Late Report - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

T-Rex · 08-09-2014, 04:38 PM

Arrived at the beach well before sunrise and launched at dawn into 1 ft surf. Water was 73 deg. As I made my way to the corner bait was plentiful everywhere -- mostly spanish macks in the 7-8" size with a few jumbo 15" greenies mixed in. I brought my lighter tackle and flylined a spanish on my 8' 25# rig. After about 45 minutes I caught an embarrasingly small rat yellow - maybe 5 lbs. Decided to pin on a 15" greenback and try for something larger. 30 minutes later I hooked into a nicer model. Great fight on light gear - and really got interesting when a f'n knot-head grabbed it at the kayak.

I buttoned down the drag and kept heavy pressure on the line to try to prevent the dog from getting a better grip on the fish and to get the kayak closer and not let the dog get a solid breath. After a 10 minute tug of war, the fish popped free and surprisingly still had some fight left. Got him to the kayak and when I reached down to grab it the dog bypassed the fish and charged me! That freaked me out a little but fortunately, the gaff was in easy reach and found its mark the first time. No otw photos because the dog kept harassing me until I got the fish into the hatch. I was pretty stoked getting it away from the knot-head. Although it was pretty beat up -- tail chewed, bruised and bitten -- it was a lot better than no fish at all!

momo fish · 08-09-2014, 05:19 PM

Great work and thanks for report. Glad he didn't end up on your kayak!

SLYACKER · 08-09-2014, 05:21 PM

Nice fish

Cbad Mike · 08-09-2014, 05:29 PM

The expression

on that fish's face says it all.
Nice catch!

Lipripper92592 · 08-09-2014, 08:11 PM

Nice job! I'm sure it pulled good on the 25.

Ricsen · 08-09-2014, 08:24 PM

I'm glad you won the battle. Real nice fish and well deserved.

Widgeon · 08-09-2014, 08:31 PM

What an experience!
That's what it's all about.
Nice job.

FISH11 · 08-09-2014, 09:27 PM

Great report. Good to hear you won the battle. It's hard enough battling the fish but when the dogs get involved it's a different war. When you said the gaff found it's mark I was almost hoping the seal had gotten in the way.

seaquinn · 08-09-2014, 10:04 PM

nice, nice, nice.... so sweet to beat the !@#!@# seal!

I'm kind of amazed the seal let that get away. Would have made a darn nice meal for it.

FlyFishinYakr · 08-10-2014, 12:43 AM

So I guess it is true...the bigger the bait the bigger the fish!

Sea dogs are cute until they want to play with your catch

(where's the tax man when you need him!

)
Great job on the tug-of-war.

At least the fish was just beat up a little and not had a chunk out of it.
FFY

JDW · 08-10-2014, 07:03 AM

Two fights for the price of one! I'm glad you got to keep your fish. Dogs need to get their own.

08-09-2014, 04:38 PM	#1
T-Rex Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Rancho Santa Margarita Posts: 770	Late Report Arrived at the beach well before sunrise and launched at dawn into 1 ft surf. Water was 73 deg. As I made my way to the corner bait was plentiful everywhere -- mostly spanish macks in the 7-8" size with a few jumbo 15" greenies mixed in. I brought my lighter tackle and flylined a spanish on my 8' 25# rig. After about 45 minutes I caught an embarrasingly small rat yellow - maybe 5 lbs. Decided to pin on a 15" greenback and try for something larger. 30 minutes later I hooked into a nicer model. Great fight on light gear - and really got interesting when a f'n knot-head grabbed it at the kayak. I buttoned down the drag and kept heavy pressure on the line to try to prevent the dog from getting a better grip on the fish and to get the kayak closer and not let the dog get a solid breath. After a 10 minute tug of war, the fish popped free and surprisingly still had some fight left. Got him to the kayak and when I reached down to grab it the dog bypassed the fish and charged me! That freaked me out a little but fortunately, the gaff was in easy reach and found its mark the first time. No otw photos because the dog kept harassing me until I got the fish into the hatch. I was pretty stoked getting it away from the knot-head. Although it was pretty beat up -- tail chewed, bruised and bitten -- it was a lot better than no fish at all! __________________ Last edited by T-Rex; 08-09-2014 at 08:21 PM.

08-09-2014, 05:29 PM	#4
Cbad Mike Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Carlsbad Ca. Posts: 1,206	The expression on that fish's face says it all. Nice catch! __________________ [SIGPIC]

08-09-2014, 09:27 PM	#8
FISH11 Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Pine Valley when not fishing La Jolla Posts: 2,642	Great report. Good to hear you won the battle. It's hard enough battling the fish but when the dogs get involved it's a different war. When you said the gaff found it's mark I was almost hoping the seal had gotten in the way. __________________ MARK ......... 2016 MALIBU X FACTOR, 2020 SOLO SKIFF (Fishing Kayak on Steroids )

08-09-2014, 05:19 PM	#2
momo fish Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Camarillo Posts: 1,491	Great work and thanks for report. Glad he didn't end up on your kayak!

08-09-2014, 05:21 PM	#3
SLYACKER Senior Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: Corona, ca Posts: 100	Nice fish

08-09-2014, 08:11 PM	#5
Lipripper92592 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Posts: 516	Nice job! I'm sure it pulled good on the 25.

08-09-2014, 08:24 PM	#6
Ricsen Member Join Date: Jul 2014 Posts: 65	I'm glad you won the battle. Real nice fish and well deserved.

08-09-2014, 08:31 PM	#7
Widgeon Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: Clairemont Posts: 175	What an experience! That's what it's all about. Nice job.

08-09-2014, 10:04 PM	#9
seaquinn wishin' I was fishin' Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Blossom Valley (near El Cajon) Posts: 148	nice, nice, nice.... so sweet to beat the !@#!@# seal! I'm kind of amazed the seal let that get away. Would have made a darn nice meal for it.

08-10-2014, 12:43 AM	#10
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	So I guess it is true...the bigger the bait the bigger the fish! Sea dogs are cute until they want to play with your catch (where's the tax man when you need him! ) Great job on the tug-of-war. At least the fish was just beat up a little and not had a chunk out of it. FFY

08-10-2014, 07:03 AM	#11
JDW Member Join Date: May 2014 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 57	Two fights for the price of one! I'm glad you got to keep your fish. Dogs need to get their own.