7/18 LJ Kelped - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

Afran · 07-18-2007, 01:16 PM

Kelped Out.
0500 launch
1-3 ft
69 water temp
3 browns, 2 greens
slack tide / low tide
0900 landing

trolled up the line with a brown on the fly line, while throwing the surface iron and trying to make bait. Saw some birds working and a boil, I got there it was a seal lunch boxing a cuda or small yellow. Lost the brown, put on a big green.

got 3/4 up the line and made U turn. needed to get to work soon and it wasn't feeling fishy up there. Coming back down the line and hugging the kelp, it was a pick bite on the cudas with the iron. The cudas did well today. They fought back and played fair. Party boats and PBers closing in on the spot.

I'm a little deeper in the kelp now and I here a swirl, look back and see a very sizeable foot print on a stringer 10ft from me. I think about throwing the iron, then the Green goes bye-bye. YT picked it up and is making his run. I think to myself, "I can swing early and potentially misses this fish because the greenback is about 12+" long or I can let him eat it and hope I can pull him out of the kelp". Well, I chose option 2.

Let him run.. 20 count, reel down on it and we are hooked up. He made runs and we popped kelp. After about 5 stringers he got all waded up. I had most of my Fluro back, but could not see color. Worked it for 10 mins. Even let him free spool. It started moving out, but I buried it again. Made a few circles around the area to free my friend but the hook finally pulled.

Worked the area for a while longer. Cudas.

Get yer kelp cutters out.

Holy Mackerel · 07-18-2007, 01:42 PM

Thanks for the report, that sucks to lose a fish to kelp... FWIW, I think these pelagic fish, suck down these baits fast... I don't believe that you need to wait any longer on a Porno Greenie, when you get ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ! Only time, I wait, is upon ZZZZZZZZ...zzz...ZZ...zzzzzz....ZZZZ... then it is sort of a guessing game on those strikes... I had a hearbreaker just the other day, spectra gave upon load up...

At least got the heartbreak loss overwith for the summer... (hopefully)

Chris

Afran · 07-18-2007, 02:42 PM

I here ya on the ZZZZ, I thought about setting it sooner, I'm sure the YT hit the bait from the side and ate it down. I've been short bit by so many cudas lately.... I wanted the YT it to eat it down. A gamble.

Sorry to hear about the spectra pop. Particular brand? At the knot? I thinking about re-spooling soon.

Did see 1 YT on a yak this morning.

Holy Mackerel · 07-18-2007, 03:23 PM

I use green #65 Powerpro, never had any problems before... I believe the root cause of my problem was that I had tangled my low rig with my hi rig, during bad wind chop, once lines were freed, I didnt go back and make sure the knot in the middle (caused by my tangle) of my spectra had cleared...

I have used #30 PP on my jigstick, and it spontaneously broke a few times... I wouldnt recommend anything less than #65, but I only use Spectra on my bait rigs...

RE: short bit on cudas, I prefer that, as opposed to hooking them...

Chris

Afran · 07-18-2007, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Holy Mackerel

RE: short bit on cudas, I prefer that, as opposed to hooking them...

Chris

Agree

vellocity · 07-18-2007, 04:06 PM

what's up Afran!
saw the kayak check out the furbag show this morning, had no idea it was you! we would have came by to say hello..
Skipp and i were on my sled trying to get into that YT bite that was a no show this morning..

only action i saw was around 9am, that massive 40' yacht that was driving around everyone got a tiny YT against the kelp. right after he gaffed it we took a double zinger on the high and low baits.. i had only BIG spanish this morning so yeah, i let them eat them for a while too! skipp and i both set the hooks on each rod and both got nothing.. one came back sanded and crushed, the other bait was untouched.. i think a tiny YT picked it up and ran across the other line so both clickers were going off..
nothing but cigar cudas for us.. skunky on the YT..
we left around 10

hopefully they show up on the fish counts.. but looked like both 1/2 day AM boats were quiet..

it's been a awhile since i've been out, but feels good be along the kelp again!

madscientist · 07-18-2007, 05:09 PM

You still using the power pop, Chris? Brave man.

I agree with you about the timing though. I think YT try to bite their baits at the head, so the size of the bait is somewhat unrelated to the time one should allow before setting the hook. Personally, I've never been able to patiently wait when the reel is screaming. I always flip the drag on as quickly as I can and I rarely feel like I miss them due to too short of a time.

Good to hear from you, Nelz! Where ya been?

Afran · 07-18-2007, 08:18 PM

Nelz, I thought that was you guys for sure. I should have come by to say wazzup! Glad you got out there.

I was on the 17lb (Calucutta 400) and 20lb (Sealine 20) bait rigs today (both with too much leader - connected to 65lbs spectra mainline), looking for a fight.

Brings out the big guns PM tomorrow... It's a war.

vellocity · 07-19-2007, 02:32 AM

see you in the PM Afran.. Skipp's got his fishing license for the year yesterday so we're gonna USE it.

Brad,
chasing tail....not YT though.... too hard to fish now, i did do a 8 day trip a few weeks ago, other than that? that is the only fishing i've pretty much done this year...

i've also been stand up paddleboarding... every morning fromthe Marine room to the cove then to the pier and back to the Marine room.. with that, i have the mad respect for you paddle fishermen!!
paddling is hard work!

07-18-2007, 01:16 PM	#1
Afran fishy Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: San Diego Posts: 219	7/18 LJ Kelped Kelped Out. 0500 launch 1-3 ft 69 water temp 3 browns, 2 greens slack tide / low tide 0900 landing trolled up the line with a brown on the fly line, while throwing the surface iron and trying to make bait. Saw some birds working and a boil, I got there it was a seal lunch boxing a cuda or small yellow. Lost the brown, put on a big green. got 3/4 up the line and made U turn. needed to get to work soon and it wasn't feeling fishy up there. Coming back down the line and hugging the kelp, it was a pick bite on the cudas with the iron. The cudas did well today. They fought back and played fair. Party boats and PBers closing in on the spot. I'm a little deeper in the kelp now and I here a swirl, look back and see a very sizeable foot print on a stringer 10ft from me. I think about throwing the iron, then the Green goes bye-bye. YT picked it up and is making his run. I think to myself, "I can swing early and potentially misses this fish because the greenback is about 12+" long or I can let him eat it and hope I can pull him out of the kelp". Well, I chose option 2. Let him run.. 20 count, reel down on it and we are hooked up. He made runs and we popped kelp. After about 5 stringers he got all waded up. I had most of my Fluro back, but could not see color. Worked it for 10 mins. Even let him free spool. It started moving out, but I buried it again. Made a few circles around the area to free my friend but the hook finally pulled. Worked the area for a while longer. Cudas. Get yer kelp cutters out. __________________ warbaits.com Instagram @warbaits Last edited by Afran; 07-18-2007 at 02:57 PM.

07-18-2007, 05:09 PM	#7
madscientist Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 1,906	You still using the power pop, Chris? Brave man. I agree with you about the timing though. I think YT try to bite their baits at the head, so the size of the bait is somewhat unrelated to the time one should allow before setting the hook. Personally, I've never been able to patiently wait when the reel is screaming. I always flip the drag on as quickly as I can and I rarely feel like I miss them due to too short of a time. Good to hear from you, Nelz! Where ya been? __________________

07-18-2007, 08:18 PM	#8
Afran fishy Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: San Diego Posts: 219	Nelz, I thought that was you guys for sure. I should have come by to say wazzup! Glad you got out there. I was on the 17lb (Calucutta 400) and 20lb (Sealine 20) bait rigs today (both with too much leader - connected to 65lbs spectra mainline), looking for a fight. Brings out the big guns PM tomorrow... It's a war. __________________ warbaits.com Instagram @warbaits

07-18-2007, 01:42 PM	#2
Holy Mackerel Señor member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 1,627	Thanks for the report, that sucks to lose a fish to kelp... FWIW, I think these pelagic fish, suck down these baits fast... I don't believe that you need to wait any longer on a Porno Greenie, when you get ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ! Only time, I wait, is upon ZZZZZZZZ...zzz...ZZ...zzzzzz....ZZZZ... then it is sort of a guessing game on those strikes... I had a hearbreaker just the other day, spectra gave upon load up... At least got the heartbreak loss overwith for the summer... (hopefully) Chris

07-18-2007, 02:42 PM	#3
Afran fishy Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: San Diego Posts: 219	I here ya on the ZZZZ, I thought about setting it sooner, I'm sure the YT hit the bait from the side and ate it down. I've been short bit by so many cudas lately.... I wanted the YT it to eat it down. A gamble. Sorry to hear about the spectra pop. Particular brand? At the knot? I thinking about re-spooling soon. Did see 1 YT on a yak this morning. __________________ warbaits.com Instagram @warbaits

07-18-2007, 03:23 PM	#4
Holy Mackerel Señor member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 1,627	I use green #65 Powerpro, never had any problems before... I believe the root cause of my problem was that I had tangled my low rig with my hi rig, during bad wind chop, once lines were freed, I didnt go back and make sure the knot in the middle (caused by my tangle) of my spectra had cleared... I have used #30 PP on my jigstick, and it spontaneously broke a few times... I wouldnt recommend anything less than #65, but I only use Spectra on my bait rigs... RE: short bit on cudas, I prefer that, as opposed to hooking them... Chris

07-18-2007, 04:06 PM	#6
vellocity Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 388	didn't know it was you! what's up Afran! saw the kayak check out the furbag show this morning, had no idea it was you! we would have came by to say hello.. Skipp and i were on my sled trying to get into that YT bite that was a no show this morning.. only action i saw was around 9am, that massive 40' yacht that was driving around everyone got a tiny YT against the kelp. right after he gaffed it we took a double zinger on the high and low baits.. i had only BIG spanish this morning so yeah, i let them eat them for a while too! skipp and i both set the hooks on each rod and both got nothing.. one came back sanded and crushed, the other bait was untouched.. i think a tiny YT picked it up and ran across the other line so both clickers were going off.. nothing but cigar cudas for us.. skunky on the YT.. we left around 10 hopefully they show up on the fish counts.. but looked like both 1/2 day AM boats were quiet.. it's been a awhile since i've been out, but feels good be along the kelp again!

07-19-2007, 02:32 AM	#9
vellocity Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 388	see you in the PM Afran.. Skipp's got his fishing license for the year yesterday so we're gonna USE it. Brad, chasing tail....not YT though.... too hard to fish now, i did do a 8 day trip a few weeks ago, other than that? that is the only fishing i've pretty much done this year... i've also been stand up paddleboarding... every morning fromthe Marine room to the cove then to the pier and back to the Marine room.. with that, i have the mad respect for you paddle fishermen!! paddling is hard work!