8-10-06 fishing/diving

[Jimi]

I met Ryan Block last winter when I helped him pull a nice yellow up from a lobster pot it was stuck on. I love telling that story, never quit. He told me some of my jigs were not swimming as well as ones in the past so this morning I took a few fresh ones out.
First cast: action did'nt look that great
Second cast: he might be right
Third cast: fish on 10lb yellowtail
I was laughing out loud for five minutes.
I think you just have to get the speed right, the better the jig the faster you can pull it otherwise you just have to slow it down a little.
Here is the real reason I wanted to post. A month ago I found some speedo goggles on the beach so I threw them in my kayak. I was throwing the jig an get hooked up again. Was sure it was a bonita untill it flashed and then went straight down. Started giggling again, it always happens when I hook yellows on my jig. KELPED. I tried everything and it would not come lose. I remebered a had goggles and thought about Ryan. I hopped off and went down. The first few attemps I never got close because I kept running out of air. Climbed back on kayak, wound as tight as I could and went for it again. Visibility in the first twenty feet was not great but as soon as the water got cold it was excellent. Made some big strokes to get there and grabbed the kelp above the fish and it broke. Made two more big strokes reached for the fish and grabbed the jig and one slight pull it came lose very easy. When I looked up I was at least sixty feet deep which felt like a hundred when I was coming up. Back on the kayak I reeled in the yellowtail. I am not a strong free diver and do not think I could ever have gone that deep with out that incentive. I wanted to thank the guy who left the goggles on the beach and Ryan for lesson on determination. I also found a pelican brand battery box in the surf, if it is yours let me know how to get it to you.