LJ WSB, im gonna need a bigger gaff.

[dfroggy54]

Arrived at LJ around 6:15 and felt like I was late..and I was! The night before, I even told myself I better go to sleep and stop servicing reels and rigging leaders. ( I was rigging for threshers. Last week my hook pulled out of a thresher using a 2/0 ringed gorilla) This time, I armed myself with another setup with fresh line, greased up drags, and a 5/0 hook just in case I see signs for the big uns!

The morning overcast light was coming up, and my kayak was still on the truck. Nobody was there launching at this time except two other people (in which I thought I was REALLY late!). I figured, im here already and I cant beat a nice day of paddling. So, as I approached the beach, I noticed that the sand receded about thirty yards..low tide. Finally got onto the water, cut through the surf, passed the Buoy line and released my sabiki for some bait. I was out the other week before it rained and that spot was blown up with bait, but not today. I ventured west for about 10 minutes towards some crashing birds. I dropped my sabiki down and brought up a full line of healthy greenbacks. I remember flipping on the switch to my bait tank, only to realize that either my battery had ran out or, something disconnected. Crap!... Bottom line was, I had no power. That meant, no bait tank, no fish finder...I knew I could do without both but, they are key to getting on the scattered bait. With my sabiki full with greenbacks (and no place to put em live), I noticed one of them was exceptionally larger than the others. I quickly grabbed my larger setup..30lb maxima, 40lb leader (smk blue mono), 5/0 hook, 1/2 ounce carolina. Stuck that beauty on the nose, and soaked it right in the same spot on the surface. I’m sure you all know what happens next...about five minutes later. I hear my trinidad singing the best song in the world...ZzzZzzZ!! I pick up the rod, and put it in free spool w/ clicker on, thumb carefully on spool...I let the fish take line. Once I knew he ate the mack, I put the reel into gear and then set the hook.... ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ!!!!! Whatever it was, I pissed it off!!! Immediately, my kayak turned and fish on!I looked at the clock on my GPS 7:50 am. The fish pulled me about 30 yards and then did a nose dive. There, I was at a stalemate with the fish for what seemed the longest time. I remember ratdog swinging by and saying, "its definetly not a thresher, might be a black seabass". After pinned down to my kayak and my rod bendo, I was stuck, and honestly a little frustrated... This was my second bait in the water for that day, the previous being a sardine, got hung on the bottom, only to be released by hand lining it. In my mind I thought, maybe I should do the same, its probably just a thresher or black seabass. So...confident with my knots and new lines, I buttoned down the drag and put a lean on that rod like no other. A risky move.... my tip straightened and I was like...whew, im free off the bottom. As I reeled in though, I felt more tension yet again and a head shake! After one more brief run he had nothing left in him, or did I in my back! The fish finally showed its face and all I could see was a black shadow. I thought what the heck is that?!? As it circled on the left side of my kayak, and I see a big barred silver back and white purple flash, I came to the realization that I just hooked a big white sea bass.

I grabbed my gaff which belittled the fish and hauled his head onto my lap. I grabbed my knife and gave him a brain frappe. Game over.
Weight on the Digital scale at Dana landing. 55 lbs, 5' from nose to tail.