Southwind Kayaks Tournament Newport Harbor

[Flatinfifth]

Well folks here goes my two cents. I've been a bit slow to post due to my son visiting me this week from college. He goes back to Hawaii next Sunday so I've had no time since the tourney.

Al and I had pre-fished for two days; each day had been completely different. On one day it was crazy fishing and the other day you had to purchase a bite. We each had areas we knew held fish but would they bite. On this day the current was king. Without it you had to hit them on the head.

I started off the day with two fish in succession on the troll with a chartreuse Bill Norman Deep Little N, with changed hooks; Owner stinger hooks size 3. Trolled it on 30# braid and 25 # fluoro leader. I marked the spool with different inks every 50 feet so that I would know how much line I had out. If it wasn't hitting the botton and occasionally getting fouled, you didn't get bit. Along the way I caught a ton of nuisance little sand bass; a pain in the butt.

From those two fish I covered all of our spots, first trolling and then casting jigs, swim baits, SB and drop shot. End result was a big zero. By 10 o'clock I still only had two keepers and no bites; scary. I then went right back and trolled more intensely but I did change to a Frenzy in black back with white belly. I think that did the trick. Also around that time the current was starting to hum. I went through and caught five more fish. Because I didn't want to stop fishing I was culling them on my own just so that I wouldn't loose any time. I knew I had a pretty good limit but not enough to win. Al and I both knew it was going to take a two pound average because it was doable; we had done it in pre-fish.

Got an inspirational thought that told me to go back to a spot that had been good in pre-fish but had been a zero today. Trolled it and once the bait passed over a grassy spot, BANG got one. Now, the funny thing about the bit on the Frenzy is that they would hit it so hard that they would knock slack in the line and you had to be holding the rod otherwise you wouldn't know it was a bite. I had my trusty Dobyns 734 for trolling and i KNOW that made a difference. Made three more passes for two shorts and was running out of time. I knew there were more fish but I had to get back to the weigh in. Trolled back to the bridge and Sonny is behind me about 30 yards. About fifty feet from the bridge I think I get bit, swing and I thinks it's hung up on a rock. Sonny yells, "Yeah Angel the right kind!!" and I tell him no.......it's a rock. Peddle back right over the spot and FISH ON!!! A nice fish about 1lb 10 oz. Hurried over to the weigh in and felt pretty good about my weight but I did not expect to be in the top five. Imagine my surprise when I was called for third. Actually, the food was so good I did not listen to the weights being called out by John even though I asked him for one of the totals.....!!!! I was on a cloud from all of the concentration of fishing so hard I guess.

At any rate. Thanks John, Mike, Chuck, Ed and the rest of the fantastic folks at Southwind Kayaks. This was a CLASSY tournament. Simple and direct. The weight boat skippers were EXTREMELY NICE and knowledgable. I can't say enough for the entire crew. WE NEED MORE of these gentlemen!!! Maybe a series next year!!?? I would have the beginner class added on to help those who are starting kayak fishing get involved.

A big thanks to all. The great conversations and banter that goes on before and after the event make the whole thing worth while; a truck load of memories from this one. I've added some photos.

Angle Figueras