Late report 7/26 and 8/2 - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

monstahfish · 08-07-2024, 07:41 AM

Hey all,
Wanted to post a report even though it's late.
7/26: Went to the pier to get bait even though someone at the launch said there was bait around. As I was working on my livewell and looking for a bait, I saw something approaching from a ways away. I figured it was bait so I just kept working on priming the livewell. Got it going and looked up and it was a school of like 50 yellows on the surface dorsal and tails poking out of the surface in 40 feet right by the pier! Couldn't fish for those guys though so I caught some bait and moved out. Mix of big sardines and macs.
I moved out to 150ft west of the pier and trolled my way toward the kelp. No love for a while. I watched a parking lot of boats on the edge of the kelp with lots of birds working around but didn't see anyone hooking up so I moved into the kelp and kept trolling. At some point another finning school popped up in front of me so I pitched a mac at them but it ran into the kelp and got tangled. Tried the stickbait but landed it just a bit too close and spooked the school. Rerigged a fresh mac real quick and started trolling faster over the kelp and 2 minutes later a giant yellow was on! I fought it near to gaffing range and as I reached for my gaff it surged to the bottom again! I popped a few stringer and got it back to the surface and went again for the gaff. This thing was huge, probably a 50 and definitely my biggest. Anyway as I grabbed my gaff it surged again and pull my line into the parting line of the lynx and broke off

I had to retie and started trolling again quickly over the top of the kelp and a few minutes later a 40# WSB erupted on the surface eating my mac and it was on! After a quick fight, I stuck it and rode it home cause it was too big for my fish bag.

8/2: everything looked good for a repeat of the week before and I know I should have changed tactics and fished deep but I didn't want to haha. Only excitement was a bite off by what I can only assume was a mako because of the speed my bait took off with and the angled cut of my leader when I got bit off.

08-07-2024, 07:41 AM	#1
monstahfish Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Posts: 419	Late report 7/26 and 8/2 Hey all, Wanted to post a report even though it's late. 7/26: Went to the pier to get bait even though someone at the launch said there was bait around. As I was working on my livewell and looking for a bait, I saw something approaching from a ways away. I figured it was bait so I just kept working on priming the livewell. Got it going and looked up and it was a school of like 50 yellows on the surface dorsal and tails poking out of the surface in 40 feet right by the pier! Couldn't fish for those guys though so I caught some bait and moved out. Mix of big sardines and macs. I moved out to 150ft west of the pier and trolled my way toward the kelp. No love for a while. I watched a parking lot of boats on the edge of the kelp with lots of birds working around but didn't see anyone hooking up so I moved into the kelp and kept trolling. At some point another finning school popped up in front of me so I pitched a mac at them but it ran into the kelp and got tangled. Tried the stickbait but landed it just a bit too close and spooked the school. Rerigged a fresh mac real quick and started trolling faster over the kelp and 2 minutes later a giant yellow was on! I fought it near to gaffing range and as I reached for my gaff it surged to the bottom again! I popped a few stringer and got it back to the surface and went again for the gaff. This thing was huge, probably a 50 and definitely my biggest. Anyway as I grabbed my gaff it surged again and pull my line into the parting line of the lynx and broke off I had to retie and started trolling again quickly over the top of the kelp and a few minutes later a 40# WSB erupted on the surface eating my mac and it was on! After a quick fight, I stuck it and rode it home cause it was too big for my fish bag. 8/2: everything looked good for a repeat of the week before and I know I should have changed tactics and fished deep but I didn't want to haha. Only excitement was a bite off by what I can only assume was a mako because of the speed my bait took off with and the angled cut of my leader when I got bit off.