It's DEFINITELY NOT officially

[Arne]

YOYO SEASON



It's been a while so I figured I'd do the normal routine - early launch, bait at the pier, and then back out to the point for some yoyo time while dragging some bait. Incredible visibility and no surf at the launch. Gin-clear. So clear I had to hide from the bait at the pier - ended up with a mix of big greenies and smaller spanish. Chatted with Aaron & Julie at the pier before heading off. While paddling over the canyon the sealions and porpoise were going nuts on bait. Something was up today. Very nice morning with a little breeze from the SE, water about 61, got to see the sunrise and moonset at the same time. The breeze turned off around 7ish.


Met up with this old time Tree Fisherman who was on the hunt - turned out to be my new good luck charm ...


Got out to the Tree Fisherman's secret spot and dropped a greenie down while trying that goldarn yoyo thing. Found a spot of squidly looking marks in about 112 feet, so I set for a couple minutes when my clicker did a quick chirp, then nothing. Figured it was the PStar greenie on the end of the line, but then another chirp and then a big run - straight for a set of lobster buoys. I fed it some more line, set the hook big time and immediately got some line back. Boney? Then another big run, a few more clicks on the drag and another big run - NOT a boney. Soupfin? Finally got to the buoys and I started getting lots o' line back but also felt the rub of mono on rope. Uggh! But it's probably just a soupfin - so I thought. No tail thumps, but lots of circling. Circling ... I've been there before ... a circling fish is a GOOD thing.

I loosened the drag and hoped it would swim out of the buoy rope, but it was totally wrapped. I tried loosening the drag and buttoning down a couple times (almost birds-nested the reel) and finally started making a little headway - and then I was just totally stuck. Couldn't budge it. I looked over the side of my yak and this big ol' WSB was floating there about 10 feet down, airbladder shooting out it's mouth, and just waiting to get gaffed. I made a couple final pulls, praying the line wouldn't break - and BAM ... it floated to the surface nice and neatly where I quickly put it out of its misery.


Ran just over 35# - tried to stick around until OEX opened for an official weight, but I had to get to the office. Thanks for pic Pat - and the scale.
Arne 8)