The end of a long grind. - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

rossman · 09-15-2014, 02:21 PM

My annual local WSB hunt normally starts in mid April and by mid June I generally have one in my freezer. This year they have been avoiding me and it is not of lack of trying. I have been fishing the local OC waters at least twice a week since April and I concentrate almost exclusively on trying to lure one of these ghosts into my yak. Finally stuck one today.
My son Zed and I decided to hit San Onofre this morning. He had caught a nice 30 lb YT there a week and a half ago so I figured I would give that a try while the surf was manageable, and before the next swell later this week. We got out to the grounds at 6:45 and found a good variety of bait. I had one flylined mac and one halibut rig with a mac. About 8:00 I get a pickup on my flyline and the fight was on. He bulldozed into the kelp but the spectra did it's job and was able to drop a nice 50 pounder into my rod pod.

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About a half hour later I got bit again but this time on the dropper loop and again the battle in the kelp was on. I was able to get him to about 15 ft below me in a massive kelp tangle. He was thrashing around and ultimately broke my 25 pound Floro at the threeway. Looked to be about the same size as the first one and I'll just call it a premature release since I would have let him go anyway.

I have hooked and or caught WSB in almost every month of the year but to have it happen in 74 degree water is simply unfathomable. What a crazy year.

So there you have an very current fishing report but be warned that the swell and a nasty shore break was already building and it was pretty dicey.

Go get em boys.

cabojohn · 09-15-2014, 02:25 PM

Just Outstanding Rossman.
Congratulations on a helluva fish...AGAIN!
That's a PIG of a fish!! CHIT.

steveooo · 09-15-2014, 02:26 PM

Insane! You were overdue

ful-rac · 09-15-2014, 02:31 PM

Nasty shore break...I got a video on that!

Congrats by the way!

Bert Vega · 09-15-2014, 02:41 PM

I have only dreamed about getting a ghost. Well done sir!!!

GregAndrew · 09-15-2014, 03:04 PM

Very nice Ross. I can't tell you how much more I respect someone that does not believe that every fish must be gaffed. Anyone can come up with an excuse to take another fish.

YakHanded · 09-15-2014, 03:16 PM

Legendary! congrats sir well deserved!

I about lost my shit in the surf on Sunday....

tamddo714 · 09-15-2014, 03:59 PM

awesome catch man!! im still waiting to catch me one like that. thanks for the report

wiredantz · 09-15-2014, 04:03 PM

Nice FisH!

JeffB · 09-15-2014, 04:30 PM

Pig!!!

makobob · 09-15-2014, 05:06 PM

You really worked for that one, Congratulations Ross. That is a heck of a reward for your hard work. Looking forward to Asuncion again this year.

Deamon · 09-15-2014, 05:18 PM

DUDE!...

roby · 09-15-2014, 05:24 PM

Fatty in the house!!

katchfish · 09-15-2014, 05:27 PM

Killer!

dmrides · 09-15-2014, 05:39 PM

Persistence pays off!! Nice catch for any month, but in 74degree water in September? That's epic!

iethinker · 09-15-2014, 06:06 PM

That persistence paid off! Awesome!

svendawg · 09-15-2014, 06:26 PM

Wow, nice fish. Look like a real pig.

FISH11 · 09-15-2014, 08:01 PM

Wow that's a pig Ghost! Congratulations.

Zed · 09-15-2014, 08:02 PM

Nice fish. She looked like she had a Summer weight loss program. Few months ago she woulda really filled that frame.

The other side of the coin I had a slow day. The conditions varied and by the time I was considering the conditions getting fishier he was on the radio with one on board.

The conditions were greener cloudier, less birdier and totally dissimilar to my birthday trip, but like that day overall it was slow for my friends and I except for 1 good fish. Lots of bait still. Swell was a peaky mix w some W in it too. It wasnt an average straight forward SanO launch/land.

blitzburgh · 09-15-2014, 09:10 PM

HOLY COW!

09-15-2014, 02:21 PM	#1
rossman Marginally Irrelevant Join Date: May 2007 Location: Bahia Asuncion Posts: 936	The end of a long grind. My annual local WSB hunt normally starts in mid April and by mid June I generally have one in my freezer. This year they have been avoiding me and it is not of lack of trying. I have been fishing the local OC waters at least twice a week since April and I concentrate almost exclusively on trying to lure one of these ghosts into my yak. Finally stuck one today. My son Zed and I decided to hit San Onofre this morning. He had caught a nice 30 lb YT there a week and a half ago so I figured I would give that a try while the surf was manageable, and before the next swell later this week. We got out to the grounds at 6:45 and found a good variety of bait. I had one flylined mac and one halibut rig with a mac. About 8:00 I get a pickup on my flyline and the fight was on. He bulldozed into the kelp but the spectra did it's job and was able to drop a nice 50 pounder into my rod pod. About a half hour later I got bit again but this time on the dropper loop and again the battle in the kelp was on. I was able to get him to about 15 ft below me in a massive kelp tangle. He was thrashing around and ultimately broke my 25 pound Floro at the threeway. Looked to be about the same size as the first one and I'll just call it a premature release since I would have let him go anyway. I have hooked and or caught WSB in almost every month of the year but to have it happen in 74 degree water is simply unfathomable. What a crazy year. So there you have an very current fishing report but be warned that the swell and a nasty shore break was already building and it was pretty dicey. Go get em boys. __________________ "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!

09-15-2014, 02:31 PM	#4
ful-rac Emperor Join Date: May 2009 Location: Buena Park Posts: 3,649	Nasty shore break...I got a video on that! Congrats by the way! __________________ There's nothing colder than yesterday's hotdog.

09-15-2014, 04:03 PM	#9
wiredantz Currently @ MLO Territory Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Under the Shadow Posts: 2,290	Nice FisH! __________________ Team: Disbanded You only have one chance in this life...make the right decision(s)...so you don't regret it

09-15-2014, 04:30 PM	#10
JeffB Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: La Jolla Posts: 1,216	Pig!!! __________________ If you're looking for me I'm

09-15-2014, 05:06 PM	#11
makobob Baitless on Baja Join Date: May 2013 Location: Vista California, Gonzaga, San Quintin, Asuncion, Mag Bay Posts: 4,250	You really worked for that one, Congratulations Ross. That is a heck of a reward for your hard work. Looking forward to Asuncion again this year. __________________ http://www.mako-ville.com Home 760-630-4470 Cell 760-520-2514 YES YOU CAN

09-15-2014, 02:25 PM	#2
cabojohn PROBATION Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 657	Just Outstanding Rossman. Congratulations on a helluva fish...AGAIN! That's a PIG of a fish!! CHIT.

09-15-2014, 02:26 PM	#3
steveooo Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Posts: 1,922	Insane! You were overdue

09-15-2014, 02:41 PM	#5
Bert Vega Tail Chaser! Join Date: Dec 2013 Location: Murrieta Posts: 627	I have only dreamed about getting a ghost. Well done sir!!!

09-15-2014, 03:04 PM	#6
GregAndrew Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 2,384	Very nice Ross. I can't tell you how much more I respect someone that does not believe that every fish must be gaffed. Anyone can come up with an excuse to take another fish.

09-15-2014, 03:16 PM	#7
YakHanded Thread Killer - sorry Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: San Clemente Posts: 256	Legendary! congrats sir well deserved! I about lost my shit in the surf on Sunday....

09-15-2014, 03:59 PM	#8
tamddo714 Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 273	awesome catch man!! im still waiting to catch me one like that. thanks for the report

09-15-2014, 05:18 PM	#12
Deamon Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 1,972	DUDE!...

09-15-2014, 05:24 PM	#13
roby CEO of Team Roby Join Date: Sep 2010 Posts: 905	Fatty in the house!!

09-15-2014, 05:27 PM	#14
katchfish Paddle for Mahi Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Doing the happy paddle! Posts: 849	Killer!

09-15-2014, 05:39 PM	#15
dmrides Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Point Loma Posts: 584	Persistence pays off!! Nice catch for any month, but in 74degree water in September? That's epic!

09-15-2014, 06:06 PM	#16
iethinker Senior Member Join Date: May 2013 Location: Inland Empire Posts: 370	Persistance That persistence paid off! Awesome!

09-15-2014, 06:26 PM	#17
svendawg Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Location: Wildomar, Ca. Posts: 331	Well deserved Wow, nice fish. Look like a real pig.

09-15-2014, 08:01 PM	#18
FISH11 Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Pine Valley when not fishing La Jolla Posts: 2,643	Wow that's a pig Ghost! Congratulations. __________________ MARK ......... 2016 MALIBU X FACTOR, 2020 SOLO SKIFF (Fishing Kayak on Steroids )

09-15-2014, 08:02 PM	#19
Zed BANNED Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: W of 5 Posts: 1,265	Nice fish. She looked like she had a Summer weight loss program. Few months ago she woulda really filled that frame. The other side of the coin I had a slow day. The conditions varied and by the time I was considering the conditions getting fishier he was on the radio with one on board. The conditions were greener cloudier, less birdier and totally dissimilar to my birthday trip, but like that day overall it was slow for my friends and I except for 1 good fish. Lots of bait still. Swell was a peaky mix w some W in it too. It wasnt an average straight forward SanO launch/land. __________________ Give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day. Give a fish a man and he'll eat for a week.

09-15-2014, 09:10 PM	#20
blitzburgh Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Menifee Posts: 2,509	HOLY COW! __________________ ”The beauty of the Second Amendment is that it will not be needed until they try to take it.” ~Thomas Jefferson.........maybe