My Journey

[IntrntFshrman]

So this was about my 4th time out on the kayak at La Jolla-about 2 weeks ago...been waiting on the pics.......... Josh!

It's been an interesting journey to this point for me. Those of you that may have read previous posts by me might remember that I had a great fear of 'toothy critters from the deep' caused by my childhood scarring from seeing Jaws in a drive-thru (That shark must have been twice as big as a normal theater!)

I had a deep love of fishing when I was younger, but it was put on hold by school/work/$$$ until everything started coming together a few years ago and some coworkers invited me on a cattleboat. No tuna/ghost/YT love that trip, but man, the magic of San Clemente Island at dawn......all the obsessive/dreaming ideas from childhood came back in a flood.

I was hooked again.

MANY $$$ later and some nice Avets/rods I'm in the backyard casting (trying at least) and trying to improve. I then happen on this website and start reading about what we all do here. I was lurking more than the ghosts we try to catch! I finally got some advice from some great people here and was finally going to go out with Whizz Bang (Eric) and I kid you not, I'm eating with my family at the fish restaurant next to Bass Pro Shops the night before the trip and my youngest boy projectile vomits and gets a 103 fever....(we still need to go out together Eric, I owe you one!!!)

I finally start reading all about Josh Pruitt and I finally call him and we talk about stuff. As others have stated, he goes over anything and everything with you to make sure you're ready to go. Professional, committed, passionate, energetic, enthusiastic, determined. These are the words that come to mind when I think of him. (and a HELL of a fisherman!!!)

Our first outing was almost a blur to me. So much info, and I'm just dealing with my fears of 'what's underneath'. I'm paddling in my X-Factor and seeing everybody else (mostly everybody) peddling....the doubts start to creep in....maaaaaybe this peddling thing might be better? Got some Bonito bites that day, but no love....I am, however, completely hooked. I know what Alcoholics/Gambleholics (is that a word?) feel like!

2nd trip out, we're sight fishing for ghosts. Now I get seasick pretty bad IF I can't see the horizon, so staring into the water I wasn't sure. Well, I find out for sure that not only is Dramamine no good, Bonine doesn't do the trick for me either. By 5pm, I'm barely holding on and tell poor Josh I have to go back in....... I IMMEDIATELY contact my doctor and say I want patch Scopace, pill Scopace, gum Scopace, syringe Scopace, ....did I say I was going to get some SCOPACE!

3rd trip out, night fishing. Now let me tell you....for a guy that had a phobia about sharks to go out AT NIGHT and fish on a piece of plastic....I felt like I had conquered the world. It was surreal to be looking down in that water and seeing the bioluminescence as fish swirled around. Seeing Josh hook AND release a 55+ lb WSB was an awesome thing. If I thought the 'light show' was cool out fishing, it was nothing to when we were paddling in. I felt like I was in the planet Pandora in Avetar-wow, what an experience. Josh is wanting to stay longer but I have to call it off---got a two hour drive back home….

So, 4th time out, and I feel like I'm finally not a stumbling/drooling total noob. I'm riding in a Pro Angler and oh man, it's like a Ferrari vs. the horse and buggy…no offense to paddlers, but i'm a big boy, and I just couldn't keep up paddling vs peddling. We head out to where we're fishing. Josh gets us in 'the spot'. We get some squid and settle in. Was that a bite? Tip of the pole bends…am I on? Now the entire rod bends FISH ON!!! I'm about 100 yds from the Kelp…this fish is taking my big butt AND the Pro Angler to the forest. For a brief instant, I'm holding the rod and thinking 'I don't know if I can handle this much power!!' then we gradually make some headway only to get tangled in the kelp. Oh-oh, well, Spectra gets to work and we get him up, 4 inches at a time…we finally see the fluoro leader and still can't see the fish! He's got to be there…the leader's only 4 feet long….pull, pull, pull…I finally see his head come through a mass of Kelp, perfectly placed gaff from Josh….31 1/2 lbs of the most beautiful Yellowtail I've seen….(my mouth starts watering thinking about EATING that most beautiful fish as well!)

We get back to work….I'm on cloud nine, but am thinking 'man, If only I can get one more, then I can go back home and do the >'honey I've just got TOOOOO much fish here, we're going to have to buy a freezer for the garage'<.

Not much longer, there's that hit again….bendo, fish on again!!!! FREEZER TIME, nope, don't think that, jinx the landing!!!! I feel the head shakes, Josh again immediately ids the fish, this time WSB….I'm feeling a little better about landing this time. He doesn't head for the kelp….up a foot, up a foot. I see him on the surface..it's like in slow motion/mind burning in the image for long term memory…amazing WSB. 43 and change lbs….. I am astonished at the fish and have an amazing feeling of calm and contentment come to me...




I was a lurker for a long time on this site before I started 'mingling'. To those of you that have thought about hiring Josh but just haven't pulled the trigger, DO IT! You will have an AMAZING time with a guide that is totally committed to you catching fish. He will bend over backwards for you to get that fish of a lifetime. My only worry now is where do I go from up?



Thanks, Josh, for the amazing ride. It's been such a journey, in many ways, and I look forward to many more!




Pics below. Check out Josh's YT. That was caught on the SABIKI!!!!