Catch & Release vs Kill & Grill vs __________ (Option Three)

[swinginFish]

Been around awhile and have noted above the two main approaches expressed by various folks who post on BWE. Thought long and hard on the subject and want to note that, while the opportunity doesn't arise often, there is a third option once we hook, fight and land a 30+lb YT. Consider the following:

• Rise and get to LJ launch before first light
• Do final rigging of yak and gear
• Paddle out through next to no waves
• Make quick bait of perfect candy-bar greenbacks and one horse sardine
• Peddle/Paddle to zone dragging fly-lined greenback
• Once in preferred area, drop down heavily weighted (Carolina rig) sardine and begin slow-trolling it mid-column
• Experience pick-up of sardine and once hook is set, switch bit pole to left hand and reach over and reel in fly-lined mackeral on other pole
• Fight and get ass whipped by, yet manage to gaff and secure game clip to, big-ass YT
• Clip two gills on referenced fish, confirm it's secure on clip and toss over side to bleed out
• While fish is bleeding out, clean yak, and prepare top front of hull so that fish can be laid-out, secured and covered in burlap to keep moist and cool for anticipated "happy paddle" back to shore
• Once all's ready, pull all-but-dead fish back up onto craft, then begin positioning self and fish for maneuvering and eventual placement on front hull
• React with terror when "dead" fish awakens, shakes head, opens and slides head off game clip
• Grab the resurrected "Jesus-fish" with right hand in front of forked tail and hold on for dear life
• Have water splashed in face and grip dislodged as one of the the biggest YTs you ever caught in LJ bitch-slaps the water and makes a 45 degree dive to bottom
• Sit in kayak, dazed, amazed, exhausted and feeling (yet again) like an absolute bonehead

So, my kayak fishing brethren, with the above, I have now provided outline of the referenced "Option Three," i.e.,

CATCH, KILL & RELEASE !

BTW: Should you be interested, I'm available to tutor any/all in the art of Option Three, as I've truly got it down.

Avery

[ful-rac]

NO WAY!

[bolocop]

The brutality of fishing! Hero to zero in no time!

[AirborneYak]

Wow. That's a heart breaker. Ummm...congrats?

[RookieYakker]

Congrats then Ouch...

How the hell did it shake the clip?

[roby]

"Grab the resurrected "Jesus-fish" with right hand in front of forked tail and hold on for dear life "

I laughed-out-loud when I read the comment above. When I saw you holding the yellow by the tail, I thought you were just bleeding it. Little did I know, the yellowtail made an escape.

It was nice launching and landing with you today. I really thought we were going to get more than one today.

[swinginFish]

Ditto

AE

[LawDog]

That's unfortunate.

[WORM]

Not to try and one up you but I have an option 4! Launch 6am. Peddle out to usual spots and load up a few monster macs. slow troll 10" mac for 15 min and clicker goes off. Land 15# fish clip gills bleed out wrap in towel and stow in back of my revo (first yt on yak!) 20 min later see some breezers near kelp line and pull out b&w surface iron make perfect cast 20 ft past them 5 cranks later explosion happens! Fish wrapped me in a bull kelp and after 15 of tugging he comes free and I put a gaff in him. 25# pb obviously(2nd yt ever caught on yak). This is where it all went wrong. I saw more fish crashing bait so instead of taking time to gill and bleed him out I decided to try and tie him up live in the back so as I kick my legs over the side to stow him away he goes nuts and as I try and contain him I had too much weight on side of yak and flip! There they go one by one. Avet and seeker pinhead combo, cardiff and custum rod combo, and newell and seeker iron stick. Along with my first 15# yt i caught. I dive down grab the first rod I see the newell 10ft down and the rest is sacraficed to the sea gods! Lucky I at least kept my 2nd fish on clip so I pulled him back up. Lesson learned take your time and kill your fish before attempting to stow him away! Oh yeah and don't flip your yak! haha. Best and worst day ever!

[Cadillyak]

Damn on both stories!

[lamb]

Avery - sorry to hear, and thanks for sharing!
It's a great reminder that anything can happen, to anyone, no matter what the experience level is.

I heard Jasmin's hooked a nice YT the other day,
but then the fish turned the tables around on him -
it was the fish that actually hooked his rig, and then took off with it!

[swinginFish]

Yo Adi!

Good to hear from you, and miss your baaaad self out there.

So, tables were turned on Jasmin ... what I would've paid to see that (Guy's an animal out there - complete with "war paint"). While irritating, frustrating, etc., it's the unexpected (or risk thereof) that contributes to the allure, no? Recall that I wrote about this quite awhile back (article HERE), and what was true then remains so today. All said, if we make it back to the beach with arms, legs and eyes still functioning, it was a good day on the water ...

Avery

[GregAndrew]

If you marked the spot on your gps, and it is not in the kelp the equipment might be salvagable Worm.

[theluckypig]

Originally Posted by GregAndrew

If you marked the spot on your gps, and it is not in the kelp the equipment might be salvagable Worm.

yup! greg's salvage has recovered the unrecoverable... welcomed home (after a week in the water...)

[WORM]

Thanks for the help GregAndrew but ofcourse being a newbie and being caught up in the monent and in shock I just flipped I never marked spot on gps. I was also over a lot of big stringers that my fish had wrapped me up in so it prob hung up on one. If there ever is another mishap which I prey never happens again I will for sure hire you to find my gear. You work for ? Haha. Hell of a story getting setup back after a week! Bet squidco had fun servicing that one.

[YTHunter]

Originally Posted by WORM

Not to try and one up you but I have an option 4! Launch 6am. Peddle out to usual spots and load up a few monster macs. slow troll 10" mac for 15 min and clicker goes off. Land 15# fish clip gills bleed out wrap in towel and stow in back of my revo (first yt on yak!) 20 min later see some breezers near kelp line and pull out b&w surface iron make perfect cast 20 ft past them 5 cranks later explosion happens! Fish wrapped me in a bull kelp and after 15 of tugging he comes free and I put a gaff in him. 25# pb obviously(2nd yt ever caught on yak). This is where it all went wrong. I saw more fish crashing bait so instead of taking time to gill and bleed him out I decided to try and tie him up live in the back so as I kick my legs over the side to stow him away he goes nuts and as I try and contain him I had too much weight on side of yak and flip! There they go one by one. Avet and seeker pinhead combo, cardiff and custum rod combo, and newell and seeker iron stick. Along with my first 15# yt i caught. I dive down grab the first rod I see the newell 10ft down and the rest is sacraficed to the sea gods! Lucky I at least kept my 2nd fish on clip so I pulled him back up. Lesson learned take your time and kill your fish before attempting to stow him away! Oh yeah and don't flip your yak! haha. Best and worst day ever!

WORM, this deserves a posting of it's own!