I Survived La Jolla Shweekend 2015!

[iethinker]

My version of the event.....

I'll begin my 8/29/2015 La Jolla fishing report near the end. Within minutes of returning to shore early in the afternoon and during my conversation with Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFW), I overheard some conversation break-out just a few feet south of the boat-launch regarding a Hammerhead Shark.

By the time I prepared my yak and during the portage back over to the La Jolla Shores parking lot, I heard lifeguards telling people to get out of the water. Just as I reached the parking lot, a siren went off at the elevated lifeguard station and I heard announcements over a PA-system telling people to exit the water due to a shark in the area.

I was kind of worried until later in the day when I saw the reports and video from the other yakers. I had bled my catch just outside of the preserve near the first kelp and then proceeded to land. Whew....not my fault...I hope. I never saw a shark.

Anyway, my previous recent trips out have been plagued by these bait-jacking menaces. Two weeks ago up in Solana, a substantially larger model T-boned me (crash only, no bite). I have had multiple encounters and multiple temporary hook-ups all of them being in 200-plus-feet of water.

Regarding fishing, bait was extremely difficult to catch despite boiling everywhere. A few people jigging some irons under the boils were coming up with big-Bonitos, Barracudas and even Smaller Yellowtails. I saw one paddle-boarder pull a 30-inch Baracuda on a jig.

As for me, I was determined to troll some live GBMs back in the area where I caught my PB-Yellowtail just over two weeks ago. I persisted with my Kastmaster and finally landed three for the bait-tank. Then, I set out for the way-point of previous glory.

Well, the spot did not disappoint and yielded two Yellowtails back-to back literally within minutes of arrival! I released the bigger one and kept the smaller version to eat. I estimate the big one at about 25-lbs and he put up a substantial fight. The smaller one was 15-lbs and 32-inches to the fork as verified by DFW at the shore. I have come to prefer the smaller ones for eating as I enjoy fresh fish. The big ones leave no choice but to freeze.

Two YT from the spot:


YT provides fillets, collar and ribs. Plus...hey kids...who wants the heart?


First snack off the fish:


That is how I survived La Jolla Shweekend!

Matt