DP Outside 08/08/08

[Zed]

08/09/08! I'm still swaying.

Launched early and cleared the Dana Point Buoy by 0535 with a heading of 260.

CaboJohn lets his Freak Flag Fly.


In about 150' I got 2 bones and a mack on the sabiki --same strike. STRIP BAIT!


@ about 3 miles off the buoy we'd been hearing crazy radio talk of yft under dolphin as close as 3 miles out the harbor. We are overcome by a massive pod of mammals. The intercepted us at an oblique angle and the seemed to stream by forever. I had a cd14, a live mack, and jigged a small jig right in the best, optimal spot on the pod. Nothin. Neither of us got a bump.
I took a bunch of shots, but this got the best detail on the dolphin.


Soon after that, @ about 4 miles off the buoy, my mack was hit and I was on a mako for hmmm, 3.482 seconds. We made a L and paddled on a 213 for a few miles then started angling into as little as a 113.

About 10:00
The Simpsons!


Johns mentions he's running low on energy. I claim we're only now in the zone. We're about a mile inside of 3 Newport sportboats and 3 privates, all stopped and drifting. I spot a small ternswarm and paddle hard to get there for the end of whatever. Nada. John makes it to me, and sees boils and paddles off, while I stay drifting with a stripbait out. Not too long passes and I'm facing inshore and John's facing offshore. He mentions some birds over my shoulder. Then says those birds are working right to us, and he paddles off. I whip around and paddle after him , and the terns are straight up and down and extremely excited. We get closer and see the fish. John yells DORADO, and I yell back I know I can see them! They were boiling and jumping all around under the terns. I reached over to my R to get my casting rig and look into the water with my polariZED lenses and there's dozens of dodo's streaming by. I think I need to get a pic, and reach over to my left vest pocket and see dozens of dodo's streaming by on the L. Screw the pic. We did everything but try and freegaff, but no go. We stayed i nthis area for about 2 hours waiting on and paddling for tern schools, all by ourselves. Like I said all the boats were about a mile further outside.


John later picked up a small mako that he cut loose rather quickly, but after it got cut loose it proceeded to circle the both of us twice, before it split.

Random shots:
Coulda been Baja. It was beautiful!


Saw some HUGE whales. They were gray, but not gray whales. They were HUGE!





All told, 9 hours in the yaks, and 20 miles covered. And it was one of my most enjoyable days on the yak I can remember. So much insane wildlife. Definitely top 5 ever, and we only each hooked a shark.

Go get them! They will soon want to die!

[Arne]

Awesome report - made my day ... thanks

[steamroll]

Great pics. Good effort, sorry you couldn't get the dodo's to biteaddleersmili e:

[Iceman]

Helluva an effort, had to be a blast! Adventures close to home.

[kurt]

Great report!

[Dan]

Great report Zed.

[Vikingj]

Super report and great pictures! Thanks for taking the time to post.

[Slay Rider]

All told, 9 hours in the yaks, and 20 miles covered.

That's one for the record books - you guys are pushing your equipment and your selves to the very limit. Way to live life to the fullest.

[Zed]

After checking the reports for thos Newport boats outside of us, they got flipped the fin too even with all their bait. I knew I wasn't hearing enough hoots and hollers from them.

The Freelance trolled past us with folks butz to nutz at the rails. I couldn't tell if they were envious or incredulous to see us out there. I sure wasn't envious of them, and more incredulous anyone would choose to jump on a boat w/ 59 of your closest friends.

Thanks guys. Try again soon, I guess. Can't beat that water.

Z

[cabojohn]

This was one of the best and most amazing paddles I have ever been on. Conditions were perfect. Thank you Zed!
It was almost like being ideep in baja. I was reading water temps up to 75* outside and the water was deep clean baja blue. We worked really hard & just couldn't get the fish to eat our baits. I gut bumped on the lil rap but nuthing stuck. The huge packs of dorado were rushing our kayaks and it was nucking futs! There were lots and lots of schoolie size with some big uns in the mix.

The reality of paddling out from a so cal beach and catching a dorado and/or yft and paddling back is no longer a fantasy or dream.
IT CAN AND WILL BE DONE!

[Flatinfifth]

That was the most wonderful post I have ever seen. What an experience!! Not even in my lone days in our Seasquirt CC did we ever have a day like that. I guess they're here!!!!!!!!

Tight lines man,
Flat

[deeberdave]

Wow,next time great post,awesome pics,
Thanks

[FlyFishinYakr]

Originally Posted by Vikingj

Super report and great pictures! Thanks for taking the time to post.

X2
I have the feeling that this is just the beginning of many reports (hopefully with better results!)
Keep putting in that kind of time and effort and you're bound to be rewarded!
FFY

[Zed]

lol
CaboJohn:
King of the stealth bump.

Saw kurt and iceman in Mex but where are all these other characters now?

[cabojohn]

[Southman]

What a post. You have certainly paid your dues $$$. No doubt your time is coming. This year looks like it's gonna be the year.

Great post. Thanx

[h2ofishfo]

Nice pull 2008 bump sweet where madscientist ?

[SorryCharlie]

Way to go guy, awesome day on the water. Bummer you couldn't hook up on any dodos.

Now I'm interested in trying!

[makobob]

Very Kewl, really old skool.

[alanhighhand]

great report and thanks for sharing.