Thu LJ Report, no YT...
 

It's late, so the short story version. I had two kids to drop off for school first so one for high school football practice, 7:15 am... son #2 goes at 8:00, so we go to 24-hour fitness for our steam bath and jacuzzi.... very nice start to many days. That is how today's fishing trip started.... with jacuzzi, steam bath and shower. Nice! Evan a shave!

Anyway, too long since on the ocean, and all packed up, but get to LJ around 8:30. Cloudy, semi-windy, but still pretty warm.

I have been launching at LJ for 15 years now, and today was the wettest I ever entered the ocean.... two waves got me full from head to toe, so started soaked. But still kinda warm.

Nobody out.... no PB's, maybe one in the distance, and saw one couple on a tandem catching calicos. Later, total of two other kayaks. Veeeerrrryyyy quiet. A bit of wind, and a definite swell. But seemed fishy.

Caught many, many mossbacks, but hard to find greenies. Finally, a really nice guy in sand-colored Outback on the way in gave me his remainders..... 5 perfect Spanish macs. I'm happy. Troll around, just enjoying being on the water, hoping for something. Definitely a swell..... not for everyone.

See a few bait schools jump here and there, but tossing surface iron, nothing. Another guy heads in.... no luck. A few calicos biting is the story.

Anyway, just enjoying the trip, and realizing it is "Time on the Water" that counts. Finally, around 10:30, my first bite...... click a few times, and then a run..... yes! I had a flly-lined, and a dropper loop mac only about 30 feet down, and not far out. But as far as I can see..... nobody in sight.... not one single boat.

Fish runs, and with a circle hook on the dropper loop, I just put in gear..... and YES, it holds..... furiously trying to reel in my other line, reel fast, then pull on my fish, then reel fast, then fight the fish... getting a good sleigh ride, realizing it is not a small fish..... :reel:

Then finally when rod #2 is reeled in, I am vertical on the fish, and it gets stuck in kelp..... darn! But only for a few seconds, maybe 20 seconds of worry, then it runs again, and I gain ground.... and then, I see a big tail... hooray... YT, then closer..... HOORAY, not a YT, but a big White Sea Bass is staring back at me. Heart pounding, since it has been 2 years since a WSB joined me for dinner.... I get the gaff ready, and it just puts its belly up, and pow, perfect shot. :cheers1:

So excited. Bleed it, relax, let it die, thank my spirits for my luck and its life, and then put in hatch..... scream with joy to the skies, and head in.

I guess that is the key to WSB success.... take a jacuzzi and steam bath first, then head out! Let someone else catch the bait, and when everyone leaves, you get the fish! (ps..... my biggest WSB was 60.2 pounds, and I caught it after launching at 9:30 in the morning!)

I was back at shore early enough to rinse all my gear in the showers at LJ, and go weigh it at Dana Landing, just under 40 pounds..... thought was heavier, have a lunch on the water and pick my boys up for the drive home.

Great dinner tonight and big BBQ planned for tomorrow. Guys, we live so close to an AWESOME resource. Time on the Water paid off!

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-O...sb_5_22_14.jpg

Wow! Congrads on great catch! And Congrads for doubling the amount of kayakers going out this weekend :)

Congrats! Looks like you have enough fish for the weekend!

Sick! That thing is a slob!

Nice!!! :luxhello::kayak-surfer:

Awesome catch. Thanks for sharing.

Fark me gently!!!! I was in the kelp diving!!


Hell of a ghost!!!

great story and great fish!!

Awesome ! Congrats and thanks for the good read

Way to Go - awesome !!!!:reeling::reeling::reeling::reeling:

SA-WEEEET!!! :cheers1:

sweet catch, and now, there goes the weekend at lj..

Nice ghost, and great report, CONGRATULATIONS.

well, let's see, several said my post would increase the crowds, and I did consider about increasing the crowds at LJ this weekend, but in defense:

1) I said I got wetter on entry than ever before in 15 years, with big waves and big swell

2) I did say, "No YT at La Jolla", none seen at all...

3) I did mention this was a one-off random catch

4) it is memorial day weekend anyway....

so, not feeling too guilty. I think a WSB in general is a lucky grab. My post was to mention the "technique" of 1) jacuzzi and 2) steambath and 3) shower before going out at 9:00 am.

One correction the "couple" in the tandem, that's my little sister hahaha(:
Very nice catch!

Great story! Congrats!:cheers1::wsb:

Awesome fish there Cliff. Thank you for the heads ups yesterday. I tried to get out this AM but have too much work to do. Let's try for next week.

As to adding to the crowds this weekend, give me a break, It is a Holiday weekend and most true kayak fisherman will be far away from La Jolla.

This week for you a :wsb: A week ago for myself a :yt:

It is going to be a great year of fishing.

Congratulations again buddy!!!!!!!

Congratulations on your nice White Cliff. A very sweet catch.

You didn't see anybody out there, but we met on the beach after landing and helped each other out with our kayaks. I launched at sunrise, met Austin (on the tandem with his sister), so there were a couple of other yakers out there.
You landed minutes after I did with your very fat Ghost.

I worked hard for 5 hours for nothing, also getting wet from head to toe on launch. I lost my kayak wheels when I was hit by one big wave. I wasn't used to using wheels, and forgot to bungy them in on the back.
I covered much ground high and low on that very bumpy ocean for nothing.

If a very few additional boaters/yakers show up because of your one WSB you mentioned in your post, so be it. Like you said it's MEMORIAL day weekend, a crowd was a given. And why should you care you caught enough good meat for a couple of months.

There are still plenty of people out there who appreciate timely reports like yours, we do, and thanks for posting it, though I won't be out for awhile until the aches work out of my system. The ones who are dismayed by your report aren't helping you out by not reporting, unless your in their private group of special ones, and get their PMs.

Keep posting, and don't feel like you need to "DEFEND" your posts. Nice once in a while to see it like it used to be...

Aaron (aka Aaron&Julie)

And you shouldn't feel guilty. For every naysayer there are 10 that just appreciate a well written TIMELY report. Good job on the ghost bud. Come on people, it's not March.

Congrats on your Ghost!

As for all the haters, all I can say is "F" them. I never understood this whole territorial secretive BS when it comes to fishing. When it comes down to it, if you don't have the skill set to catch a trophy fish, you can be dead center in the middle of a boil and still leave empty handed.

If everyone hoards info and does nothing but rations out info to their inner circle...there is no way this sport is going to grow.

Personally I think the more the merrier, the ocean is big enough to support a few more kayakers on the water. Heck this entire Board wouldn't exist if all we had on here were hoarders.

"too long since on the ocean"

Way to make your time BACK on the water count. :cool:

I think most of the smart ones knew your first post was in jest with the :you_rock: and :) icons.
It's the others that may be holding their tongues at this point. Personally, I'm tired of the Kayak Fishing Reports a month or two later, showing toads and how they finally decided to use so and so's guide service. How are those so-called reports supposed to be beneficial to those that don't use a guide, which still amounts to the majority that are members of this website?
Aaron

I want to know where you get your nails done... kidding.

I too plan between my kids and wife's school/work.sports. Great catch, good on you.

With all due respect, shouldn't you know enough people now to where you know what's happening in the water EVERYDAY in la jolla?


What I love about kayak fishing is the chance to network with some of san Diego's best fishermen And collect intel by word of mouth, not by hitting refresh in the reports section 20 times a day.

Ehhhhh, I've been at it for sometime now and no one "tells" me S*&%.

One of the reasons I LOVE having Mid Week days off is that I rarely have to deal with the Zoo!

The reports page is the Web browser home screen on my phone:D

You are not alone, happens to most of us. So options are, post what you catch when you catch it and hope it inspires others to do the same. Don't post. Join a group of active fishermen and fish together as part of the in crowd. Form your own code group and invite others. Fish every day you can. Hire a guide and go back to school. OR go to Baja and catch EASY fish. Lot's of choices, no really good answer. Best of luck.

F****kin bob. Once these damn kids turn 18 and my wife leaves me for someone who likes her more than fishing....I'm gonna be your next door neighbor


That being said. Just renewed my passport. I'm almost ready for a Baja expedition!!!

If the kids are over 6 or 7 just bring them with you, maybe the wife too. About time we organized a family trip to Baja. San Quintin starts a week from today.

I think I am going to have to open up my own live bait shop on the water after all I must have the best fin bait around evidently, last week on thursday I met and helped Marvin catch some nice sized macs, left him alone to head outside, came back by him wishing him luck on my way in and 30 minutes later he popped his cherry with his first ever yellow tail !!! So wanting to spread the my lucky macs around on the way back in yesterday I saw someone (Cliff) heading out as I was heading in, I stopped him and offered up my bait tank on greenies and wished him luck as well and guess what ?? a WSB came a calling on one of those special lucky macs !!! So if you see me in my beige outback and straw hat heading in come on over and get some lucky bait. Hopefully these good deeds will have some value to the fish gods, I sure could use some.

Tight lines !!!

Congrats on a great catch!

:cheers1:
:cheers1:
:cheers1:


Ohhhh my gosh...a sunny summer weekend in San Diego........there are other fishermen out there!


Oh no!


STFU!

Thanks for the report! And Congratulations on that fatty.
I've been planning on getting out there before the holiday rush so I'm heading there in an hour right after I shower and shave! :)

I am not the social person you are, and I don't know what's going on day to day, from the superficial contacts you've attained.

But, from day one of my kayaking experience and saltwater experiences, I've shared every bit of knowledge I've attained freely with others, equipment, techniques, and reports without hesitation, to those wishing to learn this sport. It's been that way since I was 8 years old (45 years now), and will be until I die. You're free to do what you will...

What I love about kayak fishing is the willingness of those that are experienced is to share what we know. We share what we know, tough surf, an open mother ocean that can take us where we don't want to go, the nature of mother ocean to show us "our family" in the dolphins and the whales, and when we so fortunate as Seaquin was, to reward us with her bounty. Our lives are short, can we ask for more?

I feel this is a defense, I'm tired of this shit. Suck face you bastards that don't know what it is like 10 years ago.

Who really cares what happen 10 years ago?. Don't know about others but I haven't learned a damn thing from you except that you don't use a sonar and you have been fishing for a hundred years!Your rhetoric is getting old.....move on:)

In addition to: the OP's catch is even more significant because it was not caught in a "wide open bite". Nice job and catch!.

Every time someone posts a fish pic on this site everyone shits a sideways brick. If this summer pans out to be as good as everyone is hoping, people may die.

To AaronJulie .... LOL.... I guess I'm a bastard because I wasn't right here standing on the beach at the launch ten years ago.
What a stupid thing to say as you now sit on your computer.
LOL....
Thank you for your "insight"