Heartbreak thresher Dana Point - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

YakDout · 11-02-2013, 04:23 PM

Decided to try dana point this morning for the first time. I have never even been to the harbor. Launched at 7am with a friend. Loaded up on sardines and both our bait tanks were giving us problems, had to dump the bait. We headed out of the harbor and made our way over to the point. We started off fishing for bass in the kelp. I got a nice sand bass about 18" and didn't want to filet him so I let him go. After a couple hours we moved outside into 50-60 feet of water. I saw a ton of bait fish In the water and quickly grabbed a large greenback, very large. I had my avet ready to go with 65 lb braid, 50 lb topshot, 2 oz of weight straight to the big 4/0 hook. My buddy chad and I both started to give up after slowly trolling the macs back towards the harbor. We started to drift and I had some inclination we should soak the baits for about 10 more minutes. Around minute 7 my drag started to scream and I had a good feeling what it was. A shark. And a big one. After a solid 30 seconds of him pulling line he started to tow me in circles. I still was not 100% sure what it was until I saw the massive tail. Now, I have a hobie revolution which is 13.5 feet long and this fish was easily 3/4 the length of my boat. Chad grabs the gaff from my boat because it was the bigger of the two. I lay him as close to the surface as I can without the tail coming out to far, and we miss the first gaff shot. I brought him up the second time all the way to the surface , and suddenly my line goes slack. The hook popped off. I'm now watching this thresher shark very slowly swim away and it was the biggest disappointment I've had while fishing in a very long time. Well, like my friend chad told me on the paddle in, don't count your chickens before they hatch.

YakDout · 11-02-2013, 04:27 PM

Also, this was a tagged fish. Had a yellow tag right in his back. Has anyone ever landed a tagged thresher? Also how do you guys prepare yourselves for this situation? I was obviously not prepared. Not too sure on the landing methods as far as tail rope then gaff. Or vice versa?

Deamon · 11-02-2013, 04:31 PM

Bummer...very good thing that you saw it though. Losing fish before you I.D. them can fry your brain. Good job. Jim

iethinker · 11-02-2013, 05:22 PM

Better to have loved and lost than never loved at all?

jorluivil · 11-02-2013, 05:41 PM

What a hearbreaker.

Personally, I'd rather lose a fish that I didn't see, It's not so heartbreaking when you don't know what it was.

YakDout · 11-02-2013, 05:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jorluivil

What a hearbreaker.

Personally, I'd rather lose a fish that I didn't see, It's not so heartbreaking when you don't know what it was.

Ya I could have told myself it was a seal

easyday · 11-02-2013, 05:57 PM

Tail rope......

YakDout · 11-02-2013, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by easyday

Tail rope......

No gaff? Even after tail rope?

easyday · 11-02-2013, 06:05 PM

Tail rope and cut tail and gills to bleed out Ive only caught one and it wasnt a m I nster so the tail rope worked great but I suppose you could use the gaff to for extra hold

YakDout · 11-02-2013, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by easyday

Tail rope and cut tail and gills to bleed out Ive only caught one and it wasnt a m I nster so the tail rope worked great but I suppose you could use the gaff to for extra hold

Ok, that's kind of what I was thinking. I have to admit I was slightly intimidated by it. But next time will be prepared with the rope. Would be eating thresher steaks as we speak .

food4less562 · 11-02-2013, 06:51 PM

YakDout · 11-02-2013, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by food4less562

Harpoon?

food4less562 · 11-02-2013, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by YakDout

Harpoon?

They are called kage gaff or spear gaff. Go for the head shot and then gaff.

http://www.jaxkayakfishing.com/phpBB/topic29209.html

http://www.pensacolafishingforum.com...-today-104662/

YakDout · 11-02-2013, 07:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by food4less562

They are called kage gaff or spear gaff. Go for the head shot and then gaff.

http://www.jaxkayakfishing.com/phpBB/topic29209.html

http://www.pensacolafishingforum.com...-today-104662/

Thank you. I may invest.

Aaron&Julie · 11-02-2013, 07:53 PM

Just tail roping should work fine, it did for ours and they were both 85-90lbs and about 9 feet long from the nose to tip of tail. Never even thought about using the gaff.

First anticipate catching one. Then have the rope secured to your 'yak already, hopefully with a quick release clip on the free end. Grab the thresher's tail when it's tired, but be ready the 1st or 2nd time you do this, to release it quickly if need be, because it's very possible it may have one or two more runs left in it.

When it seems like it's finally beat, wrap the tail. With a clip you just drop that over the tail, reach under, grab the clip and then secure the clip back to the rope. It's easy for one person to do it this way.

We worked together to drag ours up on to the kayak (head towards the bow), so hopefully you'll have somebody to help you do this part of the chore.

Once on board we used the excess rope around his tail to further secure it between our legs. When it calms down, cut it's gills to bleed it out.

Better luck next time.

YakDout · 11-02-2013, 08:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aaron&Julie

Just tail roping should work fine, it did for ours and the were both 85-90lbs and about 9 feet long from the nose to tip of tail. Never even thought about the gaff.

First anticipate catching one. Then have the rope secured to your 'yak already, hopefully with a quick release clip on the free end. Grab the thresher's tail when it's tired, but be ready the 1st or 2nd time you do this, to release it quickly if need be, because it's very possible it may have one or two more runs left in it.

When it seems like it's finally beat, wrap the tail. With a clip you just drop that over the tail, reach under, grab the clip and then secure the clip back to the rope. It's easy for one person to do it this way.

We worked together to drag ours up on to the kayak (head towards the bow), so hopefully you'll have somebody to help you do this part of the chore.

Once on board we used the excess rope around his tail to further secure it between our legs. When it calms down, cut it's gills to bleed it out.

Better luck next time.

Thank you for the great info!

YakDout · 11-03-2013, 09:18 AM

At least I snapped a picture of the sandy.

captnblood34 · 11-04-2013, 06:00 AM

BUMMER!!! Lesson learned....

frugalfisher · 11-08-2013, 05:01 PM

I agree with tail roping and gill cutting. If you were able to gaff a medium or large thresher you would be swimming! Or have a broken gaff. Sharks are real pros at spinning when gaffed. I've been pulled over twice when grabbing tails also. I like slapping it a few times if the hook is set well to make sure it is not green when you grab.
I attached proof of concept photo.

Good Luck!!
James

11-02-2013, 04:23 PM	#1
YakDout Brandon Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: San Diego Posts: 2,345	Heartbreak thresher Dana Point Decided to try dana point this morning for the first time. I have never even been to the harbor. Launched at 7am with a friend. Loaded up on sardines and both our bait tanks were giving us problems, had to dump the bait. We headed out of the harbor and made our way over to the point. We started off fishing for bass in the kelp. I got a nice sand bass about 18" and didn't want to filet him so I let him go. After a couple hours we moved outside into 50-60 feet of water. I saw a ton of bait fish In the water and quickly grabbed a large greenback, very large. I had my avet ready to go with 65 lb braid, 50 lb topshot, 2 oz of weight straight to the big 4/0 hook. My buddy chad and I both started to give up after slowly trolling the macs back towards the harbor. We started to drift and I had some inclination we should soak the baits for about 10 more minutes. Around minute 7 my drag started to scream and I had a good feeling what it was. A shark. And a big one. After a solid 30 seconds of him pulling line he started to tow me in circles. I still was not 100% sure what it was until I saw the massive tail. Now, I have a hobie revolution which is 13.5 feet long and this fish was easily 3/4 the length of my boat. Chad grabs the gaff from my boat because it was the bigger of the two. I lay him as close to the surface as I can without the tail coming out to far, and we miss the first gaff shot. I brought him up the second time all the way to the surface , and suddenly my line goes slack. The hook popped off. I'm now watching this thresher shark very slowly swim away and it was the biggest disappointment I've had while fishing in a very long time. Well, like my friend chad told me on the paddle in, don't count your chickens before they hatch.

11-02-2013, 04:31 PM	#3
Deamon Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 1,972	Bummer...very good thing that you saw it though. Losing fish before you I.D. them can fry your brain. Good job. Jim __________________ Recreational Fisherman's Catch...2% Commercial Fisherman's Catch- 98% Recreational Fishing Kayakers Catch- .00001% "The reality is that the wall was built to keep all Asians ~specifically Japanese and those that think they're japanese~ out of the U.S"

11-02-2013, 05:22 PM	#4
iethinker Senior Member Join Date: May 2013 Location: Inland Empire Posts: 370	Philosophy Better to have loved and lost than never loved at all?

11-02-2013, 05:41 PM	#5
jorluivil Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 6,856	What a hearbreaker. Personally, I'd rather lose a fish that I didn't see, It's not so heartbreaking when you don't know what it was. __________________ www.facebook.com/Teamsewer

11-02-2013, 05:57 PM	#7
easyday Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Oceanside Posts: 1,470	Tail rope...... __________________

11-02-2013, 04:27 PM	#2
YakDout Brandon Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: San Diego Posts: 2,345	Also, this was a tagged fish. Had a yellow tag right in his back. Has anyone ever landed a tagged thresher? Also how do you guys prepare yourselves for this situation? I was obviously not prepared. Not too sure on the landing methods as far as tail rope then gaff. Or vice versa?

11-02-2013, 06:05 PM	#9
easyday Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2013 Location: Oceanside Posts: 1,470	Tail rope and cut tail and gills to bleed out Ive only caught one and it wasnt a m I nster so the tail rope worked great but I suppose you could use the gaff to for extra hold __________________

11-02-2013, 06:51 PM	#11
food4less562 Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Location: Long Beach, CA Posts: 224

11-02-2013, 07:53 PM	#15
Aaron&Julie Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Spring Valley Posts: 1,400	Just tail roping should work fine, it did for ours and they were both 85-90lbs and about 9 feet long from the nose to tip of tail. Never even thought about using the gaff. First anticipate catching one. Then have the rope secured to your 'yak already, hopefully with a quick release clip on the free end. Grab the thresher's tail when it's tired, but be ready the 1st or 2nd time you do this, to release it quickly if need be, because it's very possible it may have one or two more runs left in it. When it seems like it's finally beat, wrap the tail. With a clip you just drop that over the tail, reach under, grab the clip and then secure the clip back to the rope. It's easy for one person to do it this way. We worked together to drag ours up on to the kayak (head towards the bow), so hopefully you'll have somebody to help you do this part of the chore. Once on board we used the excess rope around his tail to further secure it between our legs. When it calms down, cut it's gills to bleed it out. Better luck next time. __________________ "Never say die" Last edited by Aaron&Julie; 11-02-2013 at 10:00 PM. Reason: Add-on

11-03-2013, 09:18 AM	#17
YakDout Brandon Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: San Diego Posts: 2,345	At least I snapped a picture of the sandy. Attached Images

11-04-2013, 06:00 AM	#18
captnblood34 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Otay Posts: 704	BUMMER!!! Lesson learned....

11-08-2013, 05:01 PM	#19
frugalfisher Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: San Diego Posts: 190	Landing Thresher sharks I agree with tail roping and gill cutting. If you were able to gaff a medium or large thresher you would be swimming! Or have a broken gaff. Sharks are real pros at spinning when gaffed. I've been pulled over twice when grabbing tails also. I like slapping it a few times if the hook is set well to make sure it is not green when you grab. I attached proof of concept photo. Good Luck!! James Attached Images __________________ James Caldwell Yellow Prowler