Just show me a sign... - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

THE DARKHORSE · 02-19-2009, 10:32 PM

Today started off pretty standard with the goal of catching Yellowtail, and take in the beautiful warm glassy conditions on a floating piece of plastic. Good thing the car was packed already, because by the time I make a couple of sandwiches and brew some coffee I launch as some guys are heading in. I like to launch late and soak up whatever info the morning crew has to offer, not to mention I love to sleep in. The truth is I'm a little lazy, but my theory about launching in the dark and killing myself to do so doesn't exactly work in my favor most times. I'd prefer to get a full eight hours of sleep and make sure I'm alert when that sign I'm looking for presents itself. That one fish who makes that mistake, a little surface disturbance in the distance, or that perfect meter mark on the sonar. Sure, sometimes the bite is early, pre-greylight hours can be wide open, and most all squid bites are over by eight in the morning...no sign of squid yet. Thank goodness the squid haven't shown up, and who knows if they will. As much as I love catching a fish everytime I drop a live squirt to the bottom, that parking lot of boats and huge tangles of lost fish I can do with out. Today was nice, perfect glassy warm conditions with tiny surf and a nice crew of kayaks. Two boats quietly patrolled the area all morning, and it was starting to look like a dead day. I went way out west, then way north, then back west, and to the kelp a couple of times. I stayed focused (coffee), and kept my eyes in the bino's most of the day. I just kept thinking "show me a sign", just one sign is all I ask for.

Then I found it.
I was so focused looking around that I wasn't looking on the meter, and by the time I looked at my screen a perfect school of Yellowtail had swam through. I made one drop with the yo-yo, but I knew they had passed and kept moving. I was ready for battle now, and made a loop back in that same direction with my yo-yo rod in hand. I watched the sonar with my hand holding the spool, and waited for those beautiful marks in the perfect depth. Five minutes later the screen went from blank to heavenly, and I watched my iron drop down to the fish and I'm rocked on the sink!

roosta · 02-19-2009, 10:39 PM

Nice work man!

joyjiggin' · 02-19-2009, 10:56 PM

Huge YT!! Eric and I will be out there Saturday looking to hook one of those up!

B Slate · 02-19-2009, 11:02 PM

Got to love your reports

Good job on another yellowtail

Dan · 02-19-2009, 11:32 PM

WTG on the jello!

Few weeks and the

will unlazy ya quick......

bigbarrels · 02-19-2009, 11:46 PM

Awesome! Thanks for the report...hoping to get out there Tues

Tman · 02-19-2009, 11:51 PM

Weren't you supposed to catch that Sunday, ya know, YT sandwiches?

Nice catch anyway....persistence pays off.

Matt · 02-20-2009, 06:50 AM

Not too shabby......

DENNYh · 02-20-2009, 07:20 AM

nice catch! is that a Lowrance finder? been debating on which brand to buy.

bellcon · 02-20-2009, 07:29 AM

Way to go Josh,

was the "Yellow Tail Here" sign with the red arrow actually that big?
now i see what to look for

thanks for the heads up

j mo · 02-20-2009, 08:32 AM

Nice one....

Geoffkoop · 02-20-2009, 09:21 AM

I always look for that sign but havent found it yet. Nice fish!

ratdog · 02-20-2009, 03:54 PM

Seems to me that the sign is pointing to the wrong end of the kayak!
Nice fish Josh.

dorf · 02-20-2009, 04:23 PM

That's a sign that can only be seen with the special sunglasses. That's why he goes out after sun rise.

Always a pleasure to read your posts.
I still think you should put them all together in a book.
Possible title ideas:
"Fear and Loathing on the Hunt for Yellow Tail"
"Diary of a Fish Slayer"
"The Angler With The Magic Shoes"

yakrider · 02-20-2009, 04:33 PM

very nice...
can't wait to get down there again...
unfortunatley for me...it won't be for a couple weeks...
plans are inked for the next two weekends...

I hope that sign stays out there 'till the next go 'round.....

Great report...as usual...

Corey · 02-20-2009, 04:54 PM

I love it when a plan comes together. Nice fish.

T-Rex · 02-20-2009, 08:14 PM

Another great job on the YT.

I'm going to put your theory to the test and try launching a little later. For the past year I've been launching earlier and earlier and am getting tired

of trying to function on 2-3 hours of sleep. Makes the drive home pretty tough!

cioppino · 02-20-2009, 08:53 PM

Nice fish,,,,but how the hell are you holding that thing up....IT looks like a sign. Did you hook it in the back with the iron and use the iron as your handle. Looks like youre holding a freakin fish mount!

Nice yella!

wavster · 02-20-2009, 10:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cioppino

Nice fish,,,,but how the hell are you holding that thing up....IT looks like a sign.

PhotoShop...

THE DARKHORSE · 02-20-2009, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DENNYh

nice catch! is that a Lowrance finder? been debating on which brand to buy.

The unit is a Lowrance 527 GPS/sonar combo, go West Marine.

And yes, being new to the computer I just started to figure out this photo shop thing...catching fish has never been so easy. I thought the hole on the other side caused by a piercing piece of steel was an appropriate handle

.

02-19-2009, 10:32 PM	#1
THE DARKHORSE Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Seven minutes from the launch! Posts: 987	Just show me a sign... Today started off pretty standard with the goal of catching Yellowtail, and take in the beautiful warm glassy conditions on a floating piece of plastic. Good thing the car was packed already, because by the time I make a couple of sandwiches and brew some coffee I launch as some guys are heading in. I like to launch late and soak up whatever info the morning crew has to offer, not to mention I love to sleep in. The truth is I'm a little lazy, but my theory about launching in the dark and killing myself to do so doesn't exactly work in my favor most times. I'd prefer to get a full eight hours of sleep and make sure I'm alert when that sign I'm looking for presents itself. That one fish who makes that mistake, a little surface disturbance in the distance, or that perfect meter mark on the sonar. Sure, sometimes the bite is early, pre-greylight hours can be wide open, and most all squid bites are over by eight in the morning...no sign of squid yet. Thank goodness the squid haven't shown up, and who knows if they will. As much as I love catching a fish everytime I drop a live squirt to the bottom, that parking lot of boats and huge tangles of lost fish I can do with out. Today was nice, perfect glassy warm conditions with tiny surf and a nice crew of kayaks. Two boats quietly patrolled the area all morning, and it was starting to look like a dead day. I went way out west, then way north, then back west, and to the kelp a couple of times. I stayed focused (coffee), and kept my eyes in the bino's most of the day. I just kept thinking "show me a sign", just one sign is all I ask for. Then I found it. I was so focused looking around that I wasn't looking on the meter, and by the time I looked at my screen a perfect school of Yellowtail had swam through. I made one drop with the yo-yo, but I knew they had passed and kept moving. I was ready for battle now, and made a loop back in that same direction with my yo-yo rod in hand. I watched the sonar with my hand holding the spool, and waited for those beautiful marks in the perfect depth. Five minutes later the screen went from blank to heavenly, and I watched my iron drop down to the fish and I'm rocked on the sink! __________________

02-19-2009, 11:51 PM	#7
Tman BRTF...bought & paid... Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 1,247	Weren't you supposed to catch that Sunday, ya know, YT sandwiches? Nice catch anyway....persistence pays off. __________________ Adios Tman Gaffer for Clay the Fishcatcher

02-20-2009, 06:50 AM	#8
Matt Support your local pangas Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Lj Posts: 976	Not too shabby...... __________________ Thanks Matt F.

02-20-2009, 04:23 PM	#14
dorf Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: San Diego Posts: 279	That's a sign that can only be seen with the special sunglasses. That's why he goes out after sun rise. Always a pleasure to read your posts. I still think you should put them all together in a book. Possible title ideas: "Fear and Loathing on the Hunt for Yellow Tail" "Diary of a Fish Slayer" "The Angler With The Magic Shoes" __________________ Don't try to confuse me with facts! I hereby reject your reality and submit my own.

02-20-2009, 04:54 PM	#16
Corey Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: ...waaaay out there Posts: 794	I love it when a plan comes together. Nice fish. __________________

02-19-2009, 10:39 PM	#2
roosta Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 68	Nice work man!

02-19-2009, 10:56 PM	#3
joyjiggin' Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Huntington Beach Posts: 109	Huge YT!! Eric and I will be out there Saturday looking to hook one of those up!

02-19-2009, 11:02 PM	#4
B Slate Member Join Date: May 2008 Location: La Verne Posts: 92	Got to love your reports Good job on another yellowtail

02-19-2009, 11:32 PM	#5
Dan Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 1,053	WTG on the jello! Few weeks and the will unlazy ya quick......

02-19-2009, 11:46 PM	#6
bigbarrels Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Vista Posts: 1,111	Awesome! Thanks for the report...hoping to get out there Tues

02-20-2009, 07:20 AM	#9
DENNYh Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: chulajuana Posts: 81	nice catch! is that a Lowrance finder? been debating on which brand to buy.

02-20-2009, 07:29 AM	#10
bellcon Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: San Pedro Posts: 999	Way to go Josh, was the "Yellow Tail Here" sign with the red arrow actually that big? now i see what to look for thanks for the heads up

02-20-2009, 08:32 AM	#11
j mo Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Encinitas Posts: 600	Nice one....

02-20-2009, 09:21 AM	#12
Geoffkoop Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: So. Orange County Posts: 302	I always look for that sign but havent found it yet. Nice fish!

02-20-2009, 03:54 PM	#13
ratdog Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 424	Seems to me that the sign is pointing to the wrong end of the kayak! Nice fish Josh.

02-20-2009, 04:33 PM	#15
yakrider Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 611	very nice... can't wait to get down there again... unfortunatley for me...it won't be for a couple weeks... plans are inked for the next two weekends... I hope that sign stays out there 'till the next go 'round..... Great report...as usual...

02-20-2009, 08:14 PM	#17
T-Rex Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Rancho Santa Margarita Posts: 770	Another great job on the YT. I'm going to put your theory to the test and try launching a little later. For the past year I've been launching earlier and earlier and am getting tired of trying to function on 2-3 hours of sleep. Makes the drive home pretty tough!

02-20-2009, 08:53 PM	#18
cioppino Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: La Jolla Posts: 94	Nice fish,,,,but how the hell are you holding that thing up....IT looks like a sign. Did you hook it in the back with the iron and use the iron as your handle. Looks like youre holding a freakin fish mount! Nice yella!