Winter Worries

[Handymansd]

I woke Wednesday morning to the knowledge that I would be sitting in the water catching bugs that evening. My day drug on as I continually thought of all the fun I would have over the next couple of days with out work. When the sun started waning I bolted home, threw the Lobster, and Fishing gear in the truck and off I went! I got to my not so secret MB spot and tossed in my nets just at dusk. I pulled them up after dark...Nada. Hmmmm.... I usually have at least one short from 5 nets. So I try again... Nada. Hmmmm... this could be a long night. So I move and try some other spots that I know have been producing. Nada. Many of the other lobster guys have called it a night but I don't know when to quit. Well, the fog has been pretty thick but I saw no immediate signs of it and the dew point was still OK so out of the bay I went, headed for sunset cliffs and the kelp structures. I found a decent spot by some comercial buoys and started the process of pulling up shorts... 8-9 per net. Just a matter of time until I get some legals... right? Nope... I did this for 2 hours por Nada, some of the shorts started looking legal until I got out the guage. I look up and am amazed that I can barely see the front of my yak! I am surrounded by the thickest fog I have seen! I cannot see my buoys' lights, the pier, the cliffs... nothing. That's ok I'll use my compass and navigate back to the bay... Oh ya... new yak, I have not installed the new compass yet.
After an hour trying to locate my nets without being able to see them I finally found the last one using my GPS. I literally had to stare at my compass heading to get back in on a haphazard straight line. I got caught in the surf at the tip of the northern breakers wall before I even saw it's light! I have never seen fog so thick! By the time I was halfway down into the bay the fog suddenly lifted and I was back to where I started. So I decided to pack it in and head in for the second shift. Lobsters win this round.... but I have 30 of their friends in the Freezer!

I headed to the Jewell for the second shift of my trip and launched through medium surf, mostly dry, I think I was the only out but then again someone could have launched 30 ft away from me and I would not have known. I was at my bait spot enjoyng a hot cup of coffee by 4:15. I loaded up with 4-5 small candybar greenies and 3-4 micro spanish. I was trying not to get vertigo from the building swell and fog. You couldn't see the waves coming until zooom... up you went. A good day to have everything leashed. I headed straight at a 272 heading until I reached an area between 300 - 700 ft. in an area I personally know has had fish lately....
I swear I found myself going the wrong direction in the soup at least 20 times, on the way out, if I was not totaly not glued to my GPS. The fog was not as thick as OB. But is was so thick, and the swells so big that a couple suprise ones almost tossed me ! It was so easy to get turned around on my long trip out. As I approached my area my GPS warned me that I was operating on dead batteries. That's OK because I always keep a spare set in my camera case. I took out my camera case to find that my wife took the batteries out and did not replace them! A cold feeling of terror washed over me!! Chit!! Panic moment... I am 6-7 miles out in the middle of the friggen ocean, solo, in exteremely thick fog with no GPS or Compass!! Chit!! I can't even hear the shore from this far out!! I am screwed!!! Which way is East? The only way to tell which way is up is the water beneath me. I am the safety first king and here I am totally screwed! I finally come to the realization that I have batteries in my bail-out bag for those emergency situations that I can use! I was still a little freaked out waiting to see if they were good. I remember all those times I drug this stupid bail out bag around, and I am very glad that I did not give up the habit of making sure it was there. Otherwise, I would probably be out halfway to Hawii right now yelling Marco over the VHF. I am also going to need new waders as the pucker factor not only left shit stains in them, but pulled them so far up that the feet ripped out of them.

When I finally arrived, (it took three times as long in the very heavy fog) I found what I was looking for on my second yo-yo with the trusty B/W Salas with squid in the middle of the water column around 150 ft depth on the drop! It was a pretty quick fight for the depth but I had to untangle him from the bait line while trying to keep the tension on him. I was unable to take pics, sorry... no batteries, you would not have seen anything but white fog anyway! He was nowhere as big as Tyler's and Josh's but he was still a good end to a potentially bad day. And I was pretty happy because he was quite a bit bigger than the ones I had last week, and a chit load better than none at all.

I came in immediatly to find that the surf was not where I left it! It sounded like a freight train! You could not see it, just hear it crashing. Scary, but I really did not care, as I was ready for the dry land, and I did not care how I got there. I battened down the hatches and timed my shot by waiting to be lifted by a big one... waited for two more... then paddeled like a mad man posessed, then I saw it! O crap! But I made my timed run in through the surf like a professional surfer! As I looked back at the surf I could not picture a kayak making it through it easily! (now why can't I get that on film?) On the beach by 10:30. It was time to go home and clean up so I can get that most needed rest. All in All an Epic adventure double shift!

Score card:
Lobsters.........0
YT................1 (33# 1oz on the digi)
Tired Yakker....1

I earned this bastard!

Moral of the Story... Please remeber to be safe out there guys! Have a throw bag with an extra set of batteries and other safety stuff. Take a GPS & VHF, or maybe a buddy, or take your buddies', especially during the winter. It is just not worth what could happen. The fog was so thick that you could have been lost within a couple hundred ft. of shore. And keep in mind that the surf may not be where you left it when you return!

[THE DARKHORSE]

I'm sure some new member to the site will believe you.... great story, though.

[Zed]

I believe you. But possession limits include your freezer.

[steveooo]

No Pics = BS
Glad you got out ok Chuck. If you are worried about posession limits & the DFG, I will store some of your lobster in my freezer for a while.

[erinoo]

Hmmmm...

[dorado50]

Chuck you are a hero in your own eyes. If fog was as thick as you say why would you go out in the first place? IMO, you have incriminated yourself ,twice........

[esdees]

Geez, nice reactions guys.

Congrats Chuck.

[Holy Mackerel]

Weds eve was foggy as hell, draped in Bay Park all the way to the coast, and I resconsidered my Thurs PM hoop session, thinking conditions would be the same. Consequently, I have zero lobster in my freezer. I recommend a handheld GPS for all newbies, I can't believe I fished without one for a couple years.

chris

[Quilted Germ]

Tough crowd !!!!

[Zed]

Thursday AM was very foggy on the water and it only lifted to more than 100yd vis by 11:00. I lit my running light and fished by GPS. My dad followed me out to the Res border, and got his berrings then fished by compass. We were out of vis for a long time, and I even skirted the point on the way back in, not believing my GPS. Actually the scale I had it set to was too broad. If I had zoomed a little it would have made more sense. Even in the fog I was able to add a couple new interesting waypoints found by dropping lures.

[JPSURF]

Careful of the limits!

Just sayin

JP

[MVC]

I was fishing Dana Point today and heard a call on the radio from one of the party boats. They found a guy in a skiff with a 5 hp motor who was stranded and had been out there for 2 days. He did not have a radio or a cell phone. He is lucky to be alive. Good idea to be safe.

[dorado50]

Obviously, if the dew point,relative humidity and air temp is in a changing mode (consult WX stations) than unstable weather is in the works, in this case fog. Anyone navigating water should have a GPS unit and/or a compass,along with a sounding device,such as a bell or horn on the vessel. Also a good knowledge of drift,current dir.,wind and swell dir. would'nt hurt. Sometimes no one can save you but yourself.....

[MalibuJohnny]

[quote=dorado50;31094]Chuck you are a hero in your own eyes. If fog was as thick as you say why would you go out in the first place? IMO, you have incriminated yourself ,twice

Man, Bugs and YT are not worth that much effort! and "danger" Your lucky!

[Handymansd]

1st off:

Sorry for the misinformation... I always strive to follow all of the DFG regs including bag limits. Thanks to those of you that PM's me to point it out. What I was attempting to say, obviously not well, was that I have 30+ bugs under my belt for the season not actually "in" the actual freezer, like I stated... Sorry.

Right now I have "actually" 3 in the freezer including my 4#er, and two thawing for another great dinner with fresh YT as a side.

Second:
I am nowhere near as an accomplished fish catching machine as Josh, nor as psycho, I was just trying to share my experiences yesterday / two days ago, with the people that frequent this board and have similar interests in kayak fishing. I thought it might be something enjoyable to pass the time as you guys sat on your asses fishing on your computers.

It is sad that this sports good side has been so decayed by people like Josh and Dave... If I remember right it was you two in the middle of a bunch of crap talking on these boards last year too. We are all different and with different personalities, most of us accept each other that way, and we all tend to attract to those with similar interests, it's a community like any other, but you two think it's all about you. You two are ruining a really neat and cool community where people share their tales, friendships, passions, and even gear with each other. I know some of the pioneers of this sport have voiced their concerns about this as well. You guys are a cancer to this sport.

I feel sorry for you both. Honestly, I really do. Josh because you are just a lying little boy, with a broken little brain...a real waste of great fishing talent... and human flesh for that matter...but not quite all there. Dave because you are a two faced punk, and a coward to boot, (see your PM). You are both invited to my house tonight for dinner. That way you don't have to talk behind my back, you can say it to my face. Not a threat... It is just a way to avoid having to corner you on the beach or water to discuss your problems with me, and it is alot easier than insulting each other on the internet.

Please PM me to RSVP so I know how many tails to thaw, then we can discuss anything you find offensive with me in person. How do you like your veggies cooked?

[Zed]

Man, I wish I had been harsher, then I would get invited for lobster.

[Matt]

"Wait Wait Wait......I just want to be able to say I was "in" on this thread"

So does this mean I have to go get my own lobster again??? It was gonna be way easier if I could just pick it up at your house!!



tight lines to all and smile it is just fishing!!!

[dorado50]

Why you mad? You youself said you were worried out there,re-read your post. Your story telling was so dramatic that you,yourself,said your equipment was or has failed and that your brave like skill and limited knowledge of the sea got you back to safety. Than you warn everyone to be careful out there, like its ok for you to be.Well, most guys aren't as brave as you and their common sense tells them no. All your rhetoric sounds very familiar? By the way, how do you really feel about me? LOL

[Handymansd]

Originally Posted by dorado50

Why you mad? You youself said you were worried out there,re-read your post. Your story telling was so dramatic that you,yourself,said your equipment was or has failed and that your brave like skill and limited knowledge of the sea got you back to safety. Than you warn everyone to be careful out there, like its ok for you to be.Well, most guys aren't as brave as you and their common sense tells them no. All your rhetoric sounds very familiar? By the way, how do you really feel about me? LOL

I am not a master story teller Dave, and I am really complimented that you did find it dramatic. If you find offense to my posts, don' read them. Your personal attacks and lack of any other input is counter productive to these boards, and kayak fishing in general. I was, I'll say it again just for you, trying to share my trip, the drama, the catch, the adventure, the excitement, and the let downs, and the lesson learned. It is what I thought these boards are for.... It is what they used to be for.... If my "could have been tragedy" story helps someone to come home safely then great! I do not claim to know all, or even half as much as I should. I learn from the others on this board. I have even learned a lot from you! Thanks! I am a better fisherman for it. I am sorry that I used to think so highly of you. But I make mistakes and learn just like everyone else.

Mad?... Nope... Looking for a fight?...Nope. Just tired of the cancerous growths that lurk here and take away from what this sport used to represent... and still does in some circles. Put away all the bitterness and have fun again! You might decide you like to kayak fish again! Until then... quit wasting everybody's energy and get lost... for everyone's benefit.
Cheers

[Dan]

Rad Story!