LJ 6/18 My 1st

[the dude]

I hit the beach around 3:30 and paddled out to the kelp where the wind was HOWLING! I couldn't stay in place to make bait, so I had to tie onto some kelp. Greebacks and spanish macks seemed to be everywhere, so after picking up 7 or 8 pieces in the bait tube I was off to fish. Got picked up almost instantly for what would turn into a 2+hour fight. Fish took me all the way to the pier and then out 4 or so miles. No GPS I'm just guessing. I was farther out than I had ever been and I didn't seem to be able to put the brakes on this monster, I wasn't even sure that I could land it by myself. Finally got it somewhat to color although even up to the end it was still making small runs. Not sure if I would be able to boat it solo I grabbed the tail to see what would happen.....game over the fish was done. Getting it into the boat almost sent me into the drink a couple times. Not a whole lotta room on a Navigator. Ended up paddling for 2 hours with a whole lot of shark love pretty much sitting awkwardly in my lap. I was too afraid of dumping to try to fix the position of the fish. There is an unbelievable amount of meat in these things. I was up filleting and cleaning up the double-homicide in my driveway until 1am.
Oh yeah fish went 95# on my IGFA certified bathroom scale, and just over 9ft long. 30lb test, 150lb leader, 5/0 ring J hook, jigmaster 500