7/19 Great New Bait For Halibut...SPOTTED BAY BASS!!!

[Spyder]

Short story: Took a buddy out for his 1st kayak feeshin trip. We both kicked ass on the bass. I caught a 33" flattie using a spottie for bait.

The entire story: Met up with my friend Aaron at SI around 0530. Like I said, today was going to be his first time fishing from a kayak. After going over the basics with him we launched right about 0600 into awesome conditions, warm, no wind, and the bay was smooth as glass.

Paddled over to our first spot, caught a few bass, and then the tide went slack. Moved around for the next hour or so catching nadda until the tide started moving again. Bingo, it was like a switch went on. We were both catching dozens of spotties, sandies and even a few calicos mixed in. Aaron was fishing like a pro from the yak.

We drifted over into an area that has a nice drop off near some thick eel grass. I was tossing out a 3/8 lead head with a 4" GULP! Chart. swimming mullet on my bass rod using #8. Felt yet another spottie take it off the bottom and started reeling up. Then the line goes tight and it feels like I am either stuck on the bottom or the fish ran into the thick eel grass. Knew it wasn't the bottom when the tip of my rod went WHAM WHAM WHAM into the water. I couldn't get whatever it was off the bottom, it was just kinda laying there. I was thinking, bat ray?? I stopped trying to reel and gently put as much pressue as I dare on the light line and it started coming up slow. Aaron was right next to me when the nice flattie came drifting up. I grabbed my net and scooped it up and it went nuts. As it was freaking out in the net I watched it spit out a spotted bay bass from its throat that had my lure still hooked in it's mouth! Poor guy had teeth marks and rakes all over him and was already dead. I have caught many halibut using live baits like macs, dines, and chovies but NEVER using a spottie Anyone else?

We fished for a another hour or so for more bass and hit the sand right about noon. We easily C&R'ed close to 50 assorted bass. I did keep the flattie which measured 33" and weighed 14 lbs.

Aaron did great on his maiden yak voyage. He never did come close to dumping it (I had the camera at the ready just in case ) Whenever you want to go again just give me a shout bro.

Peace,

Spyder

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