Great White Attack - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

alfsteur · 10-07-2014, 05:14 AM

wow.... amazing story... despite the deterrence.... I'm sure some of us are still thinking "hey swells look small this weekend, let's go get some yellows!"

blitzburgh · 10-07-2014, 07:12 AM

HOLY $HIT VINNY!

Glad you guys are OK!

The pelican · 10-07-2014, 07:12 AM

Best kayak fishing story ever! Although I'm sure you didn't feel that way at the time. So glad you lived to tell the tale and hopefulyl fish another day.

In June I had a close up encounter with a curious GWS in LJ. About 14-15 feet and it didn't actually make contact with my yak. It just cruised up to me, checked me out and thought about taking a little taste for a few seconds. I didn't move and it lost interest. Definitely not an ambush/attack. Just a curious shark. A couple takeaways - Those things are girthy and the eyes are way bigger than I realized! Shark week is awesome but they look so much fatter up close and personal.

A buddy told me a story about being thrown out of his yak in LJ a few years ago by a white. It made a run at him from below, and must have turned at the last minute when it realized he wasn't a seal. Again, the shark didn't make contact with his kayak but a big animal moving so fast displaces a lot of water. This guy got thrown up into the air and out of his yak by just the rush of water from the shark turning under him to avoid him at the last minute. I believe his story, as he's not the type to make something like that up and he spends a ton of time on the water.

I can only imagine how terrifying it was to get attacked like that and how high you must have flown out of the water. 19-20 feet is HUGE!

Smthtnnr · 10-07-2014, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The pelican

Best kayak fishing story ever! Although I'm sure you didn't feel that way at the time. So glad you lived to tell the tale and hopefulyl fish another day.

In June I had a close up encounter with a curious GWS in LJ. About 14-15 feet and it didn't actually make contact with my yak. It just cruised up to me, checked me out and thought about taking a little taste for a few seconds. I didn't move and it lost interest. Definitely not an ambush/attack. Just a curious shark. A couple takeaways - Those things are girthy and the eyes are way bigger than I realized! Shark week is awesome but they look so much fatter up close and personal.

A buddy told me a story about being thrown out of his yak in LJ a few years ago by a white. It made a run at him from below, and must have turned at the last minute when it realized he wasn't a seal. Again, the shark didn't make contact with his kayak but a big animal moving so fast displaces a lot of water. This guy got thrown up into the air and out of his yak by just the rush of water from the shark turning under him to avoid him at the last minute. I believe his story, as he's not the type to make something like that up and he spends a ton of time on the water.

I can only imagine how terrifying it was to get attacked like that and how high you must have flown out of the water. 19-20 feet is HUGE!

Haha I remember that day! That was gnarly... didn't even have to see it to get my blood pumping.

StinkyMatt · 10-07-2014, 04:22 PM

Rule #1

Do not let your wife see this post.

T-Rex · 10-07-2014, 07:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by StinkyMatt

Rule #1

Do not let your wife see this post.

Rule #1
Let your wife see this post and get the green light for an upgrade from a 14' kayak to a 25' center console!

TheBentRod · 10-08-2014, 07:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by T-Rex

Rule #1
Let your wife see this post and get the green light for an upgrade from a 14' kayak to a 25' center console!

Yeah. If this works, please let me know!

It's time to fish!

guamboas · 10-08-2014, 11:52 PM

I'm glad Ryan is ok and that we can all learn from this.

straightrod · 10-09-2014, 07:58 AM

^ 10 X's on that. Wife and I go almost every weekend and always offshore trolling for whatever in a tandem outback. We have seen what we thought was at least a 15' GW going in circles in front of us as we came out of a patch of fog. I was just getting ready to drop a monster greenback hooked to wire leader to hopefully catch a Thresher when I spotted this enormous fin right in front of me. We moved about a mile away before dropping that greenback!

Jimm H · 10-14-2014, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by straightrod

^ 10 X's on that. Wife and I go almost every weekend and always offshore trolling for whatever in a tandem outback. We have seen what we thought was at least a 15' GW going in circles in front of us as we came out of a patch of fog. I was just getting ready to drop a monster greenback hooked to wire leader to hopefully catch a Thresher when I spotted this enormous fin right in front of me. We moved about a mile away before dropping that greenback!

Wire leader is not needed. Use 12-15 feet of 80 lb mono as leader. Threshers usually break the leader with their tail anyway and 80 lb will withstand it and last in any proper hookup (corner of the mouth). Use a circle hook, or better, simply troll a Rapala CD14 (they can't resist them).

If you get hooked to a more dangerous Mako with this rig it won't last but a few seconds, so it's definitely the best way to rig for Threshers.

Jimm H.

VINNYC · 10-14-2014, 04:41 PM

I have used that Tec for threashers at gaviota before!!! works great

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jimm H

Wire leader is not needed. Use 12-15 feet of 80 lb mono as leader. Threshers usually break the leader with their tail anyway and 80 lb will withstand it and last in any proer hookup (corner of the mouth). Use a circle hook, or better, simply troll a Rapala CD14 (they can't resist them).

If you get hooked to a more dangerous Mako with this rig it won't last but a few seconds, so it's definitely the best way to rig for Threshers.

Jimm H.

nitsuj · 10-09-2014, 08:49 AM

1. If there is a first attack, its time for everyone to come in.

You guys have big brass ones (or are another level of loco) if there was an attack that day already and you kept going at it!

VINNYC · 10-09-2014, 05:23 PM

The first attack was over 10 miles north from were we were fishing. For us the first attack only came within less then a 100 yards from us.

Quote:

Originally Posted by nitsuj

1. If there is a first attack, its time for everyone to come in.

You guys have big brass ones (or are another level of loco) if there was an attack that day already and you kept going at it!

10-07-2014, 07:12 AM	#2
blitzburgh Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Menifee Posts: 2,509	HOLY $HIT VINNY! Glad you guys are OK! __________________ ”The beauty of the Second Amendment is that it will not be needed until they try to take it.” ~Thomas Jefferson.........maybe

10-08-2014, 11:52 PM	#8
guamboas Member Join Date: Oct 2012 Posts: 47	I'm glad Ryan is ok and that we can all learn from this. __________________ PA 12 Dune NAVY CHIEF PETTY OFFICER (RET)

10-07-2014, 05:14 AM	#1
alfsteur Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: San Diego Posts: 129	wow.... amazing story... despite the deterrence.... I'm sure some of us are still thinking "hey swells look small this weekend, let's go get some yellows!"

10-07-2014, 07:12 AM	#3
The pelican Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: La Jolla Posts: 82	Best kayak fishing story ever! Although I'm sure you didn't feel that way at the time. So glad you lived to tell the tale and hopefulyl fish another day. In June I had a close up encounter with a curious GWS in LJ. About 14-15 feet and it didn't actually make contact with my yak. It just cruised up to me, checked me out and thought about taking a little taste for a few seconds. I didn't move and it lost interest. Definitely not an ambush/attack. Just a curious shark. A couple takeaways - Those things are girthy and the eyes are way bigger than I realized! Shark week is awesome but they look so much fatter up close and personal. A buddy told me a story about being thrown out of his yak in LJ a few years ago by a white. It made a run at him from below, and must have turned at the last minute when it realized he wasn't a seal. Again, the shark didn't make contact with his kayak but a big animal moving so fast displaces a lot of water. This guy got thrown up into the air and out of his yak by just the rush of water from the shark turning under him to avoid him at the last minute. I believe his story, as he's not the type to make something like that up and he spends a ton of time on the water. I can only imagine how terrifying it was to get attacked like that and how high you must have flown out of the water. 19-20 feet is HUGE!

10-07-2014, 04:22 PM	#5
StinkyMatt Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Under a bridge Posts: 2,169	Rule #1 Do not let your wife see this post.

10-09-2014, 07:58 AM	#9
straightrod Member Join Date: Mar 2014 Posts: 48	^ 10 X's on that. Wife and I go almost every weekend and always offshore trolling for whatever in a tandem outback. We have seen what we thought was at least a 15' GW going in circles in front of us as we came out of a patch of fog. I was just getting ready to drop a monster greenback hooked to wire leader to hopefully catch a Thresher when I spotted this enormous fin right in front of me. We moved about a mile away before dropping that greenback!

10-09-2014, 08:49 AM	#12
nitsuj Junior Join Date: Jun 2012 Posts: 18	1. If there is a first attack, its time for everyone to come in. You guys have big brass ones (or are another level of loco) if there was an attack that day already and you kept going at it!