a good day. The game plan was to work the docks on my way out to the harbor mouth. Throwing a 3" BH, I was hoping for some kind hook up with some spotties. A toss here. A throw there. Nothing. I was hoping my luck would pick up at the jetty and started pedaling there.

I reached Alamitos park by 72nd and Ocean and from there I was working the jetty rocks. From fast to slow and then a bump here and again, I was trying to figure out the days retrieving tempo. Before you know it, I was at the mouth harbor and again with nothing. If plastic wasnt working, I convinced myself that live bait should shake the skunk off. The wind slightly started to pick up and I started to feel my stomach fighting to come out of my mouth as I was setting up my sabiki rig. Right off the bat, I get two 6" macks. I was hoping for some bait fish, but I wasnt going to stay any longer out pass jetty walls. I flylined one of the smaller macks (I was hoping I hooked up a cuda) and headed back into the harbor.

On my back in, I was working the rocks trying to figure out the cadence of the retrieve. I saw two other kayaker headed out. A quick chat with them and I was Charlie Mike. As I get closer to Alamitos Bay landing, I reel in my flylined and make a reverse dropper loop and throw on a 6oz torpedo and let it drift back out. I start working the eel grass hoping to find some aggressive spotties. After about 20 mins with nothing, I see that my other line is tangled in my rudder. I switched pole and pulled the rudder back up to free the line. Almost as soon as the line is free, it gets tight.

Im thinking, "oh shit! drifting that mack actually worked!!" I start to reel and right away it feels heavy. Bat ray. Halibut. Shark. Eel grass. Boot. I was trying to guess what I had on the other end of my line. Rod tip up and drag pulling, I had the biggest shit eating grin on my face!! Whatever is at the end of this pole, it is going to be a brute. All of a sudden the line starts to go slack and my heart skips a beat. Crap, I lost it.....NOPE!! I reel in the limp line and feel the familiar head shake of a halibut!! AHHHH YEAHH!! This time my rod wasnt the only thing pointing up! lol I worked that butt slow, tiring that thing out. My drag start screaming again, as the hope-it-is-a-halibut-at-the-end-line tries to make a break for freedom. I start reeling and I could feel that shit eating grin plastering my face again!!

Out of the green depths, I glimpsed a flash of white of the undersized of this halibut as it starts to surface!!! Whatever level higher of shit eating grin comes next, my face contorted to at least 5 levels up. Right away, I know that this butt is much larger than my first legal which was at 26". I am guessing it was in the 30" range. I bolt from euphoria to panic as I soon realize that I have no way of landing this beast. The only thing I had on my person were crappy fish grips. I really wished I had the gaff I ordered from Tinslayer. I bounced my last legal in and I that was I tried.

I raised my pole and over to my yak and I see that this butt was tired. This is was going to be a challenge as I felt the weight straining my pole. I decided to try to bring it closer and try the fish grip. Angling my pole up in one hand, I reached for my prize only to be rewarded with the sound of the snapping of the line. I freeze. Then yelled, "FFFFFFFFFUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCCCCCCKKKKKKK!!!" My line disappears in the water, but the fish was floating limply. I lunge at the the tail just in time to see the behemoth come back to life and make its way back to its murky freedom. I sat there mouth agape and dejected. Head down, I made my back to my launch.

And that is the story of the one that got away.

Thanks for taking time to share my heartbreak.

Airborne.

[jorluivil]

If you need a gaff I have one that you can have for super cheap

[AirborneYak]

Originally Posted by jorluivil

If you need a gaff I have one that you can have for super cheap

Thanks. But I have one on order now.

[WildernessWanker]

I feel for you, losing one right at the yak is pure torture!

Sent from my SPH-L520 using Tapatalk

[AirborneYak]

Originally Posted by WildernessWanker

I feel for you, losing one right at the yak is pure torture!

Sent from my SPH-L520 using Tapatalk

LOL it is. My wife has been helping me out, by listening all day about the one I almost had.

[ful-rac]

Bummer.....

At least it wasn't BIG!!!

[octico]

Sounds like a fish story to me .... I call BS At least you set the hook this time


Honestly, I am really sad for you, Better luck next time. Let's go out again next Saturday.

[AirborneYak]

Originally Posted by ful-rac

Bummer.....

At least it wasn't BIG!!!

It might've been smaller than I thought, but the for the sake of the story im going to say it was shorter end of 50 inches.

[AirborneYak]

Originally Posted by octico

Sounds like a fish story to me .... I call BS At least you set the hook this time


Honestly, I am really sad for you, Better luck next time. Let's go out again next Saturday.

John, im game. let me convince my wife though. My phone is broken so pm.

[jsunmkly]

Nice story and nice try!
I love Alamitos bay and the jetty there.
Definitely my no.1 fished area.

[kauaiboy04]

heartbreak! been there, done that. i've since learned to either a) paddle back to dry land to land the behemoth or b) pray to whatever god you pray to that you'll be able to tail grab and pull her in (this one doesn't usually pan out). though, there is that other option of just being prepared...