Mako 1...Irishman 0

[Irishman]

Today was epic in so many ways.....
Long story short the shark was a little to large for me to feel comfortable in gaffing and dealing with. It was released as close as I could get to the end of the fluoro.
Launched at 6:45 with Kevin, there's a weird mojo happening that he is along when I hook into something big.
it was 31 degrees when I left La Mesa, balmy 42 at the launch in the dark. Paddled with the offshore winds pushing us, made so so Spanish for bait as the game plan was to do 45 mins of bait fishing and then drop to the bottom. We had frozen squid and yo yo rigs ready. The winds died about 10am and then the weather turned epic. Stripped off the layers to fish in board shorts and t-shirt. The conditions were amazing. We paddled to the south end of the NW corner after using all our bait. In about an hour made two nice greenies. I says to Kevin, let's paddle out to where I caught the sea bass earlier this year....on the way I stopped paddling and say I'm checking my knots as I had retied about 15 mins earlier, full re-rig, fluoro to braid, three way swivel, 4oz sinker, 4/0 ringed hook. I was happy with the day and the conditions.
I drop down one of my two greenies, then decide to add a thawed squid to my salas yo yo rig.....zzzzzzz....zzzzzzzzzzzzzz..zzzzzzzzz
Kevin's shouting your on, I'm furiously cranking the yo yo rig to get the line out of the water, more so thinking I don't want a tangle if I have a nice yellow. Stow my rod and turn to my trusty penn senator 3/0.
I was not expecting what I saw next, I had engaged the reel, clicker off and then over my right shoulder saw what I had only seen in fishing shows on tv, it was a mako in the air, contorted but beautiful. I honestly expected that once it made contact with the water the game would be over....WRONG
I got the pleasure of 1, 2, 3, 4 long runs..I buttoned down the drag and sleigh ride commences..again thinking at any moment the jaws would close and fluoro go pop. That did not happen and then I'm thinking, maybe I can land this. Buttoned down further and get the fish to color....pucker once, pucker twice...
Zzzzzzzz again...now Kevin has caught up with me and is asking what the story is? The shark took off again and I ask Kevin do you have your camera? I'm feeling confident the hook set is holding and we can at least get some photos.
The fourth or fifth time it swam back towards my kayak and I'm now getting a real feel for its size common sense sinks in....I've never landed one on a kayak and it's still way to fresh to horse in. I was hoping for a bite from the shark to sever the line but I guess the big 4/0 hook was placed just right.
By now Kevin has his kayak parallel to mine, I wanted him to get a look at it also...I bring it back up again and get the fluoro on the reel...then it goes nuts, goes under my kayak straight to the bow of his and bites...at this stage I'm thinking all appendages are accounted for, quit while ahead...I grab my dykes and cut the line..first time I have ever cut a fish off, but in the interest of safety the best choice.
We laughed at the experience and I would have done differently if in a boat. My estimated size was 4' and about 50lbs. It was thicker and longer than the 51lb white sea bass I caught earlier this year. Bummed no on the water shots but we did take a photo of the bite Kevin's yak received.
Could not have asked for a better way to end the year