Winter Fishing... - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

habanero · 01-10-2010, 11:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by THE DARKHORSE

Adding to the action lately, the occasional Grey Whale will keep you on your toes. Cool from shore or while cruising on the skiff, but when inches above the water...another story. Amazing how small one feels in the presence of Gods' creation. All however many tons, spewing water to the sky like Old Faithful. Not to mention the occasional large school of five or more whales, impressive water displacement. kinda adds to the odds of an unlikely dreaded kayak dry-dock. The lottery ticket no one wants to pull. In due time it's bound to happen, though. A floating kayak experience with five unleashed reels and custom rods, no thanks! Who's going to be the first kayaker? Any volunteers?...I'll video. I can only speak for myself, but if that happened at night, I'd probably have a heart attack before I hit the water. I've been known to pull a Rabbit out of a hat, but levitating isn't my thing.

I came very close to that situation and got it on video! It wasn't a pod but one huge Grey caught me by surprise one late afternoon by my self along LJ canyon. I didn't record in time to capture the spout just twenty feet off starboard, but before I realized it, the whale swam under me. I have footage of the glassy surface around me turn to turbulence churned up from the giant tail. I guess the not so smart "National Geographic camera guy" in me won over the urge to hang on. It felt like my heart was coming up through my throat as I comprehended what just happened. I was happy I didn't have a big greasy burrito for lunch because %$#@* could have happened on the wrong side of my waders! The next time I heard any sign of the whale, it was a few hundred yards away reinforcing my feeling it had no harmful intent.

Lil Dougie · 01-10-2010, 01:26 PM

Thank you for sharing your wisdom. You opened my eyes a little bit wider.

yakrider · 01-10-2010, 01:32 PM

great story...
gotta get back down soon!

Iceman · 01-10-2010, 02:36 PM

Quote:

As if I had just made a twenty dollar investment at Cheetahs.

Ha! New tackle store on Clairmeont Blvd?

It took me a long time to get rid of the vacuum packer and not load the freezer.

If you miss out on the bite ya just need to make more friends! Personally I fish year round and am happiest fishing two or three times a week. If things are hot south they merely change my plans of where I will be fishing and how little sleep I will be getting.

TCS · 01-10-2010, 02:37 PM

Well written, great pics, got my adrenalin pumping. I had to remind myself about the first paragraph which had you paddling for hours and miles and waiting. Watching the Lowrance, which probably helped a lot. I have been spending a lot of time on the water and can vouch for the time and persistance that went into catching those fish.

The truth is that these fish are still few and far between for mere mortals. Only a handful have been caught. If you're expecting to get the results that Josh gets, you need to be willing to invest the time and energy day in and day out.

See you in the water. Tom

robmandel · 01-10-2010, 04:48 PM

awesome report Josh. LJ's a long drive for me and really haven't been able to do it much. and besides, it'd be a roll of the dice as I know that the ratio of fishing to YT is very much in the fishes favor, for every nice yellow, there's ten or more stripes.

of all those mlpa meetings and those imbeciles, I had to laugh. our stocks are great. and I had to laugh even harder if they knew me. I'm really not that great a fisherman. as I tell my students, "I'm great at fishing, just really suck at the catching part!!"

i've never caught a YT or WSB from the yak. missed the "bite" many times at LJ and even the bu c-bass run. would I keep a fish or two? sure. would I keep my first YT or WSB from the yak? yes.

last year I fished from the surf and kayak over 50 times. caught hundreds of perch (many with my 7 y/o son and we ALWAYS throw everything back. he's learned CPR at a very early age!!), bass, etc., and I can tell you exactly how many fish I kept all last year. 4 rock fish from dume canyon. that's it. I got several gigs of photos, and a few pounds of fillets.

you're right that what we do is far more than about the fish. i'll be honest, sometimes it's simply the launch and landing that makes the day (I think we get bigger surf up in our neck o' the woods

). just standing on the shore with the paddle in one hand, the handle of the yak in the other, timing, waiting, then the rush. it's life affirming.

love being on the water. haven't fished a boat in a few years. no desire to do so anymore. it's just not that fun.

j mo · 01-10-2010, 05:33 PM

Nice post Josh. Is that the olympus? If so, im glad to see it in capable hands, those are some great shots....

Best,

Josh

peguinpower · 01-10-2010, 06:41 PM

Great read. I wanna get out there so bad. Hoping to do it this week or the next, weather allowing.

Thanks.

/bing

01-10-2010, 01:26 PM	#2
Lil Dougie Junior Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Pacific Beach Posts: 15	Thank you for sharing your wisdom. You opened my eyes a little bit wider. __________________

01-10-2010, 02:37 PM	#5
TCS Senior Member Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 478	Nice Story Well written, great pics, got my adrenalin pumping. I had to remind myself about the first paragraph which had you paddling for hours and miles and waiting. Watching the Lowrance, which probably helped a lot. I have been spending a lot of time on the water and can vouch for the time and persistance that went into catching those fish. The truth is that these fish are still few and far between for mere mortals. Only a handful have been caught. If you're expecting to get the results that Josh gets, you need to be willing to invest the time and energy day in and day out. See you in the water. Tom

01-10-2010, 01:32 PM	#3
yakrider Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 611	great story... gotta get back down soon!

01-10-2010, 04:48 PM	#6
robmandel Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Posts: 186	awesome report Josh. LJ's a long drive for me and really haven't been able to do it much. and besides, it'd be a roll of the dice as I know that the ratio of fishing to YT is very much in the fishes favor, for every nice yellow, there's ten or more stripes. of all those mlpa meetings and those imbeciles, I had to laugh. our stocks are great. and I had to laugh even harder if they knew me. I'm really not that great a fisherman. as I tell my students, "I'm great at fishing, just really suck at the catching part!!" i've never caught a YT or WSB from the yak. missed the "bite" many times at LJ and even the bu c-bass run. would I keep a fish or two? sure. would I keep my first YT or WSB from the yak? yes. last year I fished from the surf and kayak over 50 times. caught hundreds of perch (many with my 7 y/o son and we ALWAYS throw everything back. he's learned CPR at a very early age!!), bass, etc., and I can tell you exactly how many fish I kept all last year. 4 rock fish from dume canyon. that's it. I got several gigs of photos, and a few pounds of fillets. you're right that what we do is far more than about the fish. i'll be honest, sometimes it's simply the launch and landing that makes the day (I think we get bigger surf up in our neck o' the woods ). just standing on the shore with the paddle in one hand, the handle of the yak in the other, timing, waiting, then the rush. it's life affirming. love being on the water. haven't fished a boat in a few years. no desire to do so anymore. it's just not that fun.

01-10-2010, 05:33 PM	#7
j mo Member Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Encinitas Posts: 600	Nice post Josh. Is that the olympus? If so, im glad to see it in capable hands, those are some great shots.... Best, Josh

01-10-2010, 06:41 PM	#8
peguinpower bing! Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: socal Posts: 246	Great read. I wanna get out there so bad. Hoping to do it this week or the next, weather allowing. Thanks. /bing