It ain't easy!

[roadx]

Finding and catching big fish from a kayak that is. I tried on my own, for many trips I might add, but eventually I gave in and made the call. While I was hoping my first trip with The Guru would land me a trophy fish...... it wasn't meant to be. An hour after we launched the wind picked up to a solid twenty miles an hour if not more. It was nasty! So we packed it in early and I was told that trip wouldn't count and I'd still have two days to catch my trophy. Our next trip had much better conditions. The sun was out and the wind was calm for our afternoon launch. Just a beautiful day to be on the water. We make a few passes trolling the point for yellows with a flylined mack. Josh had been slaying the yellows the days prior, but wasn't liking the current this afternoon. So we changed gears and moved to a spot he said was holding White Seabass. Yellowtail or White Seabass, I could care less at this point. I just wanted something to bring home to the old lady.

As we roll up to the spot one of Josh's former clients is already there and hooks up with a WSB. They quickly pull it up and release it. I would have killed for that fish and he's letting it go! Josh helps me tune my sonar and we start working the kelp. We make a few drifts and a Sea Lion decides he wants to eat every bait we put in the water. Forcing us to move to another area. Josh is clearly annoyed having to leave biting fish. We peddle a long distance trying to loose the seal and finally ditch the pest. Josh spots some marks on the sonar and we both send out baits. Guess who instantly hooks up? Unless this is your first day on this site you probably know. Not me! Darkness came quickly and that ended trip number two. Or trip number one after scratching the day we got blown off the water.

Josh told me of a certain day in the near future to look out for. That things were changing and to look out for his call. He said that when he calls it's time to go! I just got off work one day and was sitting on the couch watching TV as the phone rings (on the day that was predicted I might add). It's Josh. "When can you be at the shores?" "It's time to go!" I frantically start packing my gear trying not to forget anything and Im out the door in minutes. I park my truck as he arrives and he give me a couple pointers to slightly tweak my gear from our last trip. I scramble to get out in the surf, as i break through the surf I'm thinking to myself, this sure beats sitting at home watching TV. I give Josh a big thanks for getting me off my ass. I don't get much of a reaction and can tell he's focused on getting us out on the grounds in a hurry. We get out on the grounds and Josh hands me some bait, put this on while i go make some more. A quick "I'll be back" and he's gone. Josh comes back with a loaded tank and we make a short move as he's watching the sonar.

After a bit of scanning the area things start turning on. Josh is seeing fish on the meter and I could feel it coming. I'm getting pumped! Then Josh tells me "they're coming through below the boat". He tells me to get ready as he winds his line out of the water so he doesn't get bit. For the first time I see those marks he's been telling me about and instantly get slammed!!! Full bendo with the rod pinned to my leg as the kayak is getting towed!!! Josh holds onto my boat and starts cheering me on. He's watching my fish on the sonar saying: " 50 feet to glory!" "wind on him, don't stop!" "25 feet to glory!" "go go go, one more circle". Then the fish takes another hard run to the bottom! Josh assures me that we've got nothing but time and there's no obstacles below the boat on the sonar. I relax a bit as we go through the paces again: "50 feet to glory", "30 feet to glory", "don't stop now" and I scream YES!! as he sinks the gaff. Having the fish gaffed and secured then seeing that White Seabass along side the yak is a great feeling.

This is seconds before I cracked open that celebratory beer. I had been waiting a long time for this moment.

If you had the pleasure of going to Josh's seminar you would know he has a wealth of knowledge and is willing to share. Always teaching and making you aware of your surroundings. From launching to landing he's doing everything he can to get you what you are going for. It's money well spent and I highly recommend THE DARKHORSE, a.k.a. Josh Pruitt as a guide. http://inshorekayak.com/ He's a professional, who clearly knows La Jolla like the back of his hand. An amazing fisherman who absolutely busted his ass to put me on fish!

Josh's clients are always catching fish and now I know why. To say that I was satisfied with his service would be an understatement.

[Regor]

Nice WSB

Yeah, I happen to know the Dark one also

[Aaron&Julie]

That's one hefty looking fish. Congrats.

[Lets_Fish]

Exciting story and congrats on the monster

[sdfisher]

Nice report, and most importantly NICE FISH!

looks like money well spent, hopefully you have the info you need to go out and repeat

[StinkyMatt]

Congratulations on a very nice fish. You know what they say......after the first one they get easier........With all the knowledge you'll be needing a bigger freezer!

[Whizz Bang]

Congrats!!! Nice fish. And for the record, about 12 hours later I would have killed for that WSB too. Again, well done.

[old_rookie]

Good to see that 0 change to a 1 !!!!

[FlyFishinYakr]

Celabratory Beer???
I'd break out the 25 yr. old Bourbon and a Cigar. LOL!
Congrats on the elusive ghost!.
FFY

[mtnbykr2]

great post, great fish, great memory...nicely done

[xpresso2am]

beautiful story, beautiful fish! congrats!

[tagyak]

great call!!!! glad to see that you got yours, now go get some more. hopefully that saying is true, "after the first one; it gets easier".

[dorado50]

Very cool.. One guy finds the fish the other guy hooks and fights fish the one guy gaffs fish and secures.. Very efficient teamwork there! WTG keep at it all that hard work just may give you a second or third place in WCW!

[Hamachijohn]

Congrats on your first! I too hope to have the same experience soon...

[THE DARKHORSE]

You handled that fish like a pro; calm, cool and collected. It's not too often that clients live in the neighborhood. Lets go play that game of pool we talked about and have another celebratory beer. After you get dragged through the kelp forest on a Yellowtail to match, of course.