Tuesday on Lake La Jolla

[Cadillyak]

First I would like to rewind to July 22, 2013. I booked a trip with Josh, a.k.a. The Darkhorse, in hopes of shortening my learning curve to this new to me sport of kayak fishing. I wanted to learn all there was to it and catching a fish would just be extra. We stayed out ALL day, and I learned a plethora of knowledge. I didn’t post the report because I was one of the few that went out with the Darkhorse and came home empty. He did put me on a fish, but I failed to get him to the boat. Even though we were fishing with squid, he still schooled me on how to fish mackerel as that would be my primary bait at The Jewel.

I had been putting time in the water here and there, getting more familiar with surf launches, making bait, and trolling. Fighting the dogs off, crossing lines, and just getting a more comfortable in LJ. I have done a bunch of fishing in SD bay, but told myself that why fish the bay, when LJ is the same distance away (guess I’m lucky living 15 min away from the Jewel). I wasn’t mad about not hooking a yellow even after putting in the work, I was just happy to be out there.

Now let’s fast forward to Sunday. Joezee1986 and I went out on Sunday to find the yellowtails that seem to always elude us. Needless to say, he hooks up and I am stoked for him. I even got to sink the gaff in him, closest I had been to a yellow while on a yak, and truly made his day, but made mine too. Seeing a friend getting towed around is wild, and all you can hope for is that they land the fish (check out his report, No Skunk Sundays.) We fished a little while longer, when my bait gets nervous and off goes the clicker (as I’m talking to Silbaugh4liberty). Nice, my first real fish in LJ, feels a little light though.

After a while, I get it to color and see vertical blue stripes. “Damn,” I say to myself, Bonita. Oh well, a PB Bonita at almost 8lbs is cool for me. But still had that want for a yellow in the back of my head. Maybe next time.

Got to BBQ with friends and family Monday, but was wishing I was at The Jewel. I had already taken Tuesday off, and my gear was still ready to go from the day before, so I say forget about being tired, I’m going fishing.

“Ha,” the wife says. “Since you’re off, you can drop the kids off at school & daycare.” No problem, I’ll just load the yak, drop off the lil’ ones and be off. She was cool with that, so that morning I loaded up the yak, dropped off the kids, and head to The Jewel.

I reach the beach, and it looks as if it’s deserted. Compared to the Sunday before labor day (the beach was crazy with people). I drop off the yak, park, and launch to ankle slappers. As usual, I take one over the bow, but couldn’t care less, I WAS FISHING!

Begin making bait, and am having a much rougher time finding A) bait that wanted to cooperate & B) the right kind of bait. I eventually get about 7 perfect size greenies and throw a few Spanish in for good measure. There are only 2 other kayakers and maybe two PB’s in the distance.

I get to where Joezee1986 hooked up and begin the troll. As I let line out, I’m thinking to myself, “Why did I choose the bay over this again?” No crazy boaters, free bait, and much more serene place to be. As I put my clicker on, I think about the reports I’ve read where some people drop a bait in and hook up 5 min later. “Why can’t that be me I say?” Just then, my bait gets nervous and off goes the clicker. “YES!” I say. Lots of vibration up the line, and 5 minutes later, I have a new PB Bonita at 9lbs. “Oh boy, gonna be another one of those days.” Oh well, I did a U-turn, pinned on another bait and went through “The Zone” again.

10 minutes later, I’m on again, and this time it’s the right kind. I get the head shakes and brute strength of the Yellowtail. I survey my surroundings. No kelp around, no boaters around, and more importantly, no dogs around. “It’s just me and you I say, let’s do this.” I go on a sleigh ride, get it to color, and realize it’s not a rat, but actually has some size on him. 10 min later, I sink my gaff into my first kayak yellowtail. Fish went 24lbs. What a rush!

Off the water in time to wash the yak off, and pick up the kid’s from school/care. Why can’t everyday be like this?