So close yet so far 7/22 - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

monstahfish · 07-23-2016, 09:40 AM

So I got some intel that the tuna were between 2 and 6 miles off carlsbad and decided to go for it. Launched off south ponto beach in some slightly sketchy surf and spent the next 30 minutes trying to get my bait tank to prime with luck. Decided to just stick on a few baits and jigged up a pair of macks and go fish. I got out about 4 miles and started seeing lots of bait and terns but no signs of fish. Just kept going from flock to flock hoping to get lucky. Stop to check my bait and one is messed up but I don't have another choice so I stick with it. Check my other one later and it got off the hook somehow while I was bringing it in. Now i've got one screwed up mack and my bait caster with a hogy epoxy jig to match the bait in the area which was sardines/chovies in the 4in size. Found one huge bait ball and decided to wait another hour until slack. After a while I started seeing terns diving in earnest then, white streaks on the surface! Tuna!! I started chasing but they went down when a PB came at em. I waited a few more minutes and they popped up elsewhere. Went running and gunning between quick up and down crashers for over an hour but just couldn't get in front of them to make a good presentation.
Finally gave up and headed for the barn but not before flipping my outback for the first time in the surf. Ponto was firing and I mistimed the set got picked up by a 4-5 footer. Tried to get back to grab the yak and drag it but it was too late. I got picked up and the bow got pitch poled into the ground and went ass over tea kettle in front of a thousand people on the beach. Lifeguards came charging out to help.
Long story short, nothing caught but a good dose of shame but I was glad to at least have a chance.

07-23-2016, 09:40 AM	#1
monstahfish Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Posts: 421	So close yet so far 7/22 So I got some intel that the tuna were between 2 and 6 miles off carlsbad and decided to go for it. Launched off south ponto beach in some slightly sketchy surf and spent the next 30 minutes trying to get my bait tank to prime with luck. Decided to just stick on a few baits and jigged up a pair of macks and go fish. I got out about 4 miles and started seeing lots of bait and terns but no signs of fish. Just kept going from flock to flock hoping to get lucky. Stop to check my bait and one is messed up but I don't have another choice so I stick with it. Check my other one later and it got off the hook somehow while I was bringing it in. Now i've got one screwed up mack and my bait caster with a hogy epoxy jig to match the bait in the area which was sardines/chovies in the 4in size. Found one huge bait ball and decided to wait another hour until slack. After a while I started seeing terns diving in earnest then, white streaks on the surface! Tuna!! I started chasing but they went down when a PB came at em. I waited a few more minutes and they popped up elsewhere. Went running and gunning between quick up and down crashers for over an hour but just couldn't get in front of them to make a good presentation. Finally gave up and headed for the barn but not before flipping my outback for the first time in the surf. Ponto was firing and I mistimed the set got picked up by a 4-5 footer. Tried to get back to grab the yak and drag it but it was too late. I got picked up and the bow got pitch poled into the ground and went ass over tea kettle in front of a thousand people on the beach. Lifeguards came charging out to help. Long story short, nothing caught but a good dose of shame but I was glad to at least have a chance.