Staying afloat...
 

http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwegall...SC00914_1_.JPG
Staying afloat isn't much of a challenge, but this day proved otherwise.

The process of strapping a fifty pound White Seabass to the back of the Revolution is quite easy most of the time. By using the rudder strap to simply hold the tail in place works quite well and provides a secure platform for the happy pedal home. The process of finding that particular grade of fish proposes the greatest challenge, I'm sure most others would agree. The game of hide and seek is something I've grown to love and that thrill of victory makes all the hard work worthwhile. On this particular day I did something I've never done and something I'll never do again. I used my rudder strap to tie up my rear toggle, in an effort to stop that annoying occasional bump sound (while trying to be deathly quiet ;)). After some maneuvering with my gaff I managed to "eventually" secure my new trophy.
http://www.bigwatersedge.com/bwegall...SC00925_1_.JPG
The ride home was more fun than usual while doing my new favorite kayak maneuve, the wheelie :D. A maneuver made possible thanks to this 55.5 lbs of post-spawn fury, measuring 56".

Now that's a trophy! Nice work in the dark.

BEAST, WTG:wsb:

what are those markings towards the tail of the fish?

As long as you don't ask where I caught her, no problem.
 

The diagonal mark is a pretty serious wound that healed nicely. The mark going straight across the tail section is from the rudder strap...tail over the rudder dragging the water :).

Is conservation measured in how many we release or in how many we keep....nice trophy.........:wsb:.:luxhello:

http://i47.photobucket.com/albums/f1...54791a50d6.jpg

I will never figure out how you managed to pull that fish out in front me while i was still fighting mine. I thought for sure major knot! All i remeber is you yelling and saying.... "put your rod down so i can go over you" How ju du dat? :confused:

nice :wsb:

What is that this year, eight, nine wsb kept? 6 or 7 pre-spawn? How many released? You figure a 60% survival rate, what, 4-5 more dead? How many broken off? How many of those don't manage to untangle and then die?

Ethical fishing. Think about it. How much is a "trophy" worth? Evidently for some, it's $300. For others, it's the future of our fishery.

Trophy fishing is for people with something to prove.

And the Donkey has spoken LOL

Don't mind the HeeHaw........ congrats on the very nice catch!:cheers1:

Nice fish
Don't listen to the donkey he's just jealous

Sorry to interrupt your fan club, but how much meat do you need? Fish should only be kept for subsistence. There's a responsibility in being an angler, not to mention a guide. That responsibility is to protect the resource. Do not over-harvest, especially with pre-spawn fish. You can say what you want about numbers released, which don't all survive. Also those targeted, but broken off don't all survive. The bottom line is, keep what you can reasonably use for subsistence, not what you feel you need to prove that you caught by carrying it to the beach to see what it weighs.

Very nice quality fish! :wsb:
Pay no attention to the haters, I'm sure you put the meat to good use anyways. :you_rock:

Congrats on another sweet biscuit! I'm sure family and friends enjoy the fresh fillets!

Don't you just love getting lectured by a jealous peta lovin jackass, er.. Donkey? :alberteinstein:

Nice fish Josh! You da man! :)

Nice catch Josh , thanks for sharing.

Is Donkeypunch French for Jackass?

" the happy pedal home" That sez alot.What a good feeiling.Josh congradulation on a nice catch..........

:confused:That was quite the Donkey Show :biggrinjester: .

Nice fish Josh. I always enjoy your post.

Great fish Josh, :wsb:
Your catching is what inspires our fishing.
In all the time I have known you I have never seen you ever waste a piece of bait let alone a pound of excellent eating fish.
Keep it up.:you_rock:

the way I see it Josh is well withing his right to harvest 1 fish a day as many times as he wants. he isn't breaking any rules so you need to just back off and keep your stupid comments to yourself. don't get your panties all in a bunch over a fish that you wish you landed. how about you just man up and give credit where credit is do. I dont see you saying anything to those people that keep 2 or more yellows in 1 day. why don't you get off Josh's back and just go fishing

Nice fish! Donkeypunch is in favor of all the closers. :confused:

'tis a BEAST, nice :wsb: bro!

You lost me here.....
I think you are talking about securing the rear carry handle on the Hobie.

Quality fish you have there.

PIG!!!!! B U T FULLLLLLL fish.

Fillets off of a fifty pound fish dont last as long as you would think if you dont eat alone. What should he do? Release all his fish then go to the store to pay for wsb fillets? There would be no difference in the amount of fish taken/consumed.

Donkey if you want to worry about people taking too many fish go hassle the commercial guys who take more wsb in one set than Josh will in his lifetime. Better yet go protest at the local grocery store or fish market. If you can get people to stop buying fish all together, commercial guys would stop fishing. Good luck with that donkey.

Congrats again Josh. I am O,fer my last three trips. Gonna put in more time as I am off the next two weeks.

Ahhh, another Hobie angler...
 

Exactly Billy, rear carry handle or toggle :dontknow:.

This is going to plague me for the rest of the day.
--Yesterday, for the 1st. time ever, I released the rear toggle from its strap before I launched the kayak at the shores.

I swear to to you its true.
I did it because it would make it easier upon my return through the surf, where I can step off the kayak and more easily grab the rear toggle to walk it through the surf.

I fished the spaghetti from morning, until 7:30 pm last night and did not have the same results as you.

God is in the details.

Great fish Josh, always a great read and pics. Congrats.

how many a year is Ethical??? Please tell me so that I can be ETHICAL...
 

You unethical fisherman!;)

But as long as you share some of that white meat with me, I promise I won't harrass you...:D
Congrats to you my man!~:cheers1:

So if Josh quit fishing, you would too?:doh:

Nice purple :elefant:

Do Josh's exploits make you want to sell your kayak and tackle, or, tie
some knots and plan your next trip?

License fees help our California DFG team to remain intact, and enforce all
of the stiff regulations that are currently on the books ... like a limit of one
fish per day.

I'm actually wondering .. where is the DFG marketing department? Couldn't
Josh be a posterboy for what's possible (yet far from probable) out there
on a kayak, helping inspire some state license revenue in a time of fiscal
crisis?

To me he seems busy proving that the wsb population is alive and well,
despite any and all current fishing pressure. I'm sold.

And, maybe the limit should be one all year, for HIS SAFETY! :rolleyes: :)




And on behalf of many thousands of local squid and mackerel, I would like
to just say ... THANK YOU Josh!!

Nice catch, especially after spawning.

:cheers1: Very nice Josh.

Congrats Josh, on another beautiful fish:cheers1:
And please...
Fellow yakers, with all the MLPA chit going on...
Now is the time to be united...
Lay aside our differences...
We all want the same thing...
Josh just succeeds in getting it done...
On a very regular basis...




“Jealousy is the tribute mediocrity pays to genius.”...Fulton J. Sheen

Let it go...

Go hug a tree with PETA, I don't even get to fish LJ since its quite a distance from me I only get to hit the PV kelps. But I still love to read Josh's posts and hope I could get a chance to catch one of those trophy Ghost from the yak one day. Hope MPLA does not close the spot.