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#1 |
Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Menifee, CA
Posts: 53
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Persistence is Key
Left my house in Menifee a little later than I wanted but made it to the launch just after first light. Launched in beautiful conditions and once I made it to the corner, I was able to easily make bait. Mostly GB but a couple of spanish that I kept just in case. Put 6 macs in the bait tank and I was off to the races. Once I got out of the pack at the corner and found my own ground about 200 yards south, I marked a good one. Dropped my brand new purple squid Tady 4/0 and it must have hit this fish right on the forehead. The second it hit something hard I had enough time to move the lever to strike the rod was almost ripped out of my hands and a split second later it was gone... No time to waste as the mark was still there so I grabbed my trusty Penn Jigmaster 500 with a dropper loop set up and sent one of the spanish down to depth. Clicker on and freespool I set the rod in the rod holder and looked at the 40 lb fluoro leader from my yoyo rod. The line was sliced just above where the iron would have been... The knot didnt fail but Im not sure what could have happened unless a fish rocked me instantly or if it was a shark down there... No time to think as I see my ff light up with a solid worm around my bait. Click click zzzzzz and were off to the races with the right kind on. I had the biggest smile on my face as I enjoyed my first sleigh ride until I started to feel the line sliding through kelp and my smile immediately started to fade as I made the realization that my Penn had mono and not braid. Luckily another kayaker was out there to keep me calm and encouraged me to just relax and take my time with it. This guy cut extra stringers of kelp that I accumulated on my line, while I was trying to keep pressure and stay calm... Finally after about 25 minutes of excitement and the fear of losing this fish, I bring the fish to color, along with about 40 lbs of kelp just above the fish. Aaron (spelling?) the other kayaker helping me out was able to get a perfect gaff shot on my first kayak yellowtail! I have caught plenty of yellowtail, tuna, and dorado of varying sizes but this fish had to have been the fish that I am most proud of! Putting in my time on the kayak and learning what to look for and to understand the conditions finally allowed me to land this fish and I couldnt be happier! Thanks Aaron for keeping me calm and helping me land this fish, and of course for the OTW shots! Tight lines to all! |
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#2 |
Member
Join Date: Jan 2015
Location: San Diego
Posts: 62
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Sick story! Congrats on the first off your yak! You're gonna be hooked on it even more now!
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#3 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Vista
Posts: 326
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Congrats and enjoy your catch. Nothing better than eating fresh fish. Make sure to check out Yani's website at fishermansbelly.com for some super recipes.
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#4 |
"Relax"
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: O'side
Posts: 553
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Great Work and Percistances!!!
That one reason I enjoy this community, most of us try and help and encourage each other. Get post and it goes to show - you don't have to always fish the pack to catch fish. WTG!!! You too Aaron! Geno
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#5 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: Oceanside
Posts: 197
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Solid fish Matt! Starting off the year right
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#6 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Menifee
Posts: 2,509
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Nice work!
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”The beauty of the Second Amendment is that it will not be needed until they try to take it.” ~Thomas Jefferson.........maybe ![]() |
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#7 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2009
Location: Bozeman, Montana
Posts: 164
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Congrats and an awesome post!
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- Ken Redondo Beach, CA 2011 Malibu Stealth 14 ![]() |
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#8 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 715
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Love your story Matt!! Way to go and keep at it.
You're right on tract. Beautiful fish and story. |
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#9 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 326
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Nice one and you title is the key.
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Climb, Surf, Fish, Repeat |
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#10 |
Member
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Pine Valley when not fishing La Jolla
Posts: 2,641
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Congrats on your first kayak yellow, and in putting in the time on the water and learning all you could to make it happen. Most kayak anglers on this site are awesome and more than willing to help others in the community. Enjoy the fruit of your effort, it will most likely be the best tasting Yellow you ever had, because of the work and enjoyment of catching it in a kayak. Tight Lines
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MARK ......... 2016 MALIBU X FACTOR, 2020 SOLO SKIFF (Fishing Kayak on Steroids ![]() ![]() ![]() |
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#11 |
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 1,972
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Well, if the Menifee guys are getting...it must be WFO! JOKE. Well earned!
Jim
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Recreational Fisherman's Catch...2% Commercial Fisherman's Catch- 98% Recreational Fishing Kayakers Catch- .00001% "The reality is that the wall was built to keep all Asians ~specifically Japanese and those that think they're japanese~ out of the U.S" ![]() |
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#12 |
Senior Member
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Chula Vista
Posts: 1,589
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Congrats and way to stay focussed. Your iron bite my have been from a shark. Its rare but they will bite iron. A buddy of mine caught a big soup fin on the yoyo and I've hooked makos on both light and heavy iron.
Your '16 is off to a great start. Keep up the good work. Mike |
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#13 |
Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: Menifee, CA
Posts: 53
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