Doing the happy paddle times two - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

Aaron&Julie · 05-11-2006, 09:00 PM

We launched at 4:15AM. Shore break, but somehow we managed to get sloshed. Wet, but motivated, we paddled to the pier to make bait. Outside of the surf zone dolphins were working the bait. They stopped to give us an escort for a couple of hundred yards. We were paddling 5 feet apart and they were in between, and all around us, within a foot many times. The bioluminescence displayed their whole bodies. Julie was in heaven, Aaron was a little tripped out at how close they were in the dark. These were good 8 foot specimens, and we were bouncing from their wake.
After making greenies and spanish we made our way in front of the "big condo" just after grey light. It was a lake out there, no wind, no waves. And the fish activity seemed the same, flat. No bait or fish seen by us for 2 hours as we tried mackeral both high and low, and the Storm plugs.
We worked our way south and closer to shore to find bait ball after bait ball of sardines. Massive amounts. We threw iron at them, through them, trolled past them, but nobody was home. So we went back to our normal routine, working our way north.
Around 9:00AM Julie's low mackeral has a taker. Off with the clicker, let it eat it, load, and she's on. The fish breaks the surface, makes a few runs wrapping all loose lines, then sounds. Aaron clears the lines. Now the fish has found kelp. Aaron reminds her about the spectra and to put pressure on it. Sure enough, she starts slicing through the kelp. Minutes later, up comes the white and Aaron sinks the gaff. Julie's first white sea bass ever, and the completion of the kayak slam of yellowtail-halibut-wsb. This was something Aaron said would happen when we bought our kayaks 2 years ago. Done deal.
Here's her beauty at 33 lbs:

The wind has picked up by now and we're being blown onto the kelp beds. We start making for the barn, trolling the rest of our macks. We take turns getting hung in the kelp, each time the victim would paddle back to retrieve their rig. Julie was the last victim. As Aaron paddles ahead and gets closer to the canyon, he's bit. Let 'em eat, load, on. Then the longest run he's ever had, a good 200 yards. Before he can even get the forward momentum going on the kayak this fish has cut a dozen strands of bull kelp. Man, do we love spectra. Still, the fish is kicking his ass. Finally straight up and down, he works it, cutting still more kelp. Julie arrives, and lends a hand by clearing his other rod out of the way. Many curls later, up comes the fish, a 34 lb yellowtail.
This picture doesn't do justice to the shoulders on this fish:

We both did the happy paddle in, landing high and dry.

Ryan The Sealion · 05-11-2006, 09:19 PM

awesome trip! heard of other fish landed too. I was way out sharkin again :roll: wrong decision apparently!

Dan · 05-11-2006, 09:28 PM

Congrats you two. La Jolla showing the love!

Holy Mackerel · 05-11-2006, 09:49 PM

Awesome!!! Hope to repeat that this Saturday!!

Chris

steveooo · 05-11-2006, 10:22 PM

Amazing!!!
Julie Knock it off!!!

dmr · 05-11-2006, 10:26 PM

Great work you two!

tylerdurden · 05-11-2006, 10:42 PM

Way to go you two. Great to see the YT starting to hit the baits.

Croaker Dave · 05-11-2006, 11:28 PM

Kick Ass!

T-Rex · 05-12-2006, 12:42 AM

Congrats on the fish you two!

Julie wtg on the wsb! My money's on Aaron to pick up a flatty this month for a wsb-yt-hali May slam too!

lamb · 05-12-2006, 07:29 AM

A&J on fire!!!! 8)

Sweet!

hooked · 05-12-2006, 08:03 AM

congrats,

Check out the newspaper today, there is a write up about your exploits.

-Peter

Lit-up1 · 05-12-2006, 10:58 AM

You two just have it going on

Way to go on the WORLD RECORD flattie :!: :!:
First whitie and nice YT--
Whats next :?:

Dave

vellocity · 05-12-2006, 11:33 AM

you guys RULE!

katchfish · 05-12-2006, 06:18 PM

Excellent!

Ken

GBF · 05-13-2006, 07:52 PM

DAMN.......................You two are on fire!!

Way to go!!

GBF

05-11-2006, 09:00 PM	#1
Aaron&Julie Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Spring Valley Posts: 1,400	Doing the happy paddle times two We launched at 4:15AM. Shore break, but somehow we managed to get sloshed. Wet, but motivated, we paddled to the pier to make bait. Outside of the surf zone dolphins were working the bait. They stopped to give us an escort for a couple of hundred yards. We were paddling 5 feet apart and they were in between, and all around us, within a foot many times. The bioluminescence displayed their whole bodies. Julie was in heaven, Aaron was a little tripped out at how close they were in the dark. These were good 8 foot specimens, and we were bouncing from their wake. After making greenies and spanish we made our way in front of the "big condo" just after grey light. It was a lake out there, no wind, no waves. And the fish activity seemed the same, flat. No bait or fish seen by us for 2 hours as we tried mackeral both high and low, and the Storm plugs. We worked our way south and closer to shore to find bait ball after bait ball of sardines. Massive amounts. We threw iron at them, through them, trolled past them, but nobody was home. So we went back to our normal routine, working our way north. Around 9:00AM Julie's low mackeral has a taker. Off with the clicker, let it eat it, load, and she's on. The fish breaks the surface, makes a few runs wrapping all loose lines, then sounds. Aaron clears the lines. Now the fish has found kelp. Aaron reminds her about the spectra and to put pressure on it. Sure enough, she starts slicing through the kelp. Minutes later, up comes the white and Aaron sinks the gaff. Julie's first white sea bass ever, and the completion of the kayak slam of yellowtail-halibut-wsb. This was something Aaron said would happen when we bought our kayaks 2 years ago. Done deal. Here's her beauty at 33 lbs: The wind has picked up by now and we're being blown onto the kelp beds. We start making for the barn, trolling the rest of our macks. We take turns getting hung in the kelp, each time the victim would paddle back to retrieve their rig. Julie was the last victim. As Aaron paddles ahead and gets closer to the canyon, he's bit. Let 'em eat, load, on. Then the longest run he's ever had, a good 200 yards. Before he can even get the forward momentum going on the kayak this fish has cut a dozen strands of bull kelp. Man, do we love spectra. Still, the fish is kicking his ass. Finally straight up and down, he works it, cutting still more kelp. Julie arrives, and lends a hand by clearing his other rod out of the way. Many curls later, up comes the fish, a 34 lb yellowtail. This picture doesn't do justice to the shoulders on this fish: We both did the happy paddle in, landing high and dry. __________________ "Never say die"

05-12-2006, 07:29 AM	#10
lamb Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 2,568	A&J on fire!!!! 8) Sweet! __________________ [------------------------ <)))< ....b-a-a-a-a

05-12-2006, 10:58 AM	#12
Lit-up1 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Point Loma Posts: 384	World Record- You two just have it going on Way to go on the WORLD RECORD flattie :!: :!: First whitie and nice YT-- Whats next :?: Dave

05-13-2006, 07:52 PM	#15
GBF Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Huntington Beach CA Posts: 323	DAMN.......................You two are on fire!! Way to go!! GBF __________________ "Just keep going out....it's better than staying Home"

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05-11-2006, 09:19 PM	#2
Ryan The Sealion Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 308	awesome trip! heard of other fish landed too. I was way out sharkin again :roll: wrong decision apparently!

05-11-2006, 09:28 PM	#3
Dan Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 1,053	Congrats you two. La Jolla showing the love!

05-11-2006, 09:49 PM	#4
Holy Mackerel Señor member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 1,627	Awesome!!! Hope to repeat that this Saturday!! Chris

05-11-2006, 10:22 PM	#5
steveooo Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 1,921	Amazing!!! Julie Knock it off!!!

05-11-2006, 10:26 PM	#6
dmr Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Carlsbad Posts: 155	Great work you two!

05-11-2006, 10:42 PM	#7
tylerdurden Bad Clone Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 874	Way to go you two. Great to see the YT starting to hit the baits.

05-11-2006, 11:28 PM	#8
Croaker Dave Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: OC Posts: 171	Kick Ass!

05-12-2006, 12:42 AM	#9
T-Rex Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Rancho Santa Margarita Posts: 770	Congrats on the fish you two! Julie wtg on the wsb! My money's on Aaron to pick up a flatty this month for a wsb-yt-hali May slam too!

05-12-2006, 08:03 AM	#11
hooked on phonics Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: La Mesa Posts: 47	congrats, Check out the newspaper today, there is a write up about your exploits. -Peter

05-12-2006, 11:33 AM	#13
vellocity Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 388	you guys RULE!

05-12-2006, 06:18 PM	#14
katchfish Paddle for Mahi Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Doing the happy paddle! Posts: 849	Excellent! Ken