FLAT CALM & WIDE OPEN!!

[tunaseeker]

Decided to go out with the Sea Samurai (Kevin Nakada) to look for some giant goats before the closure of rock fish season. We hit the sand at 0600 and drug the kayaks from the bathrooms to the beach since the launch was closed. The surf was pumping if you were an elf. Less than a foot most of the time. We cruse out and Kevin made some bait while I practiced throwing some jigs as I was very rusty, just in case J Got some mini macs in the tank and cruse out to the spot. The sun was coming up over the La Jolla hills, whales were spouting in the distance and I knew it was gonna be a great day! So we pull up to some kelp and tie on. Send down some bait and. . . . . . . Nothing. Ok, no biggie, we swing to another location. Drop. . . . . NADA. WTF? Keep moving….. Drop. . . . fish on! Good strike, reeling it up feels like a trout. Small rock fish. Try this spot for a few. I guess all the Goats were getting it on with the Sheep, cave closed and lights out! So we headed out to deeper water to look for Giant Reds. Sounds good! Cruising around some rock piles I hook up a small Barber Pole. Drop again. . . . WHAM! WTF? Ripping drag, right on! I take some line, it pulls it back…. Keven sees me bendo and rushes over with the gaff. Deep color, “It’s a Ling.” YES! Never caught a Ling before. Gaff to the gills and boated! Whoo Hoo! What a fatty. Back at the beach it weighed 16 lbs. I’ll take it! I am thinking to myself what a great day on the water. We start to mosey back checking rock piles here and there. I got to let the water out of my tank if you get my drift and Kevin yells at me “DROP NOW!” WTF REALLY? My waders are around my ankles! I grab my jig stick and drop. I hear “WHOOO HOOOO” from Kevin and look to see him in full bendo. My jig is getting no love. I take Kevin’s rod and pull on the donkey for a while. Comes to color, nice 30 lbr YT boated. “HOLY SHIT THEY ARE STILL UNDER THE BOAT, DROP.” Waders still are still at the ankles, grab the another rod and I drop, he drops. Wait for it. . . YEP, Kevin bendo, holy CRAP. . . I get bit on the drop. . BENDO! WHOOO HOOO! DOUBLE YT HOOK UP!! Kevin boats another nice 30 lbr. I get mine up to color and gaff onto the boat. WOW! Another 30 lbr. Gaff stuck in the gills bleeding all over my shorts. Looks like I just had my period! 15 MIN OF ABSOLUTE INSANITY!! We attempt to tie up 90 lbs of YT and one 16 lb Ling onto two yaks, 106 LBS OF FISH!!, riding heavy. Hell of a problem to have J Fish still under the boat but we had to take a breath and tie up the catch. Fish falling all over the place, we get it done and I finally get my waders back on and keep searching. We look for a while but the school is running out deep. We hear a group yell from a sport boat in the distance and it appears they found them too. By this time it’s late in the day and we decide to head in. What an awesome day out there, flat calm, no wind, no swell, no clouds, spouting whales, dolphins all over the place and the landing was like coming in from Lake La Jolla…. Gonna be hard to top this one! If you are looking to shorten the learning curve and boat some big fish, give the Sea Samurai a call, just google it! You won’t be sorry! Thanks Kevin!fficeffice" />>>

[Old Man in the Sea]

Awesome trip.... Way to go!!!

[blitzburgh]

HOT DAMN! Congrats!

[jorluivil]

That's awesome, way to end the year!


We were out there 24hrs ago and blanked out, easy launch, easy landing.

I started out 2014 losing more hooks and sinkers in 3hrs than I lost in all of 2013. I got hooked and pulled on 4 fish, all 4 busted off, never saw color. I brought one Leopard to the surface but the line snapped just as I was reaching for my sinker. All of my mono looked like it rubbed up against a rock........safe to say all hook ups were sharks.


Back to the drawing board

[Southman]

What an awesome day you guys had. I actually dream about having a day 1/2 as good as you just had. Still waiting for my first YT. Didn't know they were still around.

Thanks so much for the post/pics. Great read.

[konakaiyak]

Epic day bro, bet that made for a great new years feast!

[CheapPelican]

Head out for Rockfish and come back with YT... It's usually the other way around.

[MrM]

Originally Posted by CheapPelican

Head out for Rockfish and come back with YT... It's usually the other way around.

Nice work!

Chris- All the wedding crap is almost over. Keep late feb/early march open! We need to make a few more runs this year.

[walrus]

Great start to the year despite the losses.

I hope you and the team has a good 2014!

[SDROB]

I live for days like this! It makes up for all the times not catching anything.
Thanks for the report!

[wiredantz]

That a nice size Ling! Congratz

[skiptomyzoo]

I can tell how excited you still are based on how you wrote your report. Nice job I would be psyched about it as well.

Crazy

[CheapPelican]

Originally Posted by MrM

Nice work!

Chris- All the wedding crap is almost over. Keep late feb/early march open! We need to make a few more runs this year.

[Grunt31]

wow.. awesome start for the New year...nice pull ins!

[Tuff guy]

Live bait for the yellowtail or a salas?

[JeffB]

Very nice!

[driftwood]

A dream come true! major bucket list...life is GOOD!!

[easyday]

Wow thays all I can say

[ashmoz]

Crapped my pants when I saw this. Great!

[crazyfishnfool]

As my kid would say ,That must have been epic!!!