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[frugalfisher]

Fished LJ yesterday for 9 hours, paddled 14 miles, hooked up 3 times. First off, the beach was complete with hula dancers at the resort!! Awesome party atmosphere I was stoked to get out. Patiently waited for the right moment between sets, took off my shirt and glasses (just in case-not my first rodeo) and paddled into no less than four big breakers. Timing is key (messed up there) and don't stop paddling. Made it through the surf zone and the water wasn't cold at all. The ocean was beautiful, clear, and sunny skies, some inshore wind ~8 mph made for paddling out more tiring. Couldn't find any greenies in my best spots. Plenty o large Spanish though. Bait fished for hour plus...
#1 lost: Pinned on a Spanish and headed out. Rounded the corner, 90 ft and got picked up with a screaming run, too much line out, popped through a couple stringers. fish went to the bottom, sleigh ride, Pber watching, forgot gaff, yelled over, they headed over to assist, some more kelp like feeling popping through, strong pull and rocked. Damn, had too much line out on that one. Big fish self release if you are not on your game.
#2 lost. Worked that area for 2 hours. Finally screaming clicker again, new 40lb fluoro great knot, tied perfect, won't let this one get to the bottom, pulling drag, too much line going out, tighten drag, same deal, tighter, POP. Shiznit@$#$%@!! The perfect knot broke>>remember big fish self release if you are not on your game even when you think you are.
#3 lost: paddled the area, out from the condo 80-105 ft for another 90 min, then paddled way south and out to the edge of the kelp where all the boats were, finally got two greenies, and two large sardines, and another dozen spanish, watched them bite, watched Barracuda dart in and check out the sabiki-cool, trolled, casted at likely bird feedings and surface clues, no luck, getting towards sunset, paddling back, almost to the home stretch out for the launch and screamer number three. Got turned around, making line, can't believe it, pulling, reeling, getting closer, kelp, kelp, kelp, sawing, pulling, sawing, don't force it, pulling, good, sawing, pull, saw, pull, POP @$#%!!, 10 feet of line left, clean hook. That one was close.
I am so stoked to live here in San Diego and to go out on the ocean and fish. I had a blast, got an awesome workout, pulled like hell on some big fish. Saw hula dancers -seriously. What a wonderful way to get my ass kicked! Next time I might just win!