Monster BSB, the Lost @ Sea

[sterling]

After hearing Jim say he was in 90 feet and had a Yellowtail on I proceeded to get out deeper. Birds everywhere, Bonies and Dogs too. No one else is hooked up that I can see in 100ft of water so I decide to drop one on the bottom and relax a little while. About 20 minutes later bottom rod goes bendo kind of slow and constant. I assume i'm hung up on the bottom. A couple of guys nearby are watching. I yell out, "I'm sure it's bottom." They reply your moving pretty good. I just figure I drifted and I will get vertical over the snag and that will be it. Well I really start moving kind of like I'm hooked to a VW bus and its just driving on the bottom. I put out the drift shoot get the kayak sideways and put my legs out. This just seemed to increase the pace. I buttoned the drag all the way and thumbed it. It eventually spooled me down to the knot. I had about 200 yards of 65# spectra and 30# Flouro leader. I can't figure out why it hasn't broken yet. I'm at the knot and we are "Old Man and the Sea time" I'm looking back at the power boats I left and they are way to the South. Finally the line gives after about 30 minutes. The guys in the kayak who were escorting me were more bummed that I. The fish stayed right on 100ft depth the whole time. I am guessing we went around the canyon or were on a more easterly heading. When I brougt the line back in the sliding plastic swivel I attached the shiney new wieght on was broken. I can only assume the fish ate the weight and I was pulling on him with straight spectra explaining why he wouldn't break off. The guys gave me a bait and I started back in. No GPS and I can not see land. It is 10:00am so I used the compass and headed east directly to the sun. After an hour of paddling I started to get concerned I haven't seen land yet. Another half hour or so goes by and a see a party boat. Great I should see downtown La Jolla soon. That boat was at least a mile east of me. As I approach it, it looks weird. It was a dive boat!!! I've never seen a dive boat here. After another half hour or so of paddling a can see Scripps Pier. Wait a minute than isn't Scripps Pier. That's Crystal Pier!!!! I later realize that dive boat must of been on the Yukon. I estimate I am about 7 miles off course caught in that I-5 South bound current and now the wind is also picking up. I get on 71 to try to hail a power boat back to La Jolla. Then I get on 16 since almost everyone monitors the emergency channel. I get Sea Tow after some informational questions they hand me over to the Mission Bay Lifeguards who of course won't come give me a ride. They just say if you can get to the beach go for it all we can do is come bring you to the bay. Luckily I have my cell call my wife to arrange a pick-up in Mission bay. The landing was very hairy. I stowed everything in the hatch 4 rods and all my gear. Quite a feat with an 8 foot jig stick balancing on my stomach in choppy seas. I picked a point way south away from the pier and all the swimmers. The waves were coming from both directions and were quite nasty. I jumped out way before the beach up to my arm pits but managed to hang on to my kayak and not flip. Now I have to drag the heavy thing about a 1/2 mile to the Best Western Blue Sea where we can load up. Once it was all loaded up and I got in the truck I was so grateful to be able to relax. Moral of the story I'm going shopping for a GPS!!!!!

[Dennis]

:shock: . I'm glad to hear that you made it out safely. That a long way from home.

[Aaron&Julie]

Sorry to hear your day was mostly miserable. We thought we had it bad in SD bay (see our report Holy Wind Batman). We were wondering how many people might have got blown to the south off of La Jolla and have to land at Pacific Beach, Mission Beach, Tijuana, etc.

[Dean Machine]

Hope you were quick enough to make it to west marine. Today was the last day of their sale including garmin GPS map 76. Maybe you can get one online at their saleprice still?

[Brett D.]

Sterling what color kayak do you have? I was on a power boat and I thin I watched you hook up.

[kkoskie]

hey sterling im one of the guys in the tandem that was next to you while you were hooked up--we got lost at sea as well and ended up making the paddle into mission bay where we caught a legal but and eventually got picked up by some friends in a pb--overall it was pretty crappy but at least we caught some dinner

[dorado50]

I am just wondering that with all the dogs out there maybe, just maybe you hooked a seal?. With 65# spectra and 30# leader to me that would seem like enough power to pull up a bsb to 100# . I hook seals quite often and when I can't gain any ground on 30# test chances are its a seal , besides I really would'nt want to hook up with a bsb !! :shock:

[nmbrinkman]

My experience with seals have been different then what sterling describes. Every hookup with a dog I have seen and had, the dog did a lot of thrashing on the surface and jumping. I think bsb or shark... who knows? :?

[sterling]

I was wondering about you guys in the tandem. That sucks you guys got sucked South as well. Glad it wasn't a big problem for you guys eigther.

I do not believe in was a seal. I've had a very large bull tow me a few times and they always surface. The fish in question ate the weight, a seal wouldn't do that. Also when towed by the large seal I reached speeds much greater than the steady moving pull I experienceed. I also believe a seal would have reversed directions.

I paddle a 16' Tarpon that is mostly green with some yellow swirl like patterns in it.

The whole hook up experience of Saturday is one of the greatest things about fishing. You will never know what was actually on the other end of that line. It would be awesome if in Heaven you can ask God for the underwater video of that hook up!!

[Brett D.]

Yeah Sterling that was you we saw. We were in the 17 foot Triumph Center Console. We were wondering what happened to you. We saw you hook and head north. We trolled live baits behind and to the left of you for a while waiting to see what you had. My guess is BSB for sure. We ended the day with one 15 pound yellowtail.

[Dean Machine]

Maybe it was an Iraqi sub.??? :lol: :lol: :lol:

[madscientist]

Glad you survived. Just a thought, but I would never throw a drift chute if the fish is taking line. If the drag is already giving, more drag on the yak won't slow the fish down much, only increase the rate at which line goes out, thus getting spooled. I've had a few bigger fish that were taking so much line that I brought my feet in so I could get up to speed and recover some line.

Also, was it hazy? Losing site of land without GPS is always a little hairy. When in doubt, I paddle NE. Better to hit blacks and have to work my way south than the alternative. With a working FF all you have to do is find the canyon edge and follow it home.

I would agree that it was almost certainly a BSB, though it might have been a big shark or ray. Dog or seal would have come up, and they usually run hard then change direction.

[sterling]

Thanks Brad for the advise. I really don't know why I didn't pay attention to the water depth the FF was on and working! Being able to regain line yes a great idea. I definatley learned from this one!