Who you going to call GHOST BUSTERS!

[toadstoadsonly]

Two weekends ago I was in I had my maiden voyage on my new PA in LJ putting in work getting used to my yak trying to catch an exotic when one of my buddies sent me a text that the seabass are going off up north and the boaters are killing them. I asked him are they in Kayak range he said yes. So I made a few phone calls and did some homework on Google Earth and crossed my fingers they will be there the following week.


Friday night came as I prepped all of my gear loaded the truck to go on my recon mission up north. I hit the road at 2:40am and arrived at my destination right about 5am I meet up Jim and we walk down to the surf to scout out the terrain since we have never been to this spot before.
Safe surf launches and off to the grounds we arrived to the armada to see about 15 vessels on the water. A couple hours later about 20 other vessels showed up at the Zoo. There was a very slow pick on 20-30lb class Seabass in the morning throughout the fleet but not 1 kayaker out of the bunch has hooked up to the exotics.
At about 2pm I look at my fish finder and see some fish in mid water column. I already had 2 rods down deep, grabbed a 3^rd Abu Garcia Toro pinned on a squirt with a split shot and treble, and lobbed it out. About a minute later I feel a copyrighted subtle tap tap bite of a seabass, I lift up my rod gently and felt the pressure and wound down and set the hook, HOOKUP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Then all heck broke loose my line got tangled with the other two rods as I was getting the first rod untangled I looked down at my spool ½ of my line was gone and the fish was heading towards one of the boaters anchor. I then started peddling to catch up with the fish while untangling my 2^nd rod shortly afterwards the lines were free (Thank god I had a Hobie). The fish was still peeling line while I was chasing it, by this time my line was ¾ gone so I put the pedal to the floor and was going full speed to catch up to this Tanker. About 100yards from where I initially hooked the fish I started gaining some line and slowly inched the fish up towards the surface. Then I look down and saw color OMG that thing is a pig! I pulled out my gaff stuck the fish in the dome, loosened my drag just in case it goes crazy, pinned on my game clip into the gills, then dragged the beast over my lap. This was a great battle between the fish and I and Poseidon was shining on me today and blessed me with this prized catch; I truly had great respect for this fish that put me through the epic battle to land him.











Little did I know this was just the beginning I know seabass are finicky eaters and noise impacts their eating habits and spooks them easily even on a kayak. I then paddled out way past the squid grounds and started a quite slow drift no peddling.. A couple minutes into my drift I feel a pressure bite, wind down, swing FISH ON!!!!!!!!!!!! Another epic battle about 20 min later I had fish number 2 on deck. My buddy Jim peddled over and as I was showing him what to do I cast out and get slammed again instantly but the fish let go. I then casted out again and took my phone out of its dry case to send Arthur a picture mail of the second seabass I landed. Then my rod double over I set hook with my left hand while holding my phone with my right hand. I then put my phone back in the dry case instantly I feel hard head shakes then the hook pulled. I thought to myself it sucks that I lost the third one but OH WELL..
We did not get off of the water till dark because we were trying to get Jim a Tanker. But there’s always a next time.

Till Next Time Guys

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