La Jolla can show her true colors now and then!

[Cadillyak]

Short report:
1 stud cuda
2 bonies
1 yellowtail
3 whales spotted
3 Hammerhead sightings
More than enough seals to go around
Swell and Surf pretty bad

Long report:
Hit the water on 9/16 to try my luck and pull on some fish the Jewel. Anytime you can hear the waves when you park, screams a wet launch (I initially parked in 15min parking because I thought the road to the ramp was closed, but later found out that there was just a detour and the launch was still open). Parked my truck on the beach, and just watched wave after wave pound the shore.

Oh well, gotta give a little to get a little. Went and parked my truck and back to the kayak. Finished up rigging and tried my luck paddling out. I took wave after wave over the bow, but refused to be deterred and eventually made my way out (with the recent heat wave, drying up was last on my mind). On to making bait, which was done in short order, with almost 20 perfect sized greenies (surprised all but 2 lived, those greenies sure are durable) to fill the tank. Went out and began the troll.>>
On my first drop, I eventually hooked up and landed what was my PB Cuda. This thing was massive. Not wanting to keep him, or even let him in the boat, I released boat and dropped back another mac. My clicker went off not much longer, but I missed the hookset, I left the bait in the vicinity, and was immediately picked up again. This thing had weight as my rod doubled over for all of 2 seconds. And just like that, my line went slack.

Upon inspecting my line, I noticed my line was sliced clean. I then proceeded to see about a 5ft-6ft Hammerhead cruise under my yak. He stayed around for a little while, and I just watched in awe. Although they are “relatively” harmless, (from what I hear) compared to other species when dealing with kayaks, I still puckered a bit.

After he went on his way, I began fighting dog after dog. I went out much further to just get away from those damn bait snatchers. And with the swell up, it wasn’t easy to spot them, and once you did, it was normally too late.

Threw the Kroc at a few boils while trolling to kill some time and hooked up with a couple Bones that lived to see another day. Nothing was happening out far, so I decided to head back near some fellow kayakers to see how they were doing. About halfway to them, my clicker starts screaming, I set the hook, and it is game on.>>
This wasn’t this fish’s first rodeo. He made a B-line strait down and wrapped me in the kelp. I tried and tried, but couldn’t free the fish. I think to myself, “so this is how the only real hookup of the day is going to be?” I then remember something that The Darkhorse taught me( I would love to share some intel, but this is how The Darkhorse puts food on the table). I went ahead and took his advice and I’m starting to feel that inviting pop through kelp stringer after kelp stringer.
“It actually worked, but there is no way that fish is still on!” I spoke too soon, as my rod doubles over. “Yes, I’m still on!” I then make “short” work of the fish, keeping my line as close to the water as I can (Thanks Siebler and Dannowar) as to not bring any attention to myself, and soon after, my second yellow from the yak is gaffed. I’m thinking somewhere between 15lbs-18lbs.

I troll around a little more for nada, and eventually that same size Hammerhead shows up. I lob my mac in his general vicinity and my rod double over again for another 2 seconds before his teeth made their mark. Once again, he proceeded to swim under my yak and around me for 30 or so seconds that seemed like an eternity.

Happy with my day overall, I tried pawning off the rest of my bait to some, but they were good on bait, so off they go to be caught by another sabiki. The entire time in I was worried about landing, which isn’t what PA’s are for, but timed the sets right (I think, or was just lucky) and was able to get in without incident.