05-04-08

[Handymansd]

The ultimate fish story of the one that got away...:doh:

Launched at 3:00pm for a nasty, cold, rough, windy, paddle with my wingman Darren. I have had many reports of T's to motivate me to keep trying despite the miserable conditions. We paddled until I finally had had enough. At approximately 8:30 pm, as I accepted defeat, yet again, my low mac exploded! My Accurate blew through about 250 yards of line before I could even get it in gear!! I finally stopped the bleeding line and got my FND moving. As I left my wingman behind, despite his trying to catch up I realized that I was actually water skiing in my yak...! probably have a damn sea lion or something. No thresher could do this, right? Just as that thought planted itself in my mind the line went slack, and I desperately tried to wind in line. I came to the conclusion that it was gone whatever it was, as I cranked to my leader at about 15ft from the hook. Suddenly right in front of my wingman Darren, the biggest T I have ever seen launched itself directly in front of my bow.:eek: I sat in stunned disbelief as it almost spooled me again before getting it turned around. We continued this fight for almost 40 minutes until I finally had his head in front of my bow and his tail at my right side ready to grab. As Darren and I worked to get the rope out and get situated for the "rodeo", the T decided it had had enough and "pop" just like that it was gone. It Broke the 65# spectra with it's sudden surge and went on his merry way. :ciao:

After sitting stunned at the whole thing for a few minutes we discussed it's probable size... Any thoughts on approximate weight would be appreciated!

Approximately 24+" across at the dorsal area, maybe 7-9 ft. white on the bottom with a stripe of tan, and the beautiful purple top! A picture I will not soon forget. Sorry no pics for everyone else, I was sort of busy, and Darren had no camera anyway. Maybe next time!:argh:

[nmbrinkman]

I've been told that braided lines aren't as good at dealing with abrasion then mono/flouro. If that is true you may want to consider using longer leader. Sucks about the fish. At least you got the fight and the ride out of it. No idea about the weight. Is that 7'-9' from nose to tip of the long tail?

[Zed]

9' tip to tail is ~120-150#ish.

[dorado50]

Not an answer but a suggestion, anytime you have a fish boatside and ready to gaff or release always loosen drag a notch or so to prevent what just happened to you. Because you had alot of drag to get the fish boatside, once it spooked either a). hook pulls b). line snaps, always loosen drag at boatside to prevent above two actions from not taking place......better luck next time.

[steveooo]

Next time for sure:cheers::evil:

[wavster]

Very cool to hear you at least got the hookup. WTG.

[aguachico]

Don't worry about the weight of the shark. Doesn't matter. Great job on getting it to the boat. tsharks range from 60# - 600#. Kill one little one per year and you are in the meat!

[esdees]

Sounds like a good time. Congrats on the big hookup.

[Billy V]

I saw you return to the launch on the camera last night. @ 8:30

I was wonder who was out so late in those nasty conditions.
I figured someone must have be ON a big fish to be out so late.

[THE DARKHORSE]

I'm a big fan of C and R, but if there ever was a species that is thriveing and in need of being put in check the Thresher Shark (in local waters) is it. I had the oppasite experience of C.J. when I put my surface-iron just past a boil that looked like a #50 Yellowtail. Instant slam, fish on and for a moment it felt like the right kind. Drag ripping off the reel and then straight down for the dog fight. It was obvious after a minute (no tail-beats on the tip) that this wasn't what I had in mind. Just like C.J. my reel that was plenty tight with #30+ Yellowtail was wobbling on my Seeker Ulua and trying to slide forward (I used a Crocadile ring during the up and down battle to tighten the bolt). After thirty minutes she came by the kayak to have a look at me completely green and I almost shit :eek: . I've caught many a #50-#90 model and they come right to the boat with little effort and signifigant drag. This was no pup, a definate #200+ model. I noticed she was hooked in the pectoral fin before she sounded again (I have a chance). I was able put her on plane easier and short-pumped her up again using my crotch with a PFD for a gimble (or the 9' 3" stick would have broke my arm). I put a game plan together after multiple circles to get my new favorite-iron back (or I would of cut the line thirty minutes before). This wouldn't of been possible with the X-Factor, but with the new Hobie Mirage system it worked. She kept swimming and pulling hard, but after buttoning down the drag and leadering her with my hands a couple of times while pedaling (hands free fishing fishing) I achieved a previously impossible task. I used the rudder to duplicate the same size circle she kept doing, put the rod in the holder while holding onto the line, and used the pedals to keep my hands just in front of her head (away from the huge tail that had taken a couple of swings already). She seemed to gain confidence that I wasn't trying to kill her and cooperated. She was very strong and that damn tail never stopped, although no longer making attempts to dive down (again cooperating, as she was huge and could of easily ripped the line out of my hands). I knew I had to be quick, before she got pissed with my de-hooking efforts and I was losing light fast. On the third or fourth attempt (while constantly pedaling in a wide circle just ahead) with the gaff I was able to get my iron back (with a destroyed hook). I always laugh when someone tells me a #80 shark pulled them for a mile. I guess with 5LB's of drag this would be possible, but please. In this case it was true, (maybe half a mile) when I had to put extra effort to make it home in the dark. I have a new found respect for these fish and their incredible speed. I have never said this in a post or end of the month submission, but please "go get one". The other fish in the area will thank you and I'm sure your fish karma will go up a notch.
:idea:

[El Burro Blanco]

I always laugh when someone tells me a #80 shark pulled them for a mile. I guess with 5LB's of drag this would be possible, but please.

Perhaps if they spent more time patting themselves on the back they could fish with more drag.

[lamb]

Sorry to hear that Chuck... Sure sounds like some good times while you were on it. Think about it this way - if it was that big, and it was dark, crappy weather and all - I'm sure releasing it would have crossed your mind anyways. I'd settle for that if I was in the same situation. ;)

Now, on the news of the breaking news... :D

...but with the new Hobie Mirage system it worked. She kept swimming and pulling hard, but after buttoning down the drag and leadering her with my hands a couple of times while pedaling (hands free fishing fishing) I achieved a previously impossible task. I used the rudder to duplicate the same size circle she kept doing, put the rod in the holder while holding onto the line, and used the pedals to keep my hands just in front of her head (away from the huge tail that had taken a couple of swings already).

Is congratulations in order Josh, are you on the bike team?? :D

You'd have to have to give your Malibu X a credit for all that big fish it put you on in WCW 07. :D

Some prostaff deal or self driven decision? Do tell, the mob wants to know... :)

I have to admit - back when we were fishing Catalina, I kept looking at the guys on Hobies effortlessly passing by my in all that crappy wind and chop...

And before I forget - there is this great guy Nate, who's running an awesome Hobie shop up in Oceanside:

http://www.oeexpress.com/oceanside-store.html

Tell him you heard about it on BWE - Nate will hook you up fo' sho! :D

And did I mention Hobie kayaks are available at BWE's web store??? :D

[THE DARKHORSE]

Perhaps if they spent more time patting themselves on the back they could fish with more drag.

I guess you are one of those people. Maybe, you have nothing better to do and are just happy with the hook-up. I choose to focus my time on the big-three and really don't appreciate the extended fight of relatively small sharks (#50 pups) with light drag (not to mention sucking the life out of your reel's drag system, for what). I don't think using more drag has anything to do with patting myself on the back. It's a style of fishing I enjoy, that if anything enables a healthy release (nothing else). Not to mention the fact that when on a constantly moving light craft how much pressure are you actually putting on the fish? Agreed, this will require confidence in your line and knot strength and maybe a couple of clicks to that thing on your right. You know what bro, your avatar says it all.

Hey Chuck, get the hell out there for the "re-match". I can guarantee there is a big Thresher with your name on it (if not your hook). Don't sweat that fish, as landing a biggun in the dark is completely crazy.

[THE DARKHORSE]

Sorry to hear that Chuck... Sure sounds like some good times while you were on it. Think about it this way - if it was that big, and it was dark, crappy weather and all - I'm sure releasing it would have crossed your mind anyways. I'd settle for that if I was in the same situation. ;)

Now, on the news of the breaking news... :D



Is congratulations in order Josh, are you on the bike team?? :D

You'd have to have to give your Malibu X a credit for all that big fish it put you on in WCW 07. :D

Some prostaff deal or self driven decision? Do tell, the mob wants to know... :)

I have to admit - back when we were fishing Catalina, I kept looking at the guys on Hobies effortlessly passing by my in all that crappy wind and chop...

And before I forget - there is this great guy Nate, who's running an awesome Hobie shop up in Oceanside:

http://www.oeexpress.com/oceanside-store.html

Tell him you heard about it on BWE - Nate will hook you up fo' sho! :D

And did I mention Hobie kayaks are available at BWE's web store??? :D

Hobie is simply allowing me to give them a try and so far I'm impressed.
Not to mention, they have a first rate team that I would feel honored to fish with. I have also watched in horror as they fly past me to the grounds for years. Effortlessly, cruising through wind and chop is something I could get used to. Not to mention the fact that I have a habit of running late and an opportunity to virtually go back in time (or sleep in) is welcome.

If anything the X-factor (besides providing an incredibly slow and "stable" floating vessel) should thank me. That craft didn't put me on any fish during the season, it's without a doubt the other way around. With less travel-time and more time to fish, the results are inevitable.

The reality of the situation is that my move to Hobie kayaks would of happened with or without a pro-deal. From years of paddling and chasing bird-schools that were only noticeable from my bino's, I have serious circulation issues with my hands. My hands have pins and needles and are asleep more often than not. I constantly wake up with that annoying pain and hope I haven't caused permanent damage. The idea of using the larger muscles in your legs and going roughly twice the speed with less effort (while re-spooling my jig-stick on the way to the bird-school two-miles away) is to say the least, exciting.

[trob]

you're nuts to try and land it in darkness.....that would have been so cool though, :you_rock:

[El Burro Blanco]

If anything the X-factor (besides providing an incredibly slow and "stable" floating vessel) should thank me. That craft didn't put me on any fish during the season, it's without a doubt the other way around.

Wow, I must be wrong. I've never hooked a thresher so I have no idea how to land them, but I can only hope to be so cool one day.

Did hobie provide you with complimentary kneepads?

SDhandy guy, hell of a story. Sounds exciting!

[dorado50]

Your ignorance is showing! lol

[john p.]

The guy at the shimano seminar at day at the docks talked about what he referred to as "stupid tight" when your line is digging into the spool and it is making that noise. I backed off the drag just short of that, short pumped it and intended to make it a short fight. Just would not come up and dragged me a distance. Being fin hooked i'm sure did not help. Guess it was a "pup" at 90 but i'm still sore. Great story getting your fav. iron back. And after looking at Hobies one day i had to admit some advantages, paddling for now but peddaling could be in the future.

[PEMEX]

I'm a big fan of C and R, but if there ever was a species that is thriveing and in need of being put in check the Thresher Shark (in local waters) is it. t fast......... I always laugh when someone tells me a #80 shark pulled them for a mile
:idea:


Dude..
Put in check?
WTF?
Are you a biologist with data that the rest of us have not seen?
Dude..I shat myself...

[El Burro Blanco]

Your ignorance is showing! lol

So is your arrogance.lol

[Iceman]

Can anyone recommend a good knot for tying 4# main line to 100# leader:D

[dgax65]

Double uni to uni with a Bimini twist on the main line, triple granny with a surgeon's loop on the leader and crimps on each tag end. That'll do ya'

[Billy V]

That same double knot I tie on my sneaker everyday holds like a SOB. :)

[dos ballenas]

[quote=THE DARKHORSE;23895]I'm a big fan of C and R, but if there ever was a species that is thriveing and in need of being put in check the Thresher Shark (in local waters) is it.

Right on, great advice there,

"An examination of the historical fishing and length frequency data from the CA/OR driftnet fishery indicated that west coast thresher shark stocks over fished in the early 1980s were rebounding in response to fishing regulations introduced in the mid-1980s.
"

True, but isn't ca their spawning grounds?
http://swfsc.noaa.gov/textblock.aspx?ParentMenuId=123&id=972
"; birth is thought to occur in the spring months off California, judging from the cluster of postpartum-sized pups taken in the catch at this time."


and didn't we just learn something about our past...
http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwevb/showthread.php?t=3315
Totoaba, a giant croaker

In my own opinion, I think the thresher shark fishery could go downhill, again, quite rapidly... and does anybody really know

http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/Fish/Gallery/Descript/ThresherShark/ThresherShark.html
"The thresher shark is considered a "Data Deficient" species by the World Conservation Union (IUCN). A taxon is considered "Data Deficient" when there is inadequate information to make a direct, or indirect, assessment of its risk of extinction based on its distribution and/or population status. This species is on its way to recovery in waters off the coast of California due largely to fishery management measures and is now considered "Near Threatened" in this region."

:rolleyes:

[madscientist]

The idea that the T shark population is thriving because there is a good 2 or 3 weeks of fishing for them in LJ seems pretty flimsy. I know many long time boaters who feel that the explosion of internet fishing has hugely increased the number of guys out there successfully targeting T's, the effect of which remains to be seen.

Personally, I find threshers to be magnificent animals. I've taken them in the past and will do so again, but I hope we have the chance to tangle with them for many years to come.

[aguachico]

I've seen pics of longliners catching green t-sharks in both US and Mexican waters. Are the LJ tsharks green T-sharks?

About 8 years ago, there were a small group of mouse trappers targeting TS in LJ. They would work at the 200ft line from the pier heading north.

As far as conservation goes, I eat one a year if possible. The DFG should step up and create a reg that is based on science instead of PETA. I do remember that when Doc Cherry was getting them off the paddle board, tsahrks were a nusance. They would steal you macs when you left the pier. Bait was tough to get at times. Imho; it seems there are less t-sharks now then 8 years ago.

[Zed]

Thanks mad, that's what struck me too.

And to add, how many times have you read [on the internet] "I only take one a year, blah, blah, blah"?

Say 500 folks only taking one a year. Thats five hundred local sharks taken out of the system. There may be 500 yak fishermen that only get 1 YT a year (LJ loc's not withstanding), but a school of YT could have 500 fish. A school of sharks is maybe 5. Just thinking aloud.

I think once one starts the thresher fishing, it evens out because there is a realization that releases become a better option, vs the PITA of the kill/paddle/clean/disposal/storage/possible waste.

[dos ballenas]

"Common threshers are dark green, Bigeye threshers are brown and Pelagic threshers are generally blue. Lighting conditions and water clarity can affect how any one shark appears to an observer, but the color test is generally supported when other features are examined."

It's also called blue thresher, green thresher, longtail shark, swiveltail, fox shark, or sea fox...

This year seems to be much slower than last year already... if you do decide to keep one let me know...if you can deliver the stomach and any other stats I can add it to a local study being done...

[Handymansd]

Thanks all for the advice and comments! I don't know about the current state of the Thresher population and or it's conservation. I just know I am still psyched two days later, and will go out tonight to make myself available for that rematch! I just hope "It" shows:rolleyes:. Maybe this time I will save a little bit of energy to remember that little lever on the right side of my reel when I get it boatside!:o

Cheers all!:cheers1:

[THE DARKHORSE]

Being a surfer for close to twenty-five years now I have a deal with sharks. Being blessed (I think), with an opportunity to witness more than one Great White Shark from the perspective of the water on seperate occasions has probably affected my descision. A sort of "get out of jail free" with all shark species if you will. I have "never" harvested a shark and never will (Thresher, Mako, Leopard). Anyone who knows me personally will attest to my practices of C and R. This includes big White Seabass, Yellowtail, and Halibut (not only sharks). I'm certainly no Marine Biolagist and would agree with the insufficient data aspect concerning all marine species (unless it's a fish-tank obvious challenges at work). That being said, I always change my fishing practices this time of year. This would include not even putting bait in the water (strictly sight fishing) and virtually eliminating annoying ("annoying to me", going through a whole roll of flouro in a day, countless hooks, and possibly harming "pups") by-catch. O.K., I will retract my loose-phraseing of "thriveing" and replace that with my "personal opinion" of healthy stock. I thought my post was a simple contrast to my status quote of "secret guy". I just wanted to know how it feels to tell people " go get one" and maybe make their day if not year. Considering how this is so well received concerning White Seabass posts (a fish that I have spent thirty, twelve hour days out of the last two months buried in the kelp without "one to show for it".

Not being a Marine Biolagist and admittingly ignorant on this subject, it's "my opinion" that the average "fishing once a month kayak angler" would be hard pressed to affect the overall Thresher stock. Of coarse, using the "Bloody Decks supposed rule of one a year in" in mind. This combined with the fact that "true breeder size sharks responsible for the majority of reproduction" are almost impossible to "land" from a kayak (even the most experienced angler with a 30 wide and support group).

An experiment from a simple fisherman not to be confused with a "Marine biolagist" : While not even dragging bait to lower chances of "annoying by-catch", one cast all day with the iron and guess what I caught.:hmmmm2:

[Handymansd]

An experiment from a simple fisherman not to be confused with a "Marine biolagist" : While not even dragging bait to lower chances of "annoying by-catch", one cast all day with the iron and guess what I caught.:hmmmm2:

And obviously a great cast, Josh! :D

[dos ballenas]

"
Not being a Marine Biolagist and admittingly ignorant on this subject, it's "my opinion" that the average "fishing once a month kayak angler" would be hard pressed to affect the overall Thresher stock. Of coarse, using the "Bloody Decks supposed rule of one a year in" in mind. This combined with the fact that "true breeder size sharks responsible for the majority of reproduction" are almost impossible to "land" from a kayak (even the most experienced angler with a 30 wide and support group).
[/quote]

Thats fine, most on this site aren't marine biolOgists either, who said I was, I used google:eek:
That being said, I feel that you deserve the respect you have earned as a kayak fisherman in WCW 07, and there are many others out there that take what you have to say to heart, and being in your position you have the power to influence and inspire. Use it wisely... and the perks will keep coming.

Its true the average size fish a kayak will take is gonna be under 100 lbs, aka a pup...
If the kayakers work together with the guys from BD killing all the breaders maybe we can drive them T sharks to extinction;) slow to grow, let them go, except for calicos that is:rolleyes:

[madscientist]

"
slow to grow, let them go, except for calicos that is:rolleyes:

Now you're talking!:luxhello:

[yani]

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Yani
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[lamb]

lol

[bajadog]

:cheers1: