THE WILD WEST...

[THE DARKHORSE]

I headed out around 1:00 p.m. sunday afternoon with a heavy fog bank on the horizon. I was warned from a few different people at the launch about the wind around the point (one being a lifeguard ). Before I launched someoene says to me "only in Hobie", making a reference to the conditions, and I agreed. This was my little window to fish this week and I wasn't concerned about the wind. I had extra pressure from the girlfriend, she told me as I was packing "there is only two more ribeyes, you better bring something home." I said "something, like rockfish", and she said "something". I had this in the back of my mind as I descided to head straight out, instead of going to the pier. The strong south-west wind made the descision easy. The sky was clear till just short of the condoe, and 100 yds vis soupy fog past that. A nice angler offered some beautiful greenbacks and I was set. I didn't have any electronics or gps with me, so I had to hug the kelp to the 1/2 and then the 3/4. I disturbed a couple of Yellowtail puddling on the surface 200ft off the kelp near my destination. I made a few casts with the surface-iron and stayed in the area to soak a couple baits. Plenty of grass in the water to keep you on your toes. I wasn't happy with my iron and switched to an old Tady 45 with no more paint (a favorite swimmer). My second cast produced a good sized log-cuda, and I couldn't put the iron in the water without getting bit after that. Unfortunetely the Barries were hot for this iron, so I put it aside and focused on my bait placement near the kelp. A couple of spots of very nervous bait and a few showers of jumping bait (obvious predator below). I never got my shot, and started to head back along the kelp as the sun was about to set (still heavy fog). I released my bait and was heading for the barn. About twenty minutes past sunset I was in front of La Valencia, and noticed a large fish pushing a bow wake chasing Sardines (around 70ft). I quickly caught a giant sardine and put him on a fly-line (shoulder hooked). My bait made it about 20ft away before it was skipping across the surface, and I saw a good sized tail slap the surface. Soon after, I donated another hook to the T-Shark ("three week window" HA ). I kept moving towards the reserve marker along the kelp and came across a big boil on the surface (10ft off my port bow), looked like a big fish, with no dogs in sight. I had no bait, it was well past sunset, and pretty dark. I cut my Tady 45 off (with no paint, old grey metal), and tied on a Blue and White "JIMMY-JIG". As I let the jig sink nervous bait is all around on the surface. About 15ft down I get hit, and bring a large greenback splashing to the surface. Being that I was interested in what was right below my kayak I sent the combo-meal back down. I didn't wait long, as the large offering was slammed and I was being pulled towards the kelp for a couple of seconds, then slack .I brought the iron to the surface (greenback gone) and sent it right back down. On the sink about 20ft down I'm slammed again. Right as I'm starting to think this White Sea Bass thing is "sooo easy", I notice the lack of violent head shakes (always shake when they hit the iron). With straight mono near the kelp, I put a heavy bend in the Ulua, and pulled hard in the dark. I put my gaff at my side, and after a short while I have her below me. As I lean over to sink the gaff, I'm blown back with a heavy dose of "saltwater and ink" (my favorite). I descided to harvest the 25lb class Humbolt Squid (fire engine red), and peddled back in the darkness. I noticed quite a few other squid-boils right around the yellow marker in 70ft. I feel I did my part, in protecting the local population of fish, so please go out tonight with a glow-iron and do yours. Straight out from the launch to the normal marker 100yds off the kelp, just look on the meter for the White Sea Bass looking marks and "hold on".