Funky Rocks! - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

JeffB · 03-08-2015, 06:51 PM

After last weeks craziness I decided to get out today after strictly groundfish. I showed up to the launch roughly 7ish, talked to a bunch of guys and made it out past the buoys around 8am. Surf was small, weather was nice and looking to be a promising day. I left all my big gear at home and only brought my bass gear for rock fish and Lings. Dropped down my first bait about 8:30am hooked up about 20min later with a 6.5' soupfin. Managed a cpl more Rockies and then had a few big marks come across the screen. Right away I knew it was yellows. I started cranking in my Lucanus and then get slammed, yellow. Fight him for about ten min maybe on the bass gear then call my buddy over and donate the fish. Tied on a jig and hook up again. This time I pull the hook. So I go back to ground fishing and get K.O.'d on the Lucanus Again!!!!

This time I get some massive head shakes and solid weight that I can not pull up, BSB, or is it. Fish takes a nice run once it realizes it's hooked and then more massive head shakes. I call my buddy up and tell him to get over fast, big yellows. So he comes up next to me and drops and then waves goodbye. I start getting spooled, the fish runs straight up to the surface, I start reeling as fast as I can to catch up with the slack. As soon as I get tight it shoots straight back down. At this moment in time I'm in the middle of everyone and headed due west. My buddy starts up boat and follows suit. I have another guy on my other side who decided to video tape it. Fish runs back to the surface and dives back down. We play this game about 5 more times, can't figure out what I have to save my life. So end up getting towed out a 1.5miles. My buddy clocked me at 5.2knots at one point in time average about 2.5knots. After an hour of fight I get up and down on it in 200' of water. I get him all the way up to 40' thumbing the spool and pulling as hard as I could and then pop. My 25lb fluoro gave out. The fish was so heavy that I could hardly drag it up. I'm thinking maybe a monster thresher tail hooked, I dunno. I had zero abrasion in my line. Sucked, but I made the best of it.

Well the mystery beast dropped me off near one of my honey holes. Truth is I was to lazy to paddle out to it today so I hitched a ride instead. I metered a few yellows and called my buddy over. As soon as he pulled up I hooked up on iron. Pulled hook after a few minutes and then repeated it again about ten min later. I ended the day with some decent rock fish and and a nice yellow. Next time I go out I won't be leaving the big rigs behind.

FISH11 · 03-08-2015, 07:08 PM

Great catch Jeff. Sounds like a great day. I'll be hopping for some of that action tomorrow. The long fight, not being able to pull it up, big head shakes and long sleigh ride sounds like the time I had a large thresher and it ended up jumping out of the water doing a 180 in mid air and using it's large tail to brake my braid. Caught it on the Go Pro video but the wide angle makes it look like it is much further away. I know the feeling "it's a great experience but wish you could have landed it". Thanks for sharing.

surfisher · 03-08-2015, 07:40 PM

Still a great yellow! Did your buddy get one as well?

Southman · 03-08-2015, 08:24 PM

Jeff,

Way to keep in the action. Your success on the yellows keeps me hopeful that if I put in enough time it will be my turn someday. Your great, detailed write-ups are a fun read.

John

Cbad Mike · 03-08-2015, 08:33 PM

Your the man Jeff,
All day on the water and your report is already done. I'm not even home yet.
Congrats on a good day.

YTHunter · 03-08-2015, 08:53 PM

Good story, but I wish you hadn't mentioned the Lucanus ... looks like another $15 jig I just gotta gotta have.

JeffB · 03-08-2015, 09:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YTHunter

Good story, but I wish you hadn't mentioned the Lucanus ... looks like another $15 jig I just gotta gotta have.

I keep a nice stock pile of them! I have over 50 of these things. Here's a pic before I restocked the other day.

Silbaugh4liberty · 03-08-2015, 09:27 PM

Damn that's awesome. I only got a sand bass on mine Saturday. I used it when the squid ran out.

Valek · 03-08-2015, 11:44 PM

Great report Jeff. Congrats!

buddhafish · 03-09-2015, 01:54 AM

Nice work on the Reds and yellows...

sdsr1907 · 03-09-2015, 07:25 AM

Nice write up. Love the box of lucanus!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

blitzburgh · 03-09-2015, 08:07 AM

Nice work Jeff! You Sir, are a Lucanis hoarder

Lipripper92592 · 03-09-2015, 09:19 AM

It was good seeing you out there Jeff! Congrats on the nice catch.

Bert Vega · 03-09-2015, 12:56 PM

Nice picture! It was nice to meet you. The weather was epic.

kobra · 03-09-2015, 06:26 PM

Now that's cool stuff Jeff. Bummer not getting to see that mystery fish.

kayakfisherman · 03-09-2015, 09:35 PM

Jeff,

The story is great, the yellowtail is just awesome, the jigs must
have cost near a grand, but, I gotta get a pair of those shorts!

Sully1 · 03-10-2015, 09:45 AM

Sounds like an action packed day, good on ya! Many years ago I caught and released a mouth hooked larger thresher on light tackle and it was a long ordeal with some epic airs.

TheBentRod · 03-12-2015, 09:01 AM

Nice report Jeff! Congrats.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Pinhead · 03-12-2015, 09:48 AM

Great write-up....and Nice YT ;-)

How heavy of Lucanus Jig do you use ? Thinking about picking up a few and giving them a try.

Thanks!

619-SWIM-DOG · 03-12-2015, 09:55 AM

How are you using the Lucanus Jig? are you using as is and bouncing the bottom or having a weight tied below it?

03-08-2015, 06:51 PM	#1
JeffB Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: La Jolla Posts: 1,216	Funky Rocks! After last weeks craziness I decided to get out today after strictly groundfish. I showed up to the launch roughly 7ish, talked to a bunch of guys and made it out past the buoys around 8am. Surf was small, weather was nice and looking to be a promising day. I left all my big gear at home and only brought my bass gear for rock fish and Lings. Dropped down my first bait about 8:30am hooked up about 20min later with a 6.5' soupfin. Managed a cpl more Rockies and then had a few big marks come across the screen. Right away I knew it was yellows. I started cranking in my Lucanus and then get slammed, yellow. Fight him for about ten min maybe on the bass gear then call my buddy over and donate the fish. Tied on a jig and hook up again. This time I pull the hook. So I go back to ground fishing and get K.O.'d on the Lucanus Again!!!! This time I get some massive head shakes and solid weight that I can not pull up, BSB, or is it. Fish takes a nice run once it realizes it's hooked and then more massive head shakes. I call my buddy up and tell him to get over fast, big yellows. So he comes up next to me and drops and then waves goodbye. I start getting spooled, the fish runs straight up to the surface, I start reeling as fast as I can to catch up with the slack. As soon as I get tight it shoots straight back down. At this moment in time I'm in the middle of everyone and headed due west. My buddy starts up boat and follows suit. I have another guy on my other side who decided to video tape it. Fish runs back to the surface and dives back down. We play this game about 5 more times, can't figure out what I have to save my life. So end up getting towed out a 1.5miles. My buddy clocked me at 5.2knots at one point in time average about 2.5knots. After an hour of fight I get up and down on it in 200' of water. I get him all the way up to 40' thumbing the spool and pulling as hard as I could and then pop. My 25lb fluoro gave out. The fish was so heavy that I could hardly drag it up. I'm thinking maybe a monster thresher tail hooked, I dunno. I had zero abrasion in my line. Sucked, but I made the best of it. Well the mystery beast dropped me off near one of my honey holes. Truth is I was to lazy to paddle out to it today so I hitched a ride instead. I metered a few yellows and called my buddy over. As soon as he pulled up I hooked up on iron. Pulled hook after a few minutes and then repeated it again about ten min later. I ended the day with some decent rock fish and and a nice yellow. Next time I go out I won't be leaving the big rigs behind. Attached Images __________________ If you're looking for me I'm Last edited by JeffB; 03-08-2015 at 09:51 PM.

03-08-2015, 07:08 PM	#2
FISH11 Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Pine Valley when not fishing La Jolla Posts: 2,642	Great catch Jeff. Sounds like a great day. I'll be hopping for some of that action tomorrow. The long fight, not being able to pull it up, big head shakes and long sleigh ride sounds like the time I had a large thresher and it ended up jumping out of the water doing a 180 in mid air and using it's large tail to brake my braid. Caught it on the Go Pro video but the wide angle makes it look like it is much further away. I know the feeling "it's a great experience but wish you could have landed it". Thanks for sharing. __________________ MARK ......... 2016 MALIBU X FACTOR, 2020 SOLO SKIFF (Fishing Kayak on Steroids )

03-08-2015, 08:33 PM	#5
Cbad Mike Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Carlsbad Ca. Posts: 1,206	Your the man Jeff, All day on the water and your report is already done. I'm not even home yet. Congrats on a good day. __________________ [SIGPIC]

03-08-2015, 08:53 PM	#6
YTHunter Carlisle Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: San Diego Posts: 206	Good story, but I wish you hadn't mentioned the Lucanus ... looks like another $15 jig I just gotta gotta have. __________________ <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NTOZ1JOXUkQ" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

03-08-2015, 09:27 PM	#8
Silbaugh4liberty Fishing Patriot Join Date: Dec 2013 Posts: 1,121	Damn that's awesome. I only got a sand bass on mine Saturday. I used it when the squid ran out. __________________

03-08-2015, 07:40 PM	#3
surfisher Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2014 Location: Carlsbad Posts: 388	Still a great yellow! Did your buddy get one as well?

03-08-2015, 08:24 PM	#4
Southman Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Laguna Niguel Posts: 89	Jeff, Way to keep in the action. Your success on the yellows keeps me hopeful that if I put in enough time it will be my turn someday. Your great, detailed write-ups are a fun read. John

03-08-2015, 11:44 PM	#9
Valek Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 89	Great report Jeff. Congrats!

03-09-2015, 01:54 AM	#10
buddhafish Junior Join Date: Mar 2015 Posts: 1	Nice work on the Reds and yellows...

03-09-2015, 07:25 AM	#11
sdsr1907 Member Join Date: Jan 2015 Posts: 71	Nice write up. Love the box of lucanus! Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

03-09-2015, 08:07 AM	#12
blitzburgh Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Menifee Posts: 2,509	Nice work Jeff! You Sir, are a Lucanis hoarder __________________ ”The beauty of the Second Amendment is that it will not be needed until they try to take it.” ~Thomas Jefferson.........maybe

03-09-2015, 09:19 AM	#13
Lipripper92592 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 516	It was good seeing you out there Jeff! Congrats on the nice catch.

03-09-2015, 12:56 PM	#14
Bert Vega Tail Chaser! Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Murrieta Posts: 627	Nice picture! It was nice to meet you. The weather was epic. __________________ I hate seals!!!

03-09-2015, 06:26 PM	#15
kobra Senior Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: oceanside Posts: 880	Now that's cool stuff Jeff. Bummer not getting to see that mystery fish.

03-09-2015, 09:35 PM	#16
kayakfisherman Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Posts: 715	Jeff, The story is great, the yellowtail is just awesome, the jigs must have cost near a grand, but, I gotta get a pair of those shorts!

03-10-2015, 09:45 AM	#17
Sully1 Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: The Beach Posts: 288	Sounds like an action packed day, good on ya! Many years ago I caught and released a mouth hooked larger thresher on light tackle and it was a long ordeal with some epic airs. __________________

03-12-2015, 09:01 AM	#18
TheBentRod Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Murrieta, CA and Bonney Lake, WA Posts: 425	Nice report Jeff! Congrats. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

03-12-2015, 09:48 AM	#19
Pinhead We all Stink Sometimes! Join Date: Feb 2015 Location: San Diego Posts: 171	Great write-up....and Nice YT ;-) How heavy of Lucanus Jig do you use ? Thinking about picking up a few and giving them a try. Thanks!

03-12-2015, 09:55 AM	#20
619-SWIM-DOG Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: San Diego Posts: 619	How are you using the Lucanus Jig? are you using as is and bouncing the bottom or having a weight tied below it?