4/24 Yesterday's Bite - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

rossman · 05-01-2013, 07:19 AM

In a previous post from the Iceman, Andy describes his reluctance to "chase yesterday's bite" so since I was able to get the party started on Wednesday of last week, I thought it is finally time to post a record of my day of fishing. Well, from Andy's point of view it was actually the day before yesterday's bite, but I told Andy and an "presently unnamed" yaker of my success on Wednesday. The story from Thursday from this "presently unnamed" person will of course be "yesterday's bite".

I have caught and lost numerous local WSB in the over the years in the months of March through September, but the week before the moons (new and full) in April and May has always been the sweet spot, especially on the week where the water temp first hits 63 degrees. So launching on Wednesday I had some pretty high hopes on having a run-in with one of these coastal ghosts.

I launched at first light and made my way to the bait area where I found swarms of jack macs but no greenies. I rigged these up Carolina style and started working my spots for no love for a couple hours. I finally found a few greenies of the right size and was hooked up within 10 minutes. This "probable" bull dozed into the kelp and the hook pulled within a minute. A half hour later I had another pickup and this one did the same thing broke off in the kelp. (note to self: Change from straight mono to braid) Finally around 9:00 am I had a third pick up and this one headed for open water when I swung on it. It became an up and down fight in 75 ft of water and I was pretty convinced it was a BSB. I can't describe the feeling when this thing rolled belly up 10 ft below the surface and I saw all of that white.

After several unsuccessful tries to get her on my back deck, I finally just put her in one of my foot wells and paddled in.

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Here's a couple more pics this 47.5 lb capture.

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Since Andy and a "presently unnamed" yaker both bettered my mark, I have no choice but to upgrade. I tried yesterday, but while the conditions have not changed much, the wind and the confused seas made it quite uncomfortable. Oh well, the new moon will come soon enough.

The Rossman

addicted2sp33d · 05-01-2013, 07:26 AM

Beautiful fish, and great story!

Thanks for taking the time to share with us weekday working-stiffs.

blitzburgh · 05-01-2013, 07:37 AM

F-N-A! Way to go man!

StinkyMatt · 05-01-2013, 07:57 AM

Great fish! Great write up. Thank you.

Damn, they paved the beach at LJ!

Iceman · 05-01-2013, 08:34 AM

Ross, thanks for lighting the fire. Nice

!!!........that other guy burned my house down

....well there was smoke coming out of my ears.

easyday · 05-01-2013, 10:38 AM

Awesome fish

steveooo · 05-01-2013, 11:40 AM

Ross is one of the most fishy guys I know. He puts his time in OTW to catch fish like this.

When I grow up, I want to be like Ross

lamb · 05-01-2013, 12:10 PM

Sweet fish,

CONGRATS!!!

SorryCharlie · 05-01-2013, 03:58 PM

VERY nice fish!

When I hit the water the weekend after your catch the guy at the bait barge mentioned your exploit and enticed me to try for one..... No luck, but Ill keep trying.

Any tips on what to look for on the surface that could say they are around?

Hopefully Ill see you out there some day.

rossman · 05-01-2013, 05:05 PM

There seems to be two types of wsb in my experience. Those that hang out on the edges of the kelp in attack mode and will make a run at bait swimming by on the outside of the kelp. The other tends to hang out under bait balls in open water. Greyhounding bait, boils and terns are going indications of something going on in the kelp. Bait balls in open water are made obvious by bird schools, ( especially terns) dolfin and feeding sea lions. If you have a meter you'll see these bass around the outside and underneath the balled up bait. Did I mention terns? If you see terns interested in a stretch of water, you should be interested too.

Good luck

mtnbykr2 · 05-01-2013, 08:14 PM

Awesome post, Awesome fish, congrats on that wall hanger...

JeffB · 05-01-2013, 08:19 PM

Very nice! I will take one of those any day of the week.

philr21 · 05-01-2013, 08:33 PM

Very cool indeed!

Sully1 · 05-01-2013, 08:41 PM

Enjoy the fine eats!

SorryCharlie · 05-01-2013, 09:02 PM

Thank you so much for the advice.

I have to say this site is fantastic! I have only been on for a few months and everybody is so willing to give advice and help us rookies improve our game.

I'm going out this weekend and will give it a try.

Thanks again!

bellcon · 05-01-2013, 09:06 PM

Congrats Ross
that fish is a beauty

Old Man in the Sea · 05-02-2013, 08:54 AM

nothing like a big WSB on the game clip secured in the yak!!!

capntim · 05-02-2013, 10:14 AM

Great one Ross. And thanks for the in sight. You obviously know what you are talking about!

JarrodMc · 05-02-2013, 11:17 PM

Nice fish! Thanks for the story and great post. enjoy the eats!

FlyFishinYakr · 05-03-2013, 01:22 AM

Attachment 9095

Attachment 9096

Attachment 9097

Since Andy and a "presently unnamed" yaker both bettered my mark, I have no choice but to upgrade. I tried yesterday, but while the conditions have not changed much, the wind and the confused seas made it quite uncomfortable. Oh well, the new moon will come soon enough.

The Rossman[/QUOTE]

I knew there was another reason for truck racks!!!

FFY
Veeerrryy nice feeessshhh!!!!!

05-01-2013, 07:19 AM	#1
rossman Marginally Irrelevant Join Date: May 2007 Location: Bahia Asuncion Posts: 936	4/24 Yesterday's Bite In a previous post from the Iceman, Andy describes his reluctance to "chase yesterday's bite" so since I was able to get the party started on Wednesday of last week, I thought it is finally time to post a record of my day of fishing. Well, from Andy's point of view it was actually the day before yesterday's bite, but I told Andy and an "presently unnamed" yaker of my success on Wednesday. The story from Thursday from this "presently unnamed" person will of course be "yesterday's bite". I have caught and lost numerous local WSB in the over the years in the months of March through September, but the week before the moons (new and full) in April and May has always been the sweet spot, especially on the week where the water temp first hits 63 degrees. So launching on Wednesday I had some pretty high hopes on having a run-in with one of these coastal ghosts. I launched at first light and made my way to the bait area where I found swarms of jack macs but no greenies. I rigged these up Carolina style and started working my spots for no love for a couple hours. I finally found a few greenies of the right size and was hooked up within 10 minutes. This "probable" bull dozed into the kelp and the hook pulled within a minute. A half hour later I had another pickup and this one did the same thing broke off in the kelp. (note to self: Change from straight mono to braid) Finally around 9:00 am I had a third pick up and this one headed for open water when I swung on it. It became an up and down fight in 75 ft of water and I was pretty convinced it was a BSB. I can't describe the feeling when this thing rolled belly up 10 ft below the surface and I saw all of that white. After several unsuccessful tries to get her on my back deck, I finally just put her in one of my foot wells and paddled in. Here's a couple more pics this 47.5 lb capture. Since Andy and a "presently unnamed" yaker both bettered my mark, I have no choice but to upgrade. I tried yesterday, but while the conditions have not changed much, the wind and the confused seas made it quite uncomfortable. Oh well, the new moon will come soon enough. The Rossman __________________ "When beholding the tranquil beauty and brilliancy of the ocean’s skin, one forgets the tiger heart that pants beneath it; and would not willingly remember that this velvet paw but conceals a remorseless fang. " — Herman Melville Y'all come see me now, hear!

05-01-2013, 07:37 AM	#3
blitzburgh Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Menifee Posts: 2,509	F-N-A! Way to go man! __________________ ”The beauty of the Second Amendment is that it will not be needed until they try to take it.” ~Thomas Jefferson.........maybe

05-01-2013, 08:34 AM	#5
Iceman Administrator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: 1-2 miles off the point Posts: 6,948	Ross, thanks for lighting the fire. Nice !!!........that other guy burned my house down ....well there was smoke coming out of my ears. __________________

05-01-2013, 10:38 AM	#6
easyday Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Oceanside Posts: 1,470	Awesome fish __________________

05-01-2013, 12:10 PM	#8
lamb Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 2,568	Sweet fish, CONGRATS!!! __________________ [------------------------ <)))< ....b-a-a-a-a

05-01-2013, 07:26 AM	#2
addicted2sp33d Here fishy fishy fishy... Join Date: May 2011 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 774	Beautiful fish, and great story! Thanks for taking the time to share with us weekday working-stiffs.

05-01-2013, 07:57 AM	#4
StinkyMatt Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Under a bridge Posts: 2,169	Great fish! Great write up. Thank you. Damn, they paved the beach at LJ!

05-01-2013, 11:40 AM	#7
steveooo Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 1,921	Ross is one of the most fishy guys I know. He puts his time in OTW to catch fish like this. When I grow up, I want to be like Ross

05-01-2013, 03:58 PM	#9
SorryCharlie Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Carlsbad Posts: 140	VERY nice fish! When I hit the water the weekend after your catch the guy at the bait barge mentioned your exploit and enticed me to try for one..... No luck, but Ill keep trying. Any tips on what to look for on the surface that could say they are around? Hopefully Ill see you out there some day.

05-01-2013, 05:05 PM	#10
rossman Marginally Irrelevant Join Date: May 2007 Location: Bahia Asuncion Posts: 936	There seems to be two types of wsb in my experience. Those that hang out on the edges of the kelp in attack mode and will make a run at bait swimming by on the outside of the kelp. The other tends to hang out under bait balls in open water. Greyhounding bait, boils and terns are going indications of something going on in the kelp. Bait balls in open water are made obvious by bird schools, ( especially terns) dolfin and feeding sea lions. If you have a meter you'll see these bass around the outside and underneath the balled up bait. Did I mention terns? If you see terns interested in a stretch of water, you should be interested too. Good luck __________________ "When beholding the tranquil beauty and brilliancy of the ocean’s skin, one forgets the tiger heart that pants beneath it; and would not willingly remember that this velvet paw but conceals a remorseless fang. " — Herman Melville Y'all come see me now, hear!

05-01-2013, 08:14 PM	#11
mtnbykr2 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: newbury park ca Posts: 2,323	Awesome post, Awesome fish, congrats on that wall hanger... __________________

05-01-2013, 08:19 PM	#12
JeffB Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: La Jolla Posts: 1,216	Very nice! I will take one of those any day of the week. __________________ If you're looking for me I'm

05-01-2013, 08:33 PM	#13
philr21 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2012 Location: Yokosuka, Japan Posts: 228	Very cool indeed!

05-01-2013, 08:41 PM	#14
Sully1 Member Join Date: May 2012 Location: The Beach Posts: 290	Enjoy the fine eats! __________________

05-01-2013, 09:02 PM	#15
SorryCharlie Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Carlsbad Posts: 140	Thank you so much for the advice. I have to say this site is fantastic! I have only been on for a few months and everybody is so willing to give advice and help us rookies improve our game. I'm going out this weekend and will give it a try. Thanks again!

05-01-2013, 09:06 PM	#16
bellcon Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: San Pedro Posts: 999	Congrats Ross that fish is a beauty __________________

05-02-2013, 08:54 AM	#17
Old Man in the Sea Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Bay Park Posts: 569	WTG ROSS nothing like a big WSB on the game clip secured in the yak!!!

05-02-2013, 10:14 AM	#18
capntim Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Laguna Hills Posts: 115	Great one Ross. And thanks for the in sight. You obviously know what you are talking about!

05-02-2013, 11:17 PM	#19
JarrodMc Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: Vista Posts: 411	Nice fish! Thanks for the story and great post. enjoy the eats! __________________

05-03-2013, 01:22 AM	#20
FlyFishinYakr Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Nor Cal...30 min from Bodega/Tomales Bay, 1hr from Clear Lake, 2+ hr to Berryessa & the Delta Posts: 729	Attachment 9095 Attachment 9096 Attachment 9097 Since Andy and a "presently unnamed" yaker both bettered my mark, I have no choice but to upgrade. I tried yesterday, but while the conditions have not changed much, the wind and the confused seas made it quite uncomfortable. Oh well, the new moon will come soon enough. The Rossman[/QUOTE] I knew there was another reason for truck racks!!! FFY Veeerrryy nice feeessshhh!!!!!