Monster BSB, the Lost @ Sea

[sterling]

After hearing Jim say he was in 90 feet and had a Yellowtail on I proceeded to get out deeper. Birds everywhere, Bonies and Dogs too. No one else is hooked up that I can see in 100ft of water so I decide to drop one on the bottom and relax a little while. About 20 minutes later bottom rod goes bendo kind of slow and constant. I assume i'm hung up on the bottom. A couple of guys nearby are watching. I yell out, "I'm sure it's bottom." They reply your moving pretty good. I just figure I drifted and I will get vertical over the snag and that will be it. Well I really start moving kind of like I'm hooked to a VW bus and its just driving on the bottom. I put out the drift shoot get the kayak sideways and put my legs out. This just seemed to increase the pace. I buttoned the drag all the way and thumbed it. It eventually spooled me down to the knot. I had about 200 yards of 65# spectra and 30# Flouro leader. I can't figure out why it hasn't broken yet. I'm at the knot and we are "Old Man and the Sea time" I'm looking back at the power boats I left and they are way to the South. Finally the line gives after about 30 minutes. The guys in the kayak who were escorting me were more bummed that I. The fish stayed right on 100ft depth the whole time. I am guessing we went around the canyon or were on a more easterly heading. When I brougt the line back in the sliding plastic swivel I attached the shiney new wieght on was broken. I can only assume the fish ate the weight and I was pulling on him with straight spectra explaining why he wouldn't break off. The guys gave me a bait and I started back in. No GPS and I can not see land. It is 10:00am so I used the compass and headed east directly to the sun. After an hour of paddling I started to get concerned I haven't seen land yet. Another half hour or so goes by and a see a party boat. Great I should see downtown La Jolla soon. That boat was at least a mile east of me. As I approach it, it looks weird. It was a dive boat!!! I've never seen a dive boat here. After another half hour or so of paddling a can see Scripps Pier. Wait a minute than isn't Scripps Pier. That's Crystal Pier!!!! I later realize that dive boat must of been on the Yukon. I estimate I am about 7 miles off course caught in that I-5 South bound current and now the wind is also picking up. I get on 71 to try to hail a power boat back to La Jolla. Then I get on 16 since almost everyone monitors the emergency channel. I get Sea Tow after some informational questions they hand me over to the Mission Bay Lifeguards who of course won't come give me a ride. They just say if you can get to the beach go for it all we can do is come bring you to the bay. Luckily I have my cell call my wife to arrange a pick-up in Mission bay. The landing was very hairy. I stowed everything in the hatch 4 rods and all my gear. Quite a feat with an 8 foot jig stick balancing on my stomach in choppy seas. I picked a point way south away from the pier and all the swimmers. The waves were coming from both directions and were quite nasty. I jumped out way before the beach up to my arm pits but managed to hang on to my kayak and not flip. Now I have to drag the heavy thing about a 1/2 mile to the Best Western Blue Sea where we can load up. Once it was all loaded up and I got in the truck I was so grateful to be able to relax. Moral of the story I'm going shopping for a GPS!!!!!