BdG Whirlwind - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

Zed · 05-26-2015, 02:05 PM

I'll throw up some werds and add pix later.

Woke up Friday to a downpour around 0200 and just stayed up since my alarm was at 0300. Got loaded up and left S OC to catch up w the rain about El Cajon/Alpine and some showers over the mountains. Imperial side was sunny w a W wind that blew us down.

At Campo Beluga the W was blowin good and driving sand. We set up and chilled, waiting out the wind. The caretaker came over to tell us just last week a kayak was blown away, and to make sure the yaks were...I stopped him and said I knew them and my dad was there too. It all connected and he remembered me (and my dad) and that I knew the group. He finished by saying just make sure to pull the yaks up. Just last [Thurs] night a boat was blown away. They didn't heed the warning and were convinced the mooring would hold just fine. Friday morning, no boat.

In the late afternoon the wind switched abruptly and came outta the E. We launched and paddled into it to the S point and picked at some fish. I got weeded by a pretty good leopard, but the rest were the smaller suspects, triggers, sierra, spotties. The wind flipped back right at sunset so we had to paddle against it both ways. We were making headway back, pretty close to shore trying to hide behind the dunes, and I was still dragging a kroc. I was thinking it was just added drag. but I didn't want to stop to pull it in so I let it ride. Then it went off and after a pretty good fight in 5-8ft of water up comes a ~12lb totuava. Pretty cool bottom of the 9th walk-off. We ate some fish and hit the rack.

Saturday was glass and we took off for the island. The fishing was good along the backside and after a while Yakhanded dialed in on the yellows and picked off a few. We worked a little specific area for an hour or so for wide open fishing on sierra, yellows, bonito, gulf grouper, triggers and pargos. I got a PB barred pargo and a new species a colorado. The barred was just over the size I want to drag up into my lap, so while getting the gaff he slacked off and dropped the hook. I got the gaff in and touched him, but it swam off. The other pargo wasn't so lucky and turned into ceviche and sauteed fillets. Yakhanded got the rose pargo for the trifecta. By 1300 a nice NE wind picked up blowing us comfortably back to camp. Spent the rest of Sat eating and chilling.

Sunday I set the alarm early. 0400 the W was blowing pretty good. Went back to sleep and got up at 0500. It was blowing harder and the marine layer was flowing over the tops of the mountains. We changed plans and took off in the LandCruiser to explore the area between Beluga and Sacrificio. Had some fun wheelin and cross country driving but the fishing was a skunk. By 1300 we were back at camp and the wind flipped to a more NE. We launched quick for the S and found good fishing there on yellows, bonito, sierra, and gulf grouper. The wind was 10-15. Fishable but a bit irritating on the fast wet drifts. I got 3 more gulf groupers (new species for me) and we did pretty well finding fish but no leopards. The afternoon we ate fish and chilled again. Dusk the wind came down and Yakhanded launched for some troll runs out front. He managed 5spots, 2 triggers and a bonefish trolling a chubby crankbait right at dark.

Monday the W was up a daybreak, but came down as we packed up. Monday would have been another good day. We split by 0930 and made good time to the border which was 2 hours of 97F slow torture. Got home around 2000.

Excellent quick trip. I knew the odds were bad hitting a window on a short trip but we did as well as could be expected. Ready for the next trip. Yakhanded is ready to drop everything to do it again and so am I.

I'm sure yakhanded will add some. I'm sure he has some kind words for iceman re cousin RayRay.

05-26-2015, 02:05 PM	#1
Zed BANNED Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: W of 5 Posts: 1,265	BdG Whirlwind I'll throw up some werds and add pix later. Woke up Friday to a downpour around 0200 and just stayed up since my alarm was at 0300. Got loaded up and left S OC to catch up w the rain about El Cajon/Alpine and some showers over the mountains. Imperial side was sunny w a W wind that blew us down. At Campo Beluga the W was blowin good and driving sand. We set up and chilled, waiting out the wind. The caretaker came over to tell us just last week a kayak was blown away, and to make sure the yaks were...I stopped him and said I knew them and my dad was there too. It all connected and he remembered me (and my dad) and that I knew the group. He finished by saying just make sure to pull the yaks up. Just last [Thurs] night a boat was blown away. They didn't heed the warning and were convinced the mooring would hold just fine. Friday morning, no boat. In the late afternoon the wind switched abruptly and came outta the E. We launched and paddled into it to the S point and picked at some fish. I got weeded by a pretty good leopard, but the rest were the smaller suspects, triggers, sierra, spotties. The wind flipped back right at sunset so we had to paddle against it both ways. We were making headway back, pretty close to shore trying to hide behind the dunes, and I was still dragging a kroc. I was thinking it was just added drag. but I didn't want to stop to pull it in so I let it ride. Then it went off and after a pretty good fight in 5-8ft of water up comes a ~12lb totuava. Pretty cool bottom of the 9th walk-off. We ate some fish and hit the rack. Saturday was glass and we took off for the island. The fishing was good along the backside and after a while Yakhanded dialed in on the yellows and picked off a few. We worked a little specific area for an hour or so for wide open fishing on sierra, yellows, bonito, gulf grouper, triggers and pargos. I got a PB barred pargo and a new species a colorado. The barred was just over the size I want to drag up into my lap, so while getting the gaff he slacked off and dropped the hook. I got the gaff in and touched him, but it swam off. The other pargo wasn't so lucky and turned into ceviche and sauteed fillets. Yakhanded got the rose pargo for the trifecta. By 1300 a nice NE wind picked up blowing us comfortably back to camp. Spent the rest of Sat eating and chilling. Sunday I set the alarm early. 0400 the W was blowing pretty good. Went back to sleep and got up at 0500. It was blowing harder and the marine layer was flowing over the tops of the mountains. We changed plans and took off in the LandCruiser to explore the area between Beluga and Sacrificio. Had some fun wheelin and cross country driving but the fishing was a skunk. By 1300 we were back at camp and the wind flipped to a more NE. We launched quick for the S and found good fishing there on yellows, bonito, sierra, and gulf grouper. The wind was 10-15. Fishable but a bit irritating on the fast wet drifts. I got 3 more gulf groupers (new species for me) and we did pretty well finding fish but no leopards. The afternoon we ate fish and chilled again. Dusk the wind came down and Yakhanded launched for some troll runs out front. He managed 5spots, 2 triggers and a bonefish trolling a chubby crankbait right at dark. Monday the W was up a daybreak, but came down as we packed up. Monday would have been another good day. We split by 0930 and made good time to the border which was 2 hours of 97F slow torture. Got home around 2000. Excellent quick trip. I knew the odds were bad hitting a window on a short trip but we did as well as could be expected. Ready for the next trip. Yakhanded is ready to drop everything to do it again and so am I. I'm sure yakhanded will add some. I'm sure he has some kind words for iceman re cousin RayRay. __________________ Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day. Give a fish a man and he'll eat for a week.