LJ 1/28 Doing the bendo thing

[madscientist]

Had a weird dream that coincided with my alarm going off, the result of which was I bounced out of bed at 4:30 this morning still a little woozy from last night's tequila. I was a bit discombobulated as I went through my morning routine and halfway to the shores I realized I forgot my bait stick and VHF, but managed to bring my headache with me. Also remembered the beer so screw it, not going back. Got down there to find a 4 second interval surf pumping. Not big but definitely gonna get wet. Threw on the dry top and punched thru, only taking one good one to the chest. Went to the pier for a mix of greenies and micro spanish. Big swell and a rip current made it interesting. Once loaded with bait I trolled a greenie on a bucktail over to the yoyo grounds (which I have to guess because my POS FF is still in the shop). Sun came up...



...and I hoped the offshore that had been blowing all morning would fade. It didn't.

Set up the drift and was just getting the second bait rod ready when the one on the bucktail goes "ZZ". Short strike but not a snag. I grab the rod but nothing is there. Think about checking the bait but decide to feed out a little more line first. As I'm doing that there's another strike and I swing like an idiot with the spool disengaged. Doh! Flip the switch and wait a couple seconds before, once again, the rod takes a bounce and begins to load up. Swing and I'm on!

Couple of shakes but no movement. Reel almost over top of it and start to think it may be the flat kind. Give a tug and suddenly, off it goes. Not flat, probably BSB or shark or maybe, just maybe, big YT. The fish is going full blast towards the kelp, but it's a ways away so I just hang on and enjoy the ride. Half way there I notice a buoy pop up from behind the swell. Shit! I try throwing the feet over the side but the extra drag on the yak just means the fish is peeling off more line. Sure enough, as we pass the buoy I feel a rub and now the line is vertical.

Fish is still there so I decide to be patient and see if it will sort itself out. Slowly but steadily gain line (love that metered spectra), but the fish wakes up and takes it right back. Three more times we go through that routine, slowly gain 20 yards only to give it right back with interest. Finally I feel like there's some more weight and I'm worried I may have finally gotten stuck. Nope, still gaining line a foot at a time. Then something pops.

Reel quickly to recover the slack and feel the fish is still there, and he's free. We are off to the races once more, this time out to open water. Cool! I rest my arms a bit and let him take us out of trouble, but then I see yet another buoy in front of us. Okay, this has gone on long enough. Throw the feet over, button down, and start the short pump action. Fish was tuckered out from the previous buoy encounter and I finally get it turned and headed upwards. As expected, it's a big (80-100lb class) BSB.



Fortunately I hear the bubbles out it's ass as soon as it comes up so I quickly snap some more shots and get the hook out of the cavernous mouth.





Only took a couple of prods before the big guy headed back down to the depths. That concluded the days fishing, though I stayed out several more hours. Swapped bad habits with lambcrew and drifted around with nothing doing. Heading back in a mother and calf gray whale popped up 20 yards off my port. I managed to get on a parallel course and get a few good (well, for me at least) pics.



Shadowed them for a good 1/4 mile. They were only doing about 1.5 mph and seemed unperturbed by my presence. The calf would breath about 4 times as frequently as the mother. Had to laugh since the whale watcher tourists were all a mile away out at the canyon edge. That guide sucks! I see those poor schmucks out there all the time, staring out to sea, as the whales pass behind them along the kelp line.

Surf had calmed considerably when I landed around noon. Interesting morning but the water is still very green and chilly and there was no sign of anything good. Thought this new moon and good tides might turn something on but I guess not.