Wide Open Thresher Shark Fishing in La Jolla - Kayak Fishing Adventures on Big Water’s Edge

Superduper · 05-04-2016, 04:45 PM

Never expected to be part of a thresher frenzy today. Making bait off the condo and they showed up in force. Saw aerials, bendo's and see ya's i'm being towed... I got bit and saw my spectra start smoking... put it in gear and pop! never had a chance. 40 lb leader not enough. 10 mins later double. Had one on and the other line screaming. Pop goes the screamer. I'm still fighting the other one but thinking any minute it will go pop. lightened up the drag and off I went. By the way they were all in around 60-70 feet water. Heading out toward the horizon I realize im all alone. 90' 100' 110' 120' gradually made it to 210' and he decided to do the spiral downward. I held on. 50 mins later I gained on him. Now at the surface I realized this will be challenging all alone. So survival mode kicked in. Think Steve think...I made an attempt to cut where his body met the tail but my knife was dull. Ok now what. Decided to do a couple of head shots with knife and that worked. ok what's next. placed a rope around his tail and dragged him back to where I hooked him. Came up on Josh and his friend and asked for help getting him on my yak so I could make the paddle back in. Josh was very helpful and took some cool shots. Thanks bud. Made it to an easy landing and saw another thresher on the beach that was much bigger than mine. 1st thresher for me. what a day... Steaks tonight for me and my friends...

YTHunter · 05-04-2016, 05:29 PM

Nice post! Thanks for the story!

Iceman · 05-04-2016, 05:40 PM

free jumpers, free swimmers. Crazy, I was very happy to only be a spectator.........I was like another guy that yanked his bait away from the tail slapper, saying "No!, No!"

I could not avoid the dogs, luckily I made a bunch of greenies

BTW, launch was not open when we launched at first light, but was upon landing. Soft sand, I opted to not risk getting stuck.

jorluivil · 05-04-2016, 05:52 PM

Someone should post a 'How to dress Thresher' tutorial. I'd like to see what it takes to get them cleaned up while you're on the water.

iethinker · 05-04-2016, 05:57 PM

That's a lot of meat. Good job!

pingpangdang · 05-04-2016, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jorluivil

Someone should post a 'How to dress Thresher' tutorial. I'd like to see what it takes to get them cleaned up while you're on the water.

x2 on that...Yani I don't think I've seen any thresher recipes either. Would like to know more.

pingpangdang · 05-04-2016, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Superduper

Never expected to be part of a thresher frenzy today. Making bait off the condo and they showed up in force. Saw aerials, bendo's and see ya's i'm being towed... I got bit and saw my spectra start smoking... put it in gear and pop! never had a chance. 40 lb leader not enough. 10 mins later double. Had one on and the other line screaming. Pop goes the screamer. I'm still fighting the other one but thinking any minute it will go pop. lightened up the drag and off I went. By the way they were all in around 60-70 feet water. Heading out toward the horizon I realize im all alone. 90' 100' 110' 120' gradually made it to 210' and he decided to do the spiral downward. I held on. 50 mins later I gained on him. Now at the surface I realized this will be challenging all alone. So survival mode kicked in. Think Steve think...I made an attempt to cut where his body met the tail but my knife was dull. Ok now what. Decided to do a couple of head shots with knife and that worked. ok what's next. placed a rope around his tail and dragged him back to where I hooked him. Came up on Josh and his friend and asked for help getting him on my yak so I could make the paddle back in. Josh was very helpful and took some cool shots. Thanks bud. Made it to an easy landing and saw another thresher on the beach that was much bigger than mine. 1st thresher for me. what a day... Steaks tonight for me and my friends...

Went out last Saturday...few guys out and it was gusty and seas were rough. Had a screamer on a mac and it broke off my 50lb flouro....rest of the morning listening to the radio I hear airborne sharks, bendos like mine and break offs...

Seems like they have been active...

I know nothing about how they taste and how to clean etc...time for some googling

momo fish · 05-04-2016, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pingpangdang

x2 on that...Yani I don't think I've seen any thresher recipes either. Would like to know more.

Actually Yani is pretty good at both and I believe there is a video out there showing him handling one beautifully...

ctfphoto · 05-04-2016, 06:35 PM

Duuuuude!

SmokinBass · 05-04-2016, 06:38 PM

Excellent report thanks and congrats!

captnblood34 · 05-04-2016, 06:56 PM

Way to go man! Launched and landed about the same time as you two weeks ago, good job again on the YT.

Jay

figbeetle · 05-04-2016, 08:03 PM

Are threshers worth eating? I had bought some from Sprouts and it was bad-dark and tough when BBQ

broncobilly · 05-04-2016, 08:04 PM

NICE!!! Beautiful fish.
Glad to see you made up for Monday.

Stoked to hear the launch is open too!!!

americas911 · 05-04-2016, 09:12 PM

Congrats man! Much deserved after those skunks on mon and tues. Something told me today would be good to go, but work was calling!

Doug (Dune Outback)

pingpangdang · 05-04-2016, 09:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by momo fish

Actually Yani is pretty good at both and I believe there is a video out there showing him handling one beautifully...

I'll have to dig it up

Sent from my SM-N900T using Tapatalk

FISH11 · 05-04-2016, 10:25 PM

Congrats, that is one beautiful Thresher!

PapaDave · 05-05-2016, 07:28 AM

Nice fish, I like fighting them, and they taste pretty good as well.

FullFlavorPike · 05-05-2016, 09:08 AM

You landed just after me. Nice fish, dude. Enjoy those steaks!

smokie · 05-05-2016, 09:27 AM

Congrats on your first thresher! I bet it was one hell of a ride.

jdub24 · 05-05-2016, 12:13 PM

Nice job man! I was really close from reeling one up. Fought it for 40 mins,But my reel was about to fly off the rod. I asked you for a flat screwdriver on the water yesterday.. Glad you caught it!

05-04-2016, 04:45 PM	#1
Superduper Junior Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 19	Wide Open Thresher Shark Fishing in La Jolla Never expected to be part of a thresher frenzy today. Making bait off the condo and they showed up in force. Saw aerials, bendo's and see ya's i'm being towed... I got bit and saw my spectra start smoking... put it in gear and pop! never had a chance. 40 lb leader not enough. 10 mins later double. Had one on and the other line screaming. Pop goes the screamer. I'm still fighting the other one but thinking any minute it will go pop. lightened up the drag and off I went. By the way they were all in around 60-70 feet water. Heading out toward the horizon I realize im all alone. 90' 100' 110' 120' gradually made it to 210' and he decided to do the spiral downward. I held on. 50 mins later I gained on him. Now at the surface I realized this will be challenging all alone. So survival mode kicked in. Think Steve think...I made an attempt to cut where his body met the tail but my knife was dull. Ok now what. Decided to do a couple of head shots with knife and that worked. ok what's next. placed a rope around his tail and dragged him back to where I hooked him. Came up on Josh and his friend and asked for help getting him on my yak so I could make the paddle back in. Josh was very helpful and took some cool shots. Thanks bud. Made it to an easy landing and saw another thresher on the beach that was much bigger than mine. 1st thresher for me. what a day... Steaks tonight for me and my friends... Attached Images

05-04-2016, 05:29 PM	#2
YTHunter Carlisle Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: San Diego Posts: 206	Nice post! Thanks for the story! __________________ <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NTOZ1JOXUkQ" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

05-04-2016, 05:40 PM	#3
Iceman Administrator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: 1-2 miles off the point Posts: 6,948	free jumpers, free swimmers. Crazy, I was very happy to only be a spectator.........I was like another guy that yanked his bait away from the tail slapper, saying "No!, No!" I could not avoid the dogs, luckily I made a bunch of greenies BTW, launch was not open when we launched at first light, but was upon landing. Soft sand, I opted to not risk getting stuck. __________________ Last edited by Iceman; 05-04-2016 at 06:00 PM.

05-04-2016, 05:52 PM	#4
jorluivil Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Posts: 6,856	Someone should post a 'How to dress Thresher' tutorial. I'd like to see what it takes to get them cleaned up while you're on the water. __________________ www.facebook.com/Teamsewer

05-04-2016, 05:57 PM	#5
iethinker Senior Member Join Date: May 2013 Location: Inland Empire Posts: 370	Meat That's a lot of meat. Good job!

05-04-2016, 06:35 PM	#9
ctfphoto Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: San Diego Posts: 901	Duuuuude!

05-04-2016, 06:38 PM	#10
SmokinBass Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: San Marcos, CA Posts: 61	Excellent report thanks and congrats!

05-04-2016, 06:56 PM	#11
captnblood34 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Otay Posts: 704	Way to go man! Launched and landed about the same time as you two weeks ago, good job again on the YT. Jay

05-04-2016, 08:03 PM	#12
figbeetle Junior Join Date: Sep 2015 Posts: 9	Are threshers worth eating? I had bought some from Sprouts and it was bad-dark and tough when BBQ

05-04-2016, 08:04 PM	#13
broncobilly Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Posts: 45	NICE!!! Beautiful fish. Glad to see you made up for Monday. Stoked to hear the launch is open too!!!

05-04-2016, 09:12 PM	#14
americas911 US Marine Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Oceanside Posts: 16	Congrats man! Much deserved after those skunks on mon and tues. Something told me today would be good to go, but work was calling! Doug (Dune Outback)

05-04-2016, 10:25 PM	#16
FISH11 Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Location: Pine Valley when not fishing La Jolla Posts: 2,643	Congrats, that is one beautiful Thresher! __________________ MARK ......... 2016 MALIBU X FACTOR, 2020 SOLO SKIFF (Fishing Kayak on Steroids )

05-05-2016, 07:28 AM	#17
PapaDave Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Menifee, CA Posts: 1,473	Nice fish, I like fighting them, and they taste pretty good as well. __________________ So long and thanks for all the fish...

05-05-2016, 09:08 AM	#18
FullFlavorPike Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 809	You landed just after me. Nice fish, dude. Enjoy those steaks!

05-05-2016, 09:27 AM	#19
smokie Member Join Date: Jan 2016 Posts: 63	Congrats on your first thresher! I bet it was one hell of a ride.

05-05-2016, 12:13 PM	#20
jdub24 Junior Join Date: Mar 2016 Posts: 2	Wide open thresher Nice job man! I was really close from reeling one up. Fought it for 40 mins,But my reel was about to fly off the rod. I asked you for a flat screwdriver on the water yesterday.. Glad you caught it!