Fishing report with avery ellisman in Israel

[swinginFish]

Hit the water w/ Menash early Fri. after a late Thurs. night gathering of some 40 Israeli kayak fishing enthusisasts. Launched out of the marina in Ashkelon - a city about 15 kilometers north of Gaza. Were some missles fired from there at Israel the day before, so it was a target for Israeli retaliation - noise from which checkered the night and was heard while we were fishing. Interesting how one can adjust to this rugged reality, and interesting that Israeli amberjack hit and fight like YT's - suspect they taste like them too.

Water there was well into the 70's, full of jelly fish and quite clear. Menash metered fish over a sunken ship directly off the marina's break water, and a place he has dialed in. At around 8:30 AM he caught his first amberjack on a set up he uses oftn (long thin iron with a stinger and no trailing hook), and I fished a 7' stick w/ the Torium 20 I brought him from here. Didn't find any bait, so yoyoed a brought-along blue and chrome salas. Got hit and unpinned after Menash landed a juvenile amberjack, but on my next drift a bigger unit struck and stuck - 11lbs on Menash's hand-held scale.

Want to thank the OK reps for loaning me an SPTW for the day - a boat I feel quite at home in, Jim Sammons for the loan of some great kayak fishing videos, Menash for the introduction to his cronies and opprortunity to fish his local waters, and BWE for a forum that's gone international.

Menash you were a great host, and I look forward to returning the favor to you and/or any of the Israel Fishing Forum breathren.

Col hacavode!

Avery